18 footer World Champions race at Airlie Beach

by Rob Kothe on 12 Aug 2007
A moment in sailing history today when the 1983 and 1984 18 footer World Champion Peter Sorensen combined with the 1988 and 1999 World Champion Scott Ramsden aboard the Bethwaite design sports boat Vivace racing in the Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week.

Although he is in his early 60’s, Sorensen has been campaigning in the high adrenaline sports boat class at Airlie Beach for some years now. His lime green 8 metre racer Vivace has taken the line honours in the first two races in the 2007 Sports Boat division, over the last two days.

'Scottie' Ramsden was a 12 foot skiff champion while still a teenager racing with his brother Craig. He sailed the first Bethwaite B-14 prototype in 1986 and at age 21 he won the JJ Giltinan Shield skippering Bank of New Zealand on the Brisbane River in 1988 and in 1999 the 18 footer Europeans in Carnac in France.

Four the last four years Ramsden has brought his dual 225hp Yamaha powered Camera Cat to the Whitsundays. It’s the fast orange coloured special Media Cat that glides through the fleet, getting up close and personal with the racing boats.

Today Ramsden took a break from the media boat duties to fill in for an absent crew member with his old sailing mate Sorro. ‘Almost ten years since we sailed together’ he grinned this morning as he prepared for a day of wet and wild action. ‘Just looking for plenty of breeze.’

Vivace won today’s 20 mile race from Bob Cowan’s Stealth 8, Stealthy.

Ramsden commented dockside, ‘We won the race...waiting to see if won on time. I did bow, first time I’ve sailed a skiff since 1999.'

The duo started the 1999 Europeans together but after winning the first fews races Sorensen fell and broke his ribs and had to step off the boat. Ramsden took over the skippering duties and won the title.

‘Today, it was like riding a bike.' saild the 40 year oled Ramsden,

‘I loved getting back on the boat with my old fearless leader. He is an awesome skipper, it was like old times. Sorro has a fantastic crew and I think they will be very hard to beat in the remaining races.'

Sorensen commented with a smile.. 'he is a good kid.’