Queensland Catamaran sailor is World Hobie 16 President

by Ian Grant on 30 Jan 2002 Sailing on the Sunshine Coast has held a special significance with the quietly spoken former Australian champion Hobie 14 skipper David Brookes.

Brookes who lives in Brisbane rates the open ocean racing water off Mooloolaba and the more protected Lake Cootharaba courses as his favourite sailing venues.

The memory of match racing in the strict one design Hobie catamaran classes for honours in National, State and the popular Coca Cola Winter championship over the Sunshine Coast courses remain strong as the energetic Hobie sailing fanatic steers his successful career into a more important role.

His passion for the sport of sailing has always been strong and even when he was racing Brookes found extra time to gain valuable experience as an administrator and race official.

Despite spending most of his racing career sailing alone on the wet trampoline of the Hobie 14 Brookes has proved he is a team player as indicated with his selection to control the race management team at the 1998 Hog's Breath Hobie 16 World championship at Airlie Beach followed by a responsible role at the Sydney Olympic regatta.

Brookes is the last person to speak about his achievements, however he takes personal pride in being able to serve the sport.

Last July Brookes an executive board member of the hard working Queensland Yachting Association was appointed World president of the Hobie 16 class recognised as international sailings largest one-design catamaran racing fleet.

This role places him in demand for numerous events including the 2002 Air France World championship to be contested in Noumea in early April.

Meanwhile Brookes will refine his race management skills as the principle race officer for the Hogs Breath Queensland championship to be decided over the Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club courses on the weekend of March 9-10.

Several Sunshine Coast crews including Maleny High School student Michael Peterson will fly the Queensland Hobie 16 team colours in Noumea.

Michael a insulin dependent diabetic has show exceptional courage to take part in the excitement of racing in the energy absorbing Hobie 16 class first as crew with older brother Shane and now heading to Noumea for his first World title as a skipper.

The ever-smiling teenager has a simple philosophy and that is to enjoy sailing in the fast lane.

He will play that role when the tactical race strategy is applied on the unfamiliar waters in Noumea with his schoolmate Joel McClune as crew.

Joel like his skipper has shown enormous courage to overcome a hand deformity to take a deserved place on the starting line for the World championbships.

Both skipper and crew are the last to complain and hope to add the Queensland Junior Championship to their impressive list of results before they sail in the Australian colours at the Noumea World title starting on April 2.