Yabby Racing to kick start Day 3 at Sail Port Stephens

by Jody O'Brien on 22 Apr 2009 In the fun loving, laid back atmosphere that is the Commodores Cup at Sail Port Stephens, an idea for some morning entertainment before sailing has been hatched – the Inaugural Yabby Racing Carnival.

At d’Albora Marina this morning, 20 yabbies, locally born and bred in the Bay, will line up (well, as much as you can get something with four walking legs and a long thick tail to line up anyway...) – each representing a boat from the family friendly fleet.

The local couple who produce the tasty critters for restaurants all over the Hunter are having a few days break to go sailing with friends, enjoying the ambiance of Sail Port Stephens.

Over a few glasses of Wild Oats Wine and the odd bottle or two of Tooheys New White Stag, a group of like-minded individuals were discussing yabby recipes at Monday night’s Sunset BBQ at Peppers Anchorage, after it was revealed that Full Frontal, the Northshore 38 on which the yabby farmers are racing, was carrying live cargo.

One thing led to another in the conversation and before you could say Yabby Cocktail, there was a race of the fresh water crustaceans added to the social calendar.

It can be said that a good race is a quick race, but when you’re working with an unknown quantity like a yabby, organisers might have a 100 metre sprint of elite athletes or a marathon at a tortoise pace on their hands.

An official hooter will blow to signal the race start, and it will remain to be seen how feisty or sleepy the little critters are as to how long it will take for the race to finish...or at least have one of them declared a winner.

Friendly rivalry is one of the key enjoyment factors with this beginning of the week fleet – and tomorrow morning’s line up of crayfish athletes will be put to the test by their enthusiastic cheer squads from each yacht, keen to see their yabby take line honours.

And what becomes of the yabbies once the Inaugural Yabby Racing Commodores Cup Carnival is over - well they go back to the yabby farm to swim happily ever after....until they find themselves in a frying pan and brushed with garlic and butter anyway...