It’s a breeze to enter Meriden Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week

by Event Media on 2 Jul 2009 There’s still time to enter and it’s the perfect event for cruising yachts to hardcore racers, and everything in between …

That’s the clear and welcoming message from the organisers of the Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week – a seven day celebration of sailing events, marine camaraderie and fun from Thursday August 13 to August 20 in the Whitsundays.

Airlie Beach Race Week provides sailors ranging from racing novices to highly credentialled exponents of the sport, to mix it competitively over six days racing around the picture postcard islands of the Whitsundays.

The race program also includes a ‘rest’ day in the middle.

'Having seven classes of yachts including cruisers, trailerable sports boats and IRC Racing Yachts, competing simultaneously, but over different courses, allows us to support a diversity of sailing styles as well as levels of expertise,' said Regatta Director Denis Thompson.

'While there is a racing category for everyone, Airlie Beach Race Week also traditionally hosts the Australia’s largest regatta of high performance, trailerable sports boats.

'That in itself makes an outstanding event and a magnificent spectacle,' Thompson said.

Airlie Beach Race Week is being hosted at Meriden Marinas Abel Point marina located on Shingley Drive, Airlie Beach which over the past year has seen significant improvements to increase the marina’s capacity and facilities.

This year’s Airlie Beach Race Week will be raced in seven main categories.

They are:

• IRC Racing Class for the top class racing vessels
• IRC Cruising Class for modern, fast cruising yachts
• Performance Racing Class which bases handicaps on the known performance of a vessel
• Sports Boat Class for thoroughbred, lightweight trailerable yachts
• Cruising Class for all types of cruising yachts with spinnakers
• Non-Spinnaker Class for yachts without spinnakers
• One-Design Class for one type, yacht brands

The cruising classes will follow courses that use islands as key markers, whereas the outright racing designs will focus on racing around designated course markers.

Most events will start mid-morning and are scheduled to have yachts back in the Abel Point Marina by around 4.30 p.m. each day.

'That timing allows competitors to pack away their gear ready to catch up on the day’s stories and for the nightly entertainment in the competitors’ marquee,' the Regatta Director explained.

'Those nightly festivities are a key part of the Airlie Beach Race Week – it provides a great opportunity for visiting sailors escaping to the tropics from the cold climes of the south, to socialise with each other.

'The race officials are committed to running a very professional, safe racing event.

'But it is also the friendships formed during the 20 years which the event has been running, which keeps people coming back year after year,' he said.

'The Airlie Beach Race Week regatta typically has around 100 yachts entered – many of them in the 30 to 50 foot class.

'One of the reasons why the event is so popular is that the location provides a full range of accommodation options – from the ultra-affordable to the top end of the market.

'It’s a destination suited to all budgets because competitors and their families are not locked into a staying on an island with the inherently greater financial costs.'

Airlie Beach also provides the perfect opportunity for friends and relatives to fly to Airlie after the event for a few days extra sailing around the Whitsundays – an unrivalled scenic archipelago of 74 islands, only eight of which are inhabited.

'Alternatively for non-sailors, they have a catalogue of days trips and adventures to choose from. They range from tours to the outer Great Barrier Reef for snorkelling and diving, to taking serene walks through outstanding rainforests.

'And after that, Airlie’s colourful nightlife ranges from elegant restaurants typically featured in glossy magazines, to night clubs which attract people from around the world.

'Alternatively, those with a hardcore passion for more competitive sailing, can also enter one of the subsequent events held at the conclusion of the Airlie Beach Race Week,' Thompson.

Prospective entrants can secure more information, including more details about vessel classes and racing rules, via the event’s web site: www.airliebeachraceweek.com.au or telephoning the event’s race director, Denis Thompson on 0417 686 640 or emailing him at info@airliebeachraceweek.com.au