Munich Gold Medalist to race at Hamilton Island
by Ian Grant on 31 Jul 2002
Merlin - 2002 Sydney to Goldcoast Race Daryl Krasu
Australia's proud Olympic Gold Medal winning skippers David Forbes and John Cuneo will compete for the first time together when the new Sydney sloop Merlin contests the International Hahn Premium IRC class championship at Hamilton Island.
Their personal moment of triumph was achieved 30 years ago in September at Kiel Germany when David Forbes sailing with John Anderson as crew won the Star Class in Simba V while John Cuneo crewing with John Anderson's twin brother Tom and John Shaw steered Wyuna to a commanding win in the Dragon class.
Both skippers deserve their legendary status in the history of Olympic and Australian yachting and are still regarded among the most gifted helmsmen produced in this country.
Merlin co-designed by Forbes and Americas Cup designer Phil Kaiko and built by John McConaghy will be stacked with helming talent when lines up against the record International fleet for the 23n/ml South Molle-Daydream Island race on Saturday August 17.
Who will be the starting helmsman may be decided with the toss of a coin however there is every chance that the 'little master' John Cuneo will steer while Merlin's co-owners David Forbes and Richard Brooks call the tactics.
Forbes has the distinction of winning the XXXX Ansett Race Week trophy when he and co-skipper John Calvert-Jones steered Great News to her outstanding win in 1988.
But this will be the first time that Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron life member John Cuneo tests his helming talent on the testing waters around the picturesque Whitsunday Islands.
The formation of this helming team will provide one of the highlights in a very competitive fleet of IRC class yachts which includes Sydney Soling Class Olympian Neville Wittey (Peugeot Racing) the consistent Ticket Of Leave skippered by Kevin Wood of Melbourne and the duelling Mumm 30 class sloops Enigma (Stewart Lewis) of Brisbane and Anthony Patterson in Tow Truck from Lake Macquarie.
Selecting a class winner from this outstanding group of radically different designed yachts is too close to call however the 'Golden Oldies' Forbes and Cuneo will relish the opportunity to sail 223 nautical miles in 9 races over 7 days at one of the World's best sailing destinations Hamilton Island.
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