Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Regatta - Georgia to be hot contender
by Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week Media on 31 May 2010
Dean Barker at the helm of Georgia, a Botin and Carleek designed TP52 owned by Jim Farmer on day one of the Bay of Islands Regatta. Cathy Vercoe LuvMyBoat.com
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A sistership to Emirates Team New Zealand TP52, the Audi Med Cup winner, Jim Farmer's Georgia was an impressive winner in the 2010 Port Nicholson Regatta, the New Zealand IRC Championships. She finished close behind Alan Brierty's Reichel Pugh 63 Limit in the Bay of Islands Regatta and she will be amongst the top guns at the 21st Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Regatta this August.
The sixth in a series called ‘Georgia’, the boat is an IRC modified sistership to the Emirates Transpac 52.
[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]Owned by Auckland Barrister Jim Farmer's Georgia Racing, she was launched at the Emirates Team New Zealand base last October.
At the time of her launch Jim Farmer QC told Zoe Hawkins 'I had been thinking for the last few years that a TP52 was likely to be the next mid-sized boat to have.
'They are a development class, a very good reaching boat as well as being fast upwind and downwind.'
Farmer said he discussed purchasing the ETNZ boat after its first year’s racing, but instead decided to build a boat using the same hull mould, but customising it for IRC racing, which is popular in New Zealand and Australia, and adding more interior space.
'Because Marcelino Botin had designed the Emirates boat and is ETNZ’s America’s Cup designer and because of my own association with ETNZ, I was then able to put together this boat which achieved all the objectives of having a customised IRC boat but with the pedigree of a Transpac. The fact that, thanks to the Recession, Mick Cookson had no new boats under construction was also a great help and we were able to put together the project in a way that was cost effective for Georgia Racing and also enabled him to keep his best boat builders together.'
Internal ballast has been removed from the ETNZ design to accommodate a more comfortable interior, and a heavier bulb has been applied. The sail plan is slightly larger for a slightly lower overall displacement, and the deck and cabin top have been re-designed.
'I have always admired Marcelino’s designs, especially the design work that he has done for ETNZ on its America’s Cup boats. This design of the TP52 hull was very radical, by comparison with other current TP designs, and there were many who were saying that it would not be successful. The ETNZ results in this year’s Med Cup, where they annihilated the competition and the best sailors and designers in the world, has proved otherwise.'
Ten weeks out from the 2010 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week and it seems the 21st annual Race Week could be one of the biggest yet.
The number of entries is well ahead of the same time last year says Regatta Director Denis Thompson. ‘We could be heading for our biggest. A clue, from an organisational point of view, is that we are ordering 140 sets of skipper’s bags, bows sticker and flags.’
Certainly there is a lot of interest at all levels. The IRC Racing Class goes from strength to strength as more of the top IRC contenders realise that a week of tight racing dramatically improves their competitiveness at Hamilton Island.
Jim Farmer's Georgia will face some stiff compettion.
Ray Roberts will again have his very competitive Cookson 50 Evolution Racing at Airlie Beach. He commented this week ‘Having made the effort to get the boat from down south all the way up to the Whitsundays, it just makes sense to do both Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island regattas and it certainly produces better results at Hamilton.’
Michael Hiatt will be bringing his Farr 50 Living Doll up from Melbourne again. ‘We are looking forward to another great event. This event is very sailing friendly. One of the things Denis Thompson has agreed to do is to hold the IRC fleet ashore until breeze is in and we can sail late - to maximise good racing time.’
In recent years Airlie Beach Race Week has been benefiting because its naming right sponsor Meridien Marinas is one of the largest investors in Airlie Beach and the CEO Russell McCart is a very keen yachtsman, who also happens to be the Commodore of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
Russell McCart. ‘From a business side we have a major commitment to Airlie Beach, beyond Abel Point Marina, where Race Week is held; we are amongst the biggest investors in the Whitsundays along with the Oatleys on Hamilton Island. The two groups recognise that this is a unique part of the world. It’s the way, pretty much, nature made it. It’s a wonderful place to go to and do a little bit of racing and have a good time too.
'From the sailing side. Airlie Beach Race Week just keeps getting stronger.
‘I an enthusiastic about having multhulls racing at Race Week 2010. This is a great regatta, top class sailing and great fun. We are all just looking forward to having a great 21st birthday party.'
Make sure you get your entry in as soon as possible www.airliebeachraceweek.com.au
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