Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week – One glorious day

by Rob Kothe on 13 Aug 2010 Glorious weather for the start of the 21st annual Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week.

The 120 boat start line was diminished slightly this morning with two notable absentees. News late this morning that despite the best efforts of her delivery crew Jim Farmer’s Georgia has been delayed by the rough weather from the coastal low on her passage from New Zealand and will miss at least part of the regatta. The other shock withdrawal is Ray Roberts Evolution Racing, the 2008 winner, which is still being modified. Roberts is a strong supporter of this regatta and has organised an urgent charter of a very competitive 42 footer for the second half of the regatta.

But for those on the water, it was a wonderful day.

From the start line the boats headed upwind towards a rounding buoy off Mandalay Point and then the southerly breeze allowed the bulk of the fleet to hoist their spinnakers as the yachts streamed north towards Double Cone.

The IRC Racing Division and the Multihulls sailed a 31 nautical mile course which extended on to Armit Island and further west to Olden Island, while IRC Racing Division 2, the Super 30’s, Performance Racing and Cruising Division 1 fleet turned south after Armit, sailing a 23 nautical mile course.

Cruising Division 2, Non Spinnaker Cruisers, the Sports Boats and Ross 780 One Design fleets cut the corner even earlier looping around Double Cone and headed for home, a 19 nautical mile course.

Michael Hiatt steered his Farr 55 Living Doll to a double line honours and handicap win in the Reward Distribution IRC Racing Division 1.

Second on handicap was Howard Lambourne’s Farr 40 Lambourdini, with Darryl Hodgkinson’s Victoire third.

Hiatt was smiling dockside and the 2009 Airlie Beach Race Week winner commented ‘We sailed lower and faster than anyone else and climbed up to the mark quite happily as the wind swung to the east. Just a wonderful day out there! '

Second across the line was Aucklander Rob Bassett aboard his Bakewell-White 52 Wired. ‘A glorious day on the water – a good reason to come to the Whitsundays in the winter. We know our speed will improve this week. Since we were last here, we have a new mast, more sail area and new appendages. We know our canting keel will receive more favourable treatment under IRC in 2011, until then it seems we just have to grin and bear it.‘

In IRC Div 2 also sponsored by Reward Distribution, Zen, Gordon Ketelbey’s Sydney 38, scored the double line honours and handicap win. Howard Piggott’s Flying Cloud was second, with Double O Seven skippered by Jeffrey Brown in third.

In the Hutchinson Builders Sports Boat Class today, Matt Allen and Warwick Rooklyn’s Melges 24, Bandit, it seems aptly named, stole handicap victory today from Pete Sorensen’s Conquistador and Brett Whitbread’s Blokes World.

The Bandit Tactician Julian Plante commented ‘We had a terrible start, but managed to catch our Melges 24 bench mark Cam Miles on Roger That when he tried to cut the corner on Armit Island and fell into the wind shadow, we were wider and sailed fast through him. Then there were no passing lanes for him.

‘Downwind it was a wild ride, with a lot of whooping and hollering from the guys.

‘We are still trying to master the basics so we are happy to take the win today.'

The Nautilus Marine Insurance IRC Cruising Division double was today won by Stewart Lewis’ Ocean Affinity. Second on handicap was Local hero, Peter Mosely with Townsville’s Quattro skippered by Graham Donnell, completing the podium.

In the Pacific Pontoon and Pier Performance Racing Division, the handicap win went to Questionable Logic skippered by Terry Archer from the Whitsunday Sailing Club.

Charles Wallis’ Reignition was second, with Mike Roper’s Ropabull in third. The line honours win today went to Reignition.

The Cruising classes are being sponsored by Fantasea.

In Cruising Div 1 Let’s Go, Alyn and Danielle Ovenden, scored the handicap win from George Snow’s Argo Blue. Storm 2, Don Algie, took the line honours win, but finished third on handicap.

In Cruising Div 2 Peter Johnson’s Amadeus took the handicap win, from Sue and Alan Pick’s Supertramp with Bejamin Meakin’s Peggy, third. Manly Too skippered by Peter McAdam took divisional line honours.

In Cruising Non Spinnaker the handicap win was scored by Roger Boast’s Serendipity, from Dan White’s Riff Raff with Bernie Vanthof’s Tulip placing third. Tulip took the division’s line honours.

In the One Design Ross 780’s division, High Tide from the Whitsunday Sailing Club and skippered by Shannan Hart took the handicap win. Derek Foley’s Wicked was second, followed by Rod Caldwell’s Rolls Ross.

King of the Multihulls on handicap today was Moving Finger, skippered by Robert Dean. Bob Thompson’s Sirocco was second, with Dave Chittleborough’s Cynophobe third. Cynophobe was fastest multihull crossing the line less than two minutes ahead of Moving Finger.

The Super 30 class line honours and handicap winner today was the Melges 32 Funnelweb, skippered by Heath Walters. Kim Williams Rock N’Roll was second with LoCo, Jeanine and Jon Drummond third.

Full Results at click here