Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Regatta 2010 - Down to the wire

by Al Constable on 18 Aug 2010 The 21st annual Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach regatta is reaching the pointy end with tight battles in many divisions. However, some are clear cut.

In the Grand Prix IRC Racing Division 1 Michael Hiatt’s Farr 55 Living Doll, the 2009 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week Grand Prix winner, is set to take the 2010 series too.

She has dominated her division all week in a light weather regatta, with the winning combination of a world class boat, good sails and smart tactics.

She has not had it all her own way. On Day 2, in the White Rock Race, Rob Bassett’s Bakewell-White 52 Wired led the fleet most of the way to the first corner at Pioneer Rock, before Living Doll powered into the lead.

Today, although Living Doll had a fast start, on the short beat to windward to the Mandalay mark, on the first cross she had to dip behind Wired who was on starboard tack. But at the top mark the Doll was ahead.

She took the line honours and handicap win in IRC Racing Division 1. Victoire, Darryl Hodgkinson’s Beneteau First 45 was second on handicap, with Bob Robertson’s Farr 40 Cracklin Rosie, third.

Overall after six races, with one drop in place, Living Doll is leading the fleet courtesy of 1, 1, 1, 2, (2) and 1. Victoire is now clearly in second place, five points clear of Lambourdini, who finished sixth today.

Living Doll Tactician Ben Lamb commented dockside, ‘We had a good start down at the pin end, but Wired grabbed the first shift and we had to work hard to sail through our smaller rival. The first run was pretty good, we were waiting for the shift and we positioned her on the underside and made a good gain. We stayed right and eventually the wind went further right.

‘The Wired team was really sailing well today, they had more speed than they have had all week and could be a serious threat in the future.

‘Along the Molle Island shore we stayed right on the rocks and that kept us out of the tide. That is what we needed to do today to stay in front.'

In IRC Racing Division 2, Ross Winterbourne’s Bobby D from the Whitsunday Sailing Club took the handicap win from Howard Piggott’s Flying Cloud and Gordon Ketelbey’s Zen. Line honours went to Zen.

After six races, with one drop applied, Flying Cloud is four points clear of Zen with Grizzly, Christopher Jiggins Adams 10 from the Whitsunday Sailing Club, now third.

Every race has been tight and today’s was a heart stopper.

Julie Hodder, tactician aboard Gordon Ketelbey’s Sydney 38 Zen explained. ‘We sailed well; we had Flying Cloud beaten on time nicely, right near the end of the race. We led them all way down to the Bluff; we were five and half minutes ahead. That was 90 seconds on handicap but then there was a glass out on the way back.

‘We have to give them 58 seconds an hour and when the wind stopped, they beat us right on the line.’

Skipper Ketelbey smiled. ‘We have an aging Sydney 38, which really does not rate very well under IRC and Flying Cloud is the latest IRC killer and they juuuusssst beat us today, so we reckon we are doing OK!’

The winner Howard Piggott commented dockside ‘the race is not over until the fat lady sings, we had to work hard today. We had to chase the wind up every nook and cranny.

‘We even felt sorry for the Zen crew .... for about 30 seconds,' he said with a big grin.

‘But in truth the two boats are very evenly matched. After the Rolex Sydney Hobart race 2009, the overall handicap result was Beneteau First 40’s first and second and then Sydney 38’s third and fourth.

‘This week at Airlie Beach it has been a really spirited competition through the regatta. It’s allowed us to really work on tuning the boat to sail in light airs, so we feel we've made some big advances so far.’

The IRC Cruising Division 1 handicap win went to the dark blue hulled Ocean Affinity, Stewart Lewis’ Marten 49, who streeted the fleet. Peter Moseley’s Sydney 36 Local Hero was second on handicap, with Martin Power’s veteran Bacardi filling the third spot on the podium.

Overall after five races, Ocean Affinity is one point ahead of Local Hero, with Bacardi a further three points further back.

In the big Sports Boat division, it was not exactly wet and wild sailing today, but the racing remains very tight.

Bob Cowan Stealth 8 Stealthy crew have been sailing well. ‘We’ve done a few sea miles now and we seem to be the most consistent boat on line honours but we are getting belted on handicap.'

Race 8 handicap winner was Cam Rae’s Laminar Capital, from Cam Miles Melges 24 Roger That and Brett Whitbread's Blokes World. Laminar Capital was fastest boat.

Stealthy took the Race 9 handicap win, from Blokes World and Pierre Gal’s Sports 8xx Kiss. Kiss flew around the course in 14:53:03, fifty one seconds ahead of Stealthy.

After nine races, with one drop allowed, Brett Whitbread’s Blokes World just leads Stealthy by 0.5 of a point. Roger That is third.

In the highly competitive Super 30 class, Townsville sailor Leon Thomas scored the Race 7 handicap win on his Farr 30 Guilty Pleasures 111. LoCo, Jeanine and Jon Drummond’s Farr 30 OD was second with Kim Williams Melges 32 Rock ‘N Roll, spoiling the Farr’s party. Line honours went to Rock ‘N Roll.

Rock ‘N Roll was the Race 8 handicap winner, from Heath Walters Melges 32 Funnelweb. Guilty Pleasures was third. Rock ‘N Roll was first across the finish line, thirty seven seconds ahead of Funnelweb.

Race 9 and Guilty Pleasures again took the handicap win, this time from LoCo with RBS Morgan’s Immigrant, the Mumm 30 skippered by Jeff Paul, taking third. This time Funnelweb was the fastest Super 30 around the course.

So after nine races, with one drop in place, Guilty Pleasures leads the fleet from Rock ‘N Roll, with LoCo third.

For full results go to http://www.airliebeachraceweek.com