Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week - Soft Shoe Shuffle

by Magnetic Island Race Week Media on 5 Sep 2010
Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week 2010 Day 2 was another challenging day on the water, definitely a soft shoe shuffle with some crews seeming to have their choreography just right.

Today was a warm spring day in Far North Queensland. There was blue sky with high cloud and the fleet was held ashore under AP until 11.30am.

With the afternoon sea breeze building, the Race Committee set the 23.5 nautical mile Townsville race as today’s course.

In six to eight knots, the IRC competitors were gunned away with Zen, Gordon Ketelbey’s Sydney 38, with Peter Sorensen calling tactics, starting on the pin end. Townsville’s Quattro (Graham Donnell) ducked behind Brilliant Pearl (Tracey and Gary McCarthy) as did Zoe (Wayne Millar) and the Cairns based Sydney 32 Groove (Belinda Cooper).

The breeze was strengthening as the fleet streamed under spinnakers across Cleveland Bay towards Townsville, making a colourful show indeed for all onboard the Sunferries Spectator ferry.

At the bottom mark Zoe was 300 metres ahead of Guilty Pleasures III (Leon Thomas), who in turn was ten metres ahead of Zen.

Zoe led as a close bow for bow battle was taking place between the Farr 30 Guilty Pleasures III and the Sydney 38 Zen as they sailed up the Magnetic Island shoreline. That battle continued for another short lap. Then the Race Committee shortened courses for all divisions.

Guilty Pleasures III continued her winning form today taking the handicap win in the IRC division. Zen was second, with Zoe third. Overall, Guilty Pleasures III with two bullets is leading the IRC fleet with Zen second and Zoe third.

Winning skipper Leon Thomas said 'We had a really good day - it was a great day on the water, we had a good start and it went on from there. We had a great race with Zen. The conditions really suited us. We were pretty much powered up with everyone on the windward rail, while the 40 footers tended to have everyone on the low side.

'Zoe, Quattro and Zen will step up tomorrow with the round the cans races. However Tuesday’s Round the Island race could suit us if there is 20-25 knots. In those conditions upwind we are a 30 footer upwind and 50 footer down wind.'

Wayne Millar from Zoe said 'Leon and his crew just outsailed the fleet today. However we are hoping to make a dint in his lead tomorrow, when we sail 'around the cans' windwards leewards.'

Slightly more pressure is expected tomorrow and the Forecast for the signature event, the 22 nautical mile Magnetic Island Race is for up to 25 knots on Tuesday.

Townsville skipper Patrick Stokes on his Thompson 7 Stoked took the handicap win in the Performance Racing Division from Mike Roper on Ropabull, with the Donovan Deem skippered Let it Ride all the way from the
Mandurah Offshore Fishing and Sailing Club in Western Australia, third.

Yesterday’s Performance Racing winner, Cyclone went from rooster to feather duster today. As skipper Stephen Keal explained spinnaker and genoa halyards were twisted and the spinnaker would not come down as they rounded the bottom mark.

Drama when the mainsheet trimmer Brett Pritchard trying to manhandle the spinnaker when it caught the wind, was launched into the air and over the side. While the crew concentrated on rescuing the crew man, Cyclone continued 'prawning' for 20 minutes with her blue spinnaker.

'We are all Islanders, so our background is hunting and gathering and we were just being consistent today' he laughed.

Overall Stokes leads the division from Ropabull by three points, with Amaya II (Peter Boxall) third.

Mick Gillum’s Step Ahead from the Townsville Yacht Club scored the handicap win in the Cruising with Spinnaker division. Don Algie’s Storm 2 was second, with Freya (Russell and Glenys McLaughlin) third.

Gillum had earlier today told his crew 'If we win today you can throw me in the drink!' And they did.

Overall Step Ahead leads on count back from Storm 2, with Warrigal (James Henry Finch) just one point back in third.

In Cruising with Spinnaker Division 2, Lismore sailor Peter McKenzie on Le Rossignol scored another handicap win, making it two in a row for the Ross 780. Second today was Graham van Brederode’s Fortified with Tony Craner’s Upshot third, the reverse of yesterday’s minor placings.

By virtue of his two bullets, McKenzie leads the division Overall, with Fortified second and Upshot third.

‘The little boat that could’ and still is, Benjamin Meakin’s Noosa based Peggy scored her second handicap win of the event in the Cruising Non Spinnaker division. Local sailor Paul Toombs’ Redy Witch was second, with the Peter Cox skippered Valhalla third.

Peggy leads the division Overall from Valhalla and Volare, both on seven points.

Italina backed up her handicap win yesterday, with another win today, taking the top prize in the Multihull division from Chris Murcutt’s The Fremantle Doctor, with Bryan Beutel’s School’s Out third.

Italina is currently leading the Multihulls Overall.

Full results are available at http://www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au