Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week - One paradise to another

by Beth Roberts on 7 Sep 2010 Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week - Tracey Johnstone and Gary McCarthy have gone from one paradise to another, travelling from the beautiful waters of Mooloolaba to race their yacht Brilliant Pearl in the serene seas of North Queensland at Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week.

Now in its fourth year, Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week is held just off the coast of sunny Townsville and is the fastest growing offshore sailing regatta in the Asia Pacific. This year a fleet of almost seventy boats enjoyed sailing the sheltered waters of Cleveland Bay and around Magnetic Island, the southern-most island in the Palm Group.

Sailors from every State and Territory came to cruise in this relaxed and friendly Far North Queensland regatta in the warm early spring sunshine.

Tracey, Gary and their crew sail in both day racing and blue water offshore racing at the Mooloolaba Yacht Club, where they travel as far north as Double Island Point off Fraser Island and down to Norton Bay.

Tracey said they had been racing well but were still getting used to working a real racing machine, having only started campaigning Brilliant Pearl in October last year. 'It’s still a learning curve for us. We’re learning the boat and the crew are learning the sails. We will do better next season now we’ve settled into the boat.' Tracey said.

Tracey and Gary launched their Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week experience in 2007 with their 42 foot yacht, White Pearl. The Pearl Team then purchased their current racer in July 2009, bearing the name ‘Brilliant’, but the couple decided to 'tack on the name Pearl to keep the theme going'.

The Pearl Team will head straight back to Mooloolaba after Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week wraps up for another year, as their Mooloolaba racing season starts in October. Their next major event will be the Beneteau Cup in Brisbane, conducted by the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron.

Tracey said after the turn of the New Year they hope to compete in Brisbane against some of the best boats in the prestigious Grand Prix division. In the long term future Tracey says they will definitely be making a return to Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week in 2011.

www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au