Sailing Passion - Colin Metcher will test his endurance
by Ian Grant on 3 Feb 2012
Cool Change in action Ivor Wilkins/Offshore Images
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Veteran Gold Coast sailor Colin Metcher (74) will again test his personal endurance at the tiller of his sports skiff Cool Change when the exciting fleet of mixed class dinghies and catamarans contest The Great Race on Saturday February 25.
This unique and exciting sailing challenge ranked among Australia’s most demanding small boat races again promises to sort the best from the rest over the 37.8 nautical mile (70 km) course from the The Southport Yacht Club Hollywell to finish off The Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron on Brisbane’s Waterloo Bay.
Colin Metcher who won his first major trophy The South of Perth Yacht Club championship 58 years ago has an impressive list of International and National awards showcased in his personal trophy cabinet.
In fact he has sailed that many miles his race rivals believe he has salt water in his blood stream and turtle-neck barnacles growing on his skin.
His personal career resume includes winning the World Hydra catamaran championship plus a class win in the prestigious Hoek van Holland marathon in Europe.
To say he has a personal passion for the sport of sailing is an understatement as he has focused his career on planning and competing in major marathon events in West Australia before settling on Queensland’s Gold Coast where he as a principal organizer with Southport Yacht Club mate David Jorganson set the safety procedures in place for the inaugural Great Race seven years ago.
'Sure sailing is my passion and I’m proud of it,' he said when pondering over the thought of subjecting his 74 year old muscles to another test of physical torture.
He has a good idea on what to expect, being the only skipper to have the distinction of completing all seven marathons since the first of these classic marathon races in 2005.
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