Whitsunday Sailing Club sailors Bruce Chapman, Jim Hayes and Klaus Lorenz proved their collective enthusiasm and skill when they won the Silver Medal at the 2008 Australian Corsair championship one Brisbane's Bramble Bay last weekend.

The trio of two experienced 'old salts' and the very talented schoolboy Klaus Lorenz forced the defending champion Aaron Hunt to apply a protective tactical cover on the tropical team to retain his domination of the National championship.

Aaron Hunt was a clear cut winner of the 2007 Nationals contested over the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron courses on Waterloo Bay and he and his crew were again expected to romp away with this series however the Whitsunday crew who revamped a race weary old boat and renamed her The Thong proved the strength of Corsair class sailing in North Queensland when they extended the skill of the National champion.

Jim Hayes better known around the Whitsunday waterfront for his dedication to promote special 'learn to sail' classes for all ages particularly local school children was impressed with the skill of his star pupil Klaus Lorenz. Klaus added the necessary youthful energy to the campaign by keeping his much older crew mates on the pace.

"He is a very smart sailor for his age and I'm sure the experience of racing in a different class at an unfamiliar venue will prove invaluable when he contests the 2008-9 Australian Sabot championship off Airlie Beach over the Christmas-New Year". Hayes said.

The plan to compete at the Corsair Nationals hardly created a stir when Bruce Chapman who owns and skipper's The Thong thought it would be a good idea to 'fly the flag' and represent the WSC as a step in the right direction to promote the class in North Queensland.

At the time skipper Chapman had no crew and his Corsair dinghy needed a re-fit however after endless hours of maintenance and a few practice sessions The Thong headed to Brisbane as a low key challenger.
However that ranking progressively changed when the summer sea breeze turned the Bramble Bay course into a torture track testing both the endurance and strong wind sailing skills of the fleet.

Aaron Hunt like Bruce Chapman, Jim Hayes and Klaus Lorenz had no form guide to judge the potential speed of The Thong but that progressively changed as the Whitsunday Sailors improved from being a trophy underdog to a possible title winner.

"We had some close duels with Aaron's crew which was encouraging for the time we had applied to our preparation; however he still managed to win". "But we are more than happy to come away with the Silver Medal". Jim Hayes said.

This result will offer North Queensland Corsair fleet sailors with an ideal boat speed bench mark in preparation for the 2009 National championship at Keppel Bay Sailing Club before the 42nd Australian championship is decided on the Whitsunday Sailing Club's Pioneer Bay courses in 2010.

by Ian Grant

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