Close finale to great regatta
Only a handful of points separate the top boats in more than half of the divisions going into today's final racing at the 19th annual Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week, with all divisions set to sail over triangle courses on Pioneer Bay.
'Treasure V111 - Harold Menelaus skipper'
Peter Campbell ©
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In the North Sails Weather Report issued this morning, meteorologist Kenn Batt has forecast lighter breezes than have been experienced since the start of the regatta and, with a big flood tide, tactics and fast crew work will be the key to success in the final and decided race.
Closest contest is in IRC Division 1 where the grand prix 50-footers have been racing seconds apart. Living Doll, Michael Hiatt's Cookson 50 from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, has a one point lead from Quantum Racing, Ray Roberts' boat from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. Also a Cookson 50, Quantum Racing races with a high tech canting keel.
The Archambault 35 Arajilla, skippered by Geoff Pearson from Middle Harbour Yacht Club, has already won IRC Division 2 with six straight wins, but will still race today. 'We would like to notch up seven straight wins,' said helmsman Neville Wittey.
Competition is close In the Performance Racing division, where two local boats from the Whitsunday Sailing Club are vying for overall victory. Rising Farrst, Tim Osborne's Farr 1104 is on 24.5 points with Reignition, the MBD42 owned by Charles Wallis and Seddon Cripps just half a point behind. Three more boats are within striking distance of the leaders - Andy Muirhead's modified Farr 11.6 Fahrenheit from Townsville Cruising Yacht Club and Idle Time, Kevin Fogarty's Spacesailer from the Whitsunday Sailing Club, are both on 29 points, while on 29.5 points is another WSC entry, Africa, owned by Terry Archer and Chris Nichol.
The CYCA yacht Holy Cow!, owned by John Clinton of the Wolverines band fame, and his wife, Kim, yesterday sailed to hand 6 point lead in the Cruising with Spinnaker division 1, displacing Tracey Johnstone's White Pearl, a Simonis Voogd sloop from Mooloolaba Yacht Club from top berth. A close third is the Swan Sarabande (Basil Dietholm) from the CYCA on 22 points.
In Cruising with Spinnakers division 2 the Victorian yacht Mr Bojangles, a Northshore 38 skippered by Paul Cleaver from Hasting Yacht Club and crewed by students from the Chisholm TAFE College at Frankston, holds a handy 6 point lead from another Northshore 38 Full Frontal, skippered by Mark Travis from the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club. However, just two points back is Arthur King's Adams 12 from the Balmain Sailing Club.
In the Cruising without Spinnakers 'White Sails' division, the final race is shaping as a four-way contest for top honours. New Zealand yacht Time Lord, Keith Munro's Bavaria 50 is on 11 points, Delphian; John Sloan's McIntosh 47 from Sandringham Yacht Club has 13 points, Joie de Vie, Martin Cross' Jeanneau Sun Odysse, has14 points while Rainbow, Peter Hall's Beneteau, has 15 points.
The smallest boat in the Sports Boat fleet, Graham Sherring's Egan 6 from Southport Yacht Club has won four races so far to be 7 points clear from Bendigo Private, Cam Rae's Thompson 8 from the Royal Geelong Yacht Club.
Another clear winner is Tasqua Youth (Matthew Jones) from Mooloolaba Dinghy Sailing Club, who has won seven of eight races in the SB3 class.
The prizegiving for the Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week will be held this evening in the competitor's marquee at Abel Point.
Only a handful of points separate the top boats in more than half of the divisions going into today's final racing at the 19th annual Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week, with all divisions set to sail over triangle courses on Pioneer Bay.
In the North Sails Weather Report issued this morning, meteorologist Kenn Batt has forecast lighter breezes than have been experienced since the start of the regatta and, with a big flood tide, tactics and fast crew work will be the key to success in the final and decided race.
Closest contest is in IRC Division 1 where the grand prix 50-footers have been racing seconds apart. Living Doll, Michael Hiatt's Cookson 50 from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, has a one point lead from Quantum Racing, Ray Roberts' boat from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. Also a Cookson 50, Quantum Racing races with a high tech canting keel.
The Archambault 35 Arajilla, skippered by Geoff Pearson from Middle Harbour Yacht Club, has already won IRC Division 2 with six straight wins, but will still race today. 'We would like to notch up seven straight wins,' said helmsman Neville Wittey.
Competition is close In the Performance Racing division, where two local boats from the Whitsunday Sailing Club are vying for overall victory. Rising Farrst, Tim Osborne's Farr 1104 is on 24.5 points with Reignition, the MBD42 owned by Charles Wallis and Seddon Cripps just half a point behind. Three more boats are within striking distance of the leaders - Andy Muirhead's modified Farr 11.6 Fahrenheit from Townsville Cruising Yacht Club and Idle Time, Kevin Fogarty's Spacesailer from the Whitsunday Sailing Club, are both on 29 points, while on 29.5 points is another WSC entry, Africa, owned by Terry Archer and Chris Nichol.
The CYCA yacht Holy Cow!, owned by John Clinton of the Wolverines band fame, and his wife, Kim, yesterday sailed to hand 6 point lead in the Cruising with Spinnaker division 1, displacing Tracey Johnstone's White Pearl, a Simonis Voogd sloop from Mooloolaba Yacht Club from top berth. A close third is the Swan Sarabande (Basil Dietholm) from the CYCA on 22 points.
In Cruising with Spinnakers division 2 the Victorian yacht Mr Bojangles, a Northshore 38 skippered by Paul Cleaver from Hasting Yacht Club and crewed by students from the Chisholm TAFE College at Frankston, holds a handy 6 point lead from another Northshore 38 Full Frontal, skippered by Mark Travis from the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club. However, just two points back is Arthur King's Adams 12 from the Balmain Sailing Club.
In the Cruising without Spinnakers 'White Sails' division, the final race is shaping as a four-way contest for top honours. New Zealand yacht Time Lord, Keith Munro's Bavaria 50 is on 11 points, Delphian; John Sloan's McIntosh 47 from Sandringham Yacht Club has 13 points, Joie de Vie, Martin Cross' Jeanneau Sun Odysse, has14 points while Rainbow, Peter Hall's Beneteau, has 15 points.
The smallest boat in the Sports Boat fleet, Graham Sherring's Egan 6 from Southport Yacht Club has won four races so far to be 7 points clear from Bendigo Private, Cam Rae's Thompson 8 from the Royal Geelong Yacht Club.
Another clear winner is Tasqua Youth (Matthew Jones) from Mooloolaba Dinghy Sailing Club, who has won seven of eight races in the SB3 class.
The prizegiving for the Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week will be held this evening in the competitor's marquee at Abel Point.
by Peter Campbell 
sunrise beach, QLD
