Fleet face cold and boisterious Breeze
Cold Southerly winds will present the International standard fleet with a test of fresh wind sailing skill when they contest class honours for the 2008 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week championships today. Living Doll (foreground)_Std.jpg)
'Wired (background) Living Doll (foreground)-Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week 2008'
Peter Campbell ©
Click Here to view large photo
The South East trade wind tracking on a coastal corridor tormented the tropical vegetation at Airlie Beach and adjacent Whitsunday Islands with a peak gust of 27 knots recorded overnight.
There is a strong indication that the predicted forecast of 25 knot winds spiced with gusts to 30 knots will test the fresh wind sailing skills of the crews and the strength of the sail fabric.
The pressure will certainly be applied on the class leaders to protect their points and reputations in what appears to be shaping into a supreme test of fresh wind sailing on yet another rare cold day on the tropical Whitsunday Sailing Club courses.
Victorian skipper Michael Hiatt and his Living Doll crew who have raced consistently in more moderate winds to lead the IRC Division 1 series will almost certainly focus their tactical strategy on covering the Graham Jones skippered Port Douglas sloop Bluewater and the Chris Dare helmed Audi Centre Melbourne to minimise their chances of reducing his control of the championship.
Similar pressure will also surround the three person crew manning the spray drenched deck of the 'baby' 6 metre Sports Boat Quantum Sails which holds a commanding lead in the competitive class series.
Quantum Sails skippered by Graham Sherring has built her points score lead by outpacing her handicap rating on the spinnaker sailing legs however a step up in velocity could very well present her sail handlers Troy Ruston and Neil Sherring with an endurance test to depower and keep the little sprinter sailing on an even keel.
All other classes with the exception of the Performance Handicap division and the Dart SB3's which will race over windward - leeward courses on the more protected waters of Pioneer Bay will be exposed to the fresh wind.
by Ian Grant 
Devonport, TAS
