Friendly rivalry at Sail Brisbane regatta

11:33 PM Tue 18 Nov 2008 GMT

Oceanburo Performance Sailing business partners Rod Jones and Kai Timm will temporarily place their strong friendship on hold when they contest the International Sail Brisbane regatta on Moreton Bay next week.

The 2007 Audi Australian IRC Ocean racing champions will become intense match racing rivals to decide the 2008 SB3 Dart Sports Boat championship over three days of tactical racing on the open waters of Moreton Bay.

Both skippers are very familiar with the tactical demands of the 'clone class' SB3 Dart but their helming skills will be tested when they tension the sails to duel for the Queensland Championship trophy on the notoriously bumpy waters east of Green Island.

This Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron 'torture track' is noted for its swift flowing tide and a short white crested sea which present an added challenge to the most qualified crews and more particularly the individual reputations of Rod Jones and Kai Timm.

Class racing experience suggests Kai Timm is better prepared after representing Australia at the World championship in Ireland in September but his past results will only serve as a form guide and that will be forgotten when the talented two skippers set up their personal 'Grudge Match' for the Queensland title.

They have never raced against each other before which adds further interest to the mate against mate match race.

There will be similar family rivalry when Maroochy Sailing Club skippers Mark and Mitchell Kennedy compete for the International Laser Radial class medals.

Father Mark will be forced to call on his extensive experience to ward of the challenge from his talented teenage son Mitchell who is continuing to mature into a clever tactician and helmsman.

The difference between the two could very well be decided on the start line where Mitchell is expected to have the edge but he will need to continually protect his sailing space to win the seat at the head of the Kennedy family meal table.

Interest will also focus on the performance of Team Noosa Olympic Laser class skipper Ryan Palk and his equally talented training partner Klade Hauschildt when they contest their respective Open Laser and Radial class titles.

Both skippers who are members of the Australian High Performance Squad following their National Gold Medal success will confidently face up to their challenges after extensive training on the Noosa River.

Ryan will face up to a test of character when he duels for the important clear wind space on the start line against former Australian open Laser champions Peter Conde, Brad Taylor and Brendan Casey.

This trio of tactically mature skippers are known to protect their space however Ryan Palk is not expected to back-off and allow them to dominate.

Klade Hauschildt will be confronted with a similar challenge against the experienced Australian champion Greg Adams and World Masters Gold Medallist Kerry Waraker when the battle lines are drawn for the Sail Brisbane Radial title trophy.

He is the youngest of the three and this may be the deciding advantage on the final day.

by Ian Grant

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Friendly rivalry at Sail Brisbane regatta

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