Good fleets for Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach RW

'Quantum Racing and Pussy Galore - Airlie Beach Race Week' Sail-World.com/ AUS &copy

Its that time of the year again, when thoughts turn to the warmer weather, spectacular sailing and great partying in the beautiful Whitsundays.

What better way to kick of 'the northern season' than at Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week!

Know as the Tropical Shirt regatta, this highly enjoyable sailing event commences on August 14th and runs through until August 21. NOR available click here

Entries close this Friday 8th of August and current listings confirm the promise of great racing in this, the 19th annual series.

Ray Roberts Quantum Racing, the line hours and IRC handicap overall winner of last week's Sydney to Gold Coast race has firmed as favourite in a top class IRC racing fleet.

Roberts' Cookson 50 blasted the Gold Coast bound fleet away, in a reaching and running race, with the canting keel powering her to an impressive win.

However tactician Steve McConaghy has confirmed Quantum Racing will sail the Airlie Beach series with her keel pinned on the centre line, as she has done for the last two years.

Quantum Racing won't have it all her own way on the start line. Rob Bassett's Bakewell-White 53 Wired, Michael Hiatt's Cookson 50 Living Doll, Anatole Masfen's Cookson 50 Pussy Galore and Chris Dare's Corby 49 Flirt will all be lining up, hoping to win the trophy in this highly competitive fleet. If you toss into this mix the two Farr 40's of 'Sir Robbo' Robertson's Cracklin Rosie and Meridien CEO Russell McCart's Night Nurse, the handicap winner becomes anyone's guess.

Last year's IRC handicap winner, Geoff Pearson's Archambault 35 Arajilla is also entered and as she showed in 2007, clear air was the key to success.

This division may not be decided until the last gasp.

Many local Whitsunday sailors are likely to feature in the Performance Racing Division.

Whitsunday Sailing Club's Wobbly Boot, skippered by Craig Piccinelli certainly knows the waters of Pioneer Bay, as does Kevin Fogarty on Idle Time and Colin Foster on Esoteric. Townsville local Andy Muirehead is back with Fahrenheit, and Kioni (Nick Athineo's Beneteau) returns for another tilt at the title.

Watch out for Treasure V111, Harold Melelaus' Sea Quest Yachts Reichel Pugh 36, making her debut.

There is a large number of entries in the Cruising with Spinnaker division.

Last year's winner the elegant Storm 2 (Don Algie) is entered along with fellow placegetters Sunrise (Helen and Jeff Shipley) and Hans-On, the Nick Thomas and Col Cox skippered entry from the Mooloolaba Yacht Club.

Local WSC yachts Africa (Terry Nicoll and Chris Archer), Amadeus (Peter Johnson) and Sunflower (Graeme Douglas) will be up against stiff competition including John and Kim Clinton's distinctive Holy Cow, Rosie Colahan's Ingenue and Garry McCarthy's White Pearl.

In Cruising with Non Spinnaker Keith Munro and his crew from New Zealand are on Time Lord, again spending their holidays sailing the sheltered waters of Pioneer Bay.

Local stalwart and regular Airlie Beach Race Week competitor Mick Phillips has entered Shearwater and will be up against fellow WSC sailor Alan Sneddon on Pacific Phoenix.

Shearwater - Airlie Beach Race Week - Andrea Francolini&copy Photo

Watch out for fast and furious sailing from the Sportsboat division. As in previous years, this class is sure to blast around the marks after the highly coveted trophy.

Vivace will be skippered by Noel Leigh-Smith and is up against arch rival Stealthy, Bob Cowan's Lake Macquarie entry. Rip It Up provided some great photographic moments last year and Damien Van Deudekom is sure to sail her full tilt. With competition such as last year's winner Townsville's Leon Thomas on his slick Guilty Pleasures, Franco Bortlolin's So What and Simon Vincent's X2 Tangent, the winner of this class will definitely earn a podium top place.

Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week offers something for everyone - competitive sailing for the serious minded, cruising classes for the not-so serious, Sportsboat classes and afterwards, the evenings kick off with great entertainment and a chance to socialise with fellow competitors in the famous beer tent.

Remember entries close on Friday 8th August, so enter on-line today. click here!