Great Barrier Reef Boat Sales trophy - Too close to call

2:15 AM Mon 25 May 2009 GMT

'Treasure V111 - Harold Menelaus skipper' Peter Campbell &copy Click Here to view large photo

Harold Menelaus will need to dig into the depth of his sailing experience to helm Treasure VIII to win the Great Barrier Reef Boat Sales trophy on Pioneer Bay later this week.

Treasure Vlll ranked among the best performed Whitsunday Sailing Club yachts to compete for the prestigious 2009 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week trophy in August, held what seemed to be a vice like grip on the four race series prior to finishing a disappointing ninth in the important race 3 last week.

The result was completely out of character after skipper Harold Menelaus and his Treasure Vlll crew had clearly outsailed the fleet in the previous race to win the line and handicap double, securing a three point series lead over Surefoot (Rod Sawyer) while the consistent Craig Piccinelli helmed Wobbly Boot into third, another point off the pace.

However the mood of confidence and overall control of the points table now hangs precariously in the balance with the Treasure Vlll crew becoming embroiled in a tactical dog-fight against the equally experienced and determined crews aboard Idle Time and Wobbly Boot, to decide the Great Barrier Reef Boat Sales Division 2 champion.

All three crews are more than capable of producing a trophy winning performance, with the average progressive corrected handicap course time favouring Treasure Vlll by the narrow margin of 26 seconds, over Idle Time and almost two minutes over Wobbly Boot.

But while the averages remain as a guide, the Treasure Vlll crew will need to reproduce their race two result to guarantee a chance to protect their .854 time correction factor against the lower .755 rated Idle Time, while Craig Piccinelli's Wobbly Boot, which has already won a share of the monthly trophies this year, remains a chance to outpace her .815 handicap.

Wobbly Boot has finished the three races in the top six and represents a strong chance to improve on her score by winning the final. If this becomes a reality then Treasure Vlll will need to finish second to win the trophy on count back.

Technically Idle Time with her 2-10-3 score is the best placed if Treasure Vlll and Wobbly Boot fail to finish in the first three on corrected handicap.

This places a huge test of tactical skill on the crews of Treasure Vlll and Wobbly Boot to log the required speed to outpace Idle Time which will have an advantage of setting the pace in her fleet match race against the John Galloway skippered Queensland Marine Services and Colin Pruden in Sandpiper.
There will be absolutely no margin for error when the Treasure Vlll crew tension the sails in a bid to fend off the expected challengers from Idle Time, Wobbly Boot and Sandpiper.

It will be a test that should bring out the best from the fleet veteran Harold Menelaus but only time will tell if he and the Treasure Vlll crew can set the faster handicap rated 6.96 seconds per minute boat speed to ward off all challengers.

by Ian Grant

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Great Barrier Reef Boat Sales trophy - Too close to call

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