Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week - Vivace aims for title

8:07 AM Wed 12 Aug 2009 GMT

'Vivace - Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week 2008' Sail-World.com /AUS &copy Click Here to view large photo

Former Australian Junior Offshore Group Champion Noel Leigh-Smith has set his career ambition on a major result in the 2009 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week Sports Boat championship.

It's been a while since the Gold Coast Runaway Bay Yacht Club helmsman has featured in a major championship result but he certainly has the experience to match his skills against his younger rivals when they compete for the important title over the Whitsunday Sailing Club courses from August 14-20.

He enjoyed the excitement of winning an Australian championship in a small keel boat when he steered Tasman Express to a deserved National Gold Medal but the present challenge of steering the speedy Vivace has placed a heavy workload on his ageing muscles and reflexes.

However after a reasonably successful result of seventh overall in 2008 the Vivace crew including the former Gwen Twelve dinghy Australian champion Phil Kellond Knight are back to complete some unfinished business.

The Vivace crew expressed their experience to win the physically demanding Double Cone-Armit island passage race 12 months ago and they are keen to defend the trophy with another win on Friday.

But the challenge is far more competitive with the fleet including the 2009 Australian Sports Boat champion Guilty Pleasures skippered by Leon Thomas of Townsville and the 2008 silver medallist Cam Rae hoping to steer his super fast Victorian sports boat Laminar Capital into a class championship win over the next week.

However while the Vivace crew will be giving away some years to their younger rivals the challenge lacks very little in tactical experience to select the faster sailing angles which promises to provide them with the opportunity to keep their rivals honest.

Interest will also focus on West Australian skipper Heath Townsend who steered the Melges 24 Kaito to a bronze medal result in 2008.

Townsend who will be the sole West Australian in the fleet representing the best sports boats crews in Australia may find the clear wind space on the start line difficult to find but his previous experience of racing on the warm waters of Pioneer Bay and The Whitsunday Passage should give him and the What Tha crew the opportunity to feature in the major places in what promises to be an exciting class championship.

by Ian Grant

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Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week - Vivace aims for title

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