NZ sailors heading for Magnetic Island
'New Zealand entry Wired'
Sail-World.com/ AUS © Click Here to view large photo
One of New Zealand's top Grand Prix sailing boats will be racing at the second annual Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week, starting Friday September 5 and running until Tuesday 9 September 2008.
A regular podium placer on the New Zealand ocean racing circuit, the high tech Bakewell-White designed 52 foot yacht named 'Wired', is owned and skippered by Auckland sailor Rob Bassett.
Today he completed his 2008 race entry online at the Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week site www.magneticislandraceweek.com.auand was keen to talk about the race.
'Last year, I wanted to bring Wired up to Magnetic Island after the Audi Race week series at Hamilton Island, but my crew could not arrange their holidays. This year we planned early, so after Airlie Beach Race Week and Hamilton Island, we are heading north to race again a week later.
'After all we are coming 2,000 nautical miles to north Queensland to race in T-shirts in our winter. We don't want to go home, we want to be able to race a circuit.'
The Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week is a series of day passage races and buoy courses for racing and cruising yachts. All races are based out of Peppers Blue on Blue at Nelly Bay Harbour. The Race Week culminates with the Paradise Awards Dinner on Tuesday September 9.
Bassett is looking forward to Magnetic Island having seen the DVD of last year's series.
'We've had a busy season in New Zealand, and Wired just came second on line honours in the Auckland to Fiji race. So in late July we will fly back up to Fiji and then cruise over to Mackay.
'We will take all the cruising gear off the boat there and get her ready for a serious tilt at the three Australian regattas.
'After a solid season on this side of the Tasman, we are coming back with a much better rating this year and we are looking forward to showing the Aussie teams what we've learned.'
The Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week Committee and the Townsville Cruising Yacht Club ran the first Magnetic Island Series in 2007.
Wayne Millar's Murray 41 from the Townsville Cruising Yacht Club finished second in last year's Grand Prix fleet and he is eager to go one better this year, but the Kiwis will make that task tougher.
Wayne Millar remarked: 'The inaugural regatta was a very well organised regatta, very good on water management, in some challenging conditions. We expect the 2008 regatta will be bigger and better, with a top quality fleet.'
The largest boat expected to be on the start line is Hogs Breath Caf? founder, Don Algie's luxurious pocket maxi, Storm II. The Warwick 66 has won her division on many occasions at what is now Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week. This regatta is the largest sporting event in Airlie Beach each year and provides a significant boot to the region's economy.
Recognising the contribution the Far North Queensland fleets have made to Hamilton Island and Airlie Beach Race Weeks, Don Algie said today: 'We are keen to support the Townsville/Magnetic Island venture and Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week deserves our support as it emerges as a significant event on the national circuit.' 
There are some great boats entered in the more 'laid back' Cruising fleet of Sunferries Magnetic Island event.
Last year Garry McCarthy's Bavaria 42 White Pearl and her crew from Mooloolaba sailed in the cruising division. They enjoyed their time in the Magnetic Island event hugely and are coming back for more sunshine and parties. However this year there will be Wolverines in Cows' clothing to race against.
John Clinton from the country rock group Wolverines, back from entertaining the Australian troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, will be performing at both Magnetic Island and Townsville during Race Week.
John and his team aboard a beautifully appointed Beneteau cruising yacht named Holy Cow! are travelling north to Magnetic Island, for what they expect will be a brilliant week of racing and fun.
Holy Cow! is likely to surprise Sunferries passengers crossing between Townsville and Magnetic Island, who will hear her 'moooo' cow horn as she sails across Cleveland Bay. The Cow is very easy to spot because of her pseudo-cowhide head sail. 
John is looking forward to the series. 'We are planning to make a mark on Magnetic Island. If you talk to the average sailor, they haven't been north of Hamilton with their boat. We'll cruise to Magnetic Island after competing in the Hamilton Island regatta.'
He says the extra few weeks in Far North Queensland, as well as being great in the winter, provide another bonus for southern sailors.
'People head south after Hammo, but what every sailor will tell you is that usually you have to battle against southerlies for a week or two.
'With us going up to Magnetic Island, I reckon we are going to dodge all that. We are going to be able to put up a spinnaker and cruise north with the last of the south east trades. By the time we finish the regatta and have cruised around a bit more, the northerlies should have kicked in and we'll have a good ride south.'
www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au
by Event Media 
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