Treasure V111 leads Whitsunday trophy

1:54 AM Mon 24 Nov 2008 GMT

'Treasure V111 (Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week)' Peter Campbell &copy Click Here to view large photo

Treasure Vlll has maintained a runaway lead in the Whitsunday Sailing Club Abel Point Yacht Sales trophy and only needs to complete the final race to add another win to her impressive season.

Owner skipper Harold Menelaus affectionately called 'grand-dad' by his younger rivals has continued to prove that age is no disadvantage by steering Treasure Vlll into a clear seven penalty point lead after three races.

Both skipper and crew only need to finish in the top six this week to add yet another trophy to an already bulging display cabinet.

Treasure Vlll seemed to be off the pace when she finished fifth in the open race behind the pacesetters Merit (Leo Rodregius), Queensland Marine Services (John Galloway) and Rising Farrst (Tim Osborne) but she emerged as the star performer with her 1-2 score.

Based on her present form Treasure Vlll should seal another victory when the sails are tensioned for the final on Pioneer Bay this week while Jeff Shipsey's Sunrise will surely become tactically involved with the crews of Queensland Marine Services, Wobbly Boot and Surefoot to resolve the minor places.

The struggle for the equally important Division 3 trophy hangs in the balance with Russell Watts and his crew in Rastas feeling the effects of the heat from the muggy tropics and the steamy pressure applied by his major rival Rob Davis in Breakaway.

However the Rastas crew showed they are race ready for a boat on boat mate against mate match race with their rivals in Breakaway when they mastered the required pace of their higher .791 handicap to finish only 9 seconds astern of last week's heat winner Brian Fleming's Concubine.

This result will bolster their tactical confidence but they can expect to face some intense tactical pressure to command clear sailing space with the Breakaway crew expected to place a priority on applying an early wind shadow in an effort to take the speed advantage away for their rival.

Both crews are so evenly matched in terms of results with their identical 5-4-2 scores while the Breakaway crew have the upper hand with a 3 minute 51 second corrected handicap aggregate.

There will be no opportunity for the Rastas and Breakaway crews to take a rest on the weather rail this week because the slightest error in tactics and sail trimming skills will prove to be the difference.

Trimaran skipper Keith Roberts seemed poised to helm Wild Thing to a runaway win in the Division 1 (Multihull Class) when he dominated the opening two heats with impressive wins.

But the Wild Thing crew fell short on speed last week finishing a distant fourth behind Overdrive, Brandy Creek Ferry and Cynophobe.

The Wild Thing crew will need to reproduce their earlier series form or face defeat by either crews manning the trampolines on Brandy Creek Ferry and Cynophobe.

by Ian Grant

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Treasure V111 leads Whitsunday trophy

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