Wobbly Boot puts it to Treasure Vlll

1:20 AM Mon 1 Dec 2008 GMT

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A mix of soft winds and steamy temperatures proved to be testing conditions for veteran Whitsunday Sailing Club skipper Harold Menelaus when he almost squandered his chance to win the Abel Point Yacht Sales trophy of Airlie Beach last week.

Menelaus and his Treasure Vlll crew entered the trophy deciding final with a commanding points margin over their most serious challengers John Galloway (Queensland Marine Services) and Craig Piccinelli in Wobbly Boot.

The Treasure Vlll crew were considered to be a past the post winner but that almost fell apart in the light and tricky wind which was mastered by the Wobbly Boot crew when they beat Queensland Marine Services by a handy 35 seconds while skipper Menelaus left a shadow hanging over their light wind form with a disappointing 9th.

It was a result which the Treasure Vlll crew had no reason to smile about after firming a stranglehold on the Abel Point Yacht Sales trophy with a 5-1-2 score in the previous three races.

Sure they will have an explanation for the form reversal but their overall corrected course time which was almost 4 minutes slower than race winner Wobbly Boot is enough evidence to indicate that Treasure Vlll has a light wind boat speed problem.

However they managed to scrape home winning the trophy on count back after Treasure Vlll (5-1-2-9) and Queensland Marine Services (2-8-5-2) finished with identical 17 point scores.

The result was much closer than the scores suggest with Queensland Marine Services recording the fastest 4 race aggregate after her narrow defeat by Wobbly Boot in the final.

Skipper John Galloway used all of his light wind skill and tactics to bridge the gap but Wobbly Boot held them at bay to seal the fate of the series when skipper Piccinelli and crew completed a clever race to win the major points by 35 seconds.

There is little doubt that Harold Menelaus who normally sails fast and smart irrespective of the wind velocity will have some concern when the light and fickle summer sea breeze fails to blow above a zephyr.

He will also have a handy respect for both skipper and crew on Queensland Marine Services and Wobbly Boot when the sails are tensioned for the important December series which will decide the 2008 overall Twilight series sprint race championship.

by Ian Grant

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Wobbly Boot puts it to Treasure Vlll

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