Living Doll takes Airlie Beach day two IRC honors

[by: Peter Campbell]

Melbourne yachtsman Michael Hiatt today steered his Cookson 50 Living Doll to a fine IRC handicap victory in the 29 nautical mile Molle Islands Race, race two of the Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week.

Sailing a clever tactical race around this striking island group in the Whitsundays of Far North Queensland, Hiatt kept the conventional keeled 50-footer within a minute of the leading group of the canting keel’s yachts to finish a close fourth across the line and a clear winner on corrected time.

Today’s race was sailed in perfect ‘sponsored again by Queensland tourism’ weather, which brought out on the water some 800 sailors aboard 107 racing yachts, dozens of cruising boats and also a sun-baking whale and calf. ‘They were within a metre or so of us when we spotted them on the spinnaker run across to Grimston Point; we had to take some quick evasive action,’ skipper Hiatt said after the race. ‘We sailed a good all-round race, keeping out of the tide by going close inshore down past the Molle Islands and holding our own on the spinnaker run back up the eastern side of the islands where the tradewinds were a steady 15 knots plus,’ he added.

Provisional IRC corrected time results show Living Doll winning by a comfortable 3 minutes 21 seconds from Pussy Galore, skippered by New Zealander Anatole Masfen, with Sydney yachtsman Ray Roberts’ Quantum Racing just seven second further back.

All three are Cookson 50s, with Living Doll a conventional keeled boat, the other two fitted with performance enhancing canting keels.

After two races, Living Doll, from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, heads the IRC Division 1 leader board with 4 points from a 3-1 score. Another Melbourne boat, Chris Dare’s Corby 49 Audi Centre Melbourne, is second overall on 5 points (1-4) followed by Pussy Galore on 7 points (5-2), Wired (Ray Bassett, NZL) on 8 points (2-6) and Quantum Racing on 9 points (6-3).

While he notched up a third today, Ray Roberts said he was looking for 15 knots plus in future races. ‘We need 15 knots and more to sail to our canting keel rating,’ he said. ‘Nevertheless, it was great to see five boats of similar size racing round the track together…it’s as good a fleet that you get anywhere in the world,’ the international yachtsman added.

In IRC Division 2, last year’s overall IRC winner (this year the fleet is split) Arajilla, Geoff Davidson’s Archambault 35 from Middle Harbour Yacht Club scored her second successive handicap win.

With former Olympic sailor Neville Witty calling tactics, Arajilla again sailed impressively from Treasure VIII (Harold Menelaus) from the Whitsunday Sailing Club and another MHYC entrant, Gordon Ketelbey’s Sydney 38 Zen.

After two races, Arajilla leads with 2 points from two wins, followed by Zen on 6 points (2-3) and Treasure VII on 5 points (4-2). After Friday’s problems with the light and flukey winds in Pioneer Bay, Principal Race officer Tony Denham moved the starting area further east toward Pioneer Rocks and also eliminated the first leg to windward from the course.

The IRC fleet and subsequent divisions enjoyed a windward start, heading straight out into the Molle Channel before tacking down the channel to circumnavigate the Molle Island Group. Once past Denman Island the IRC divisions set spinnakers for a long run back to Pioneer Bay and a leeward mark off Grimston Point, before beating back the finish just off Airlie Beach.

Quantum Racing. Sail-World.com/ AUS ©

Audi Centre Melbourne and Wired - Sail-World.com/ AUS ©

It was a perfect race, sailed in a south-easterly tradewind that varied from 10 to 12 knots in the Molle Passage, freshening to 15 knots as they ran back up the Whitsunday Passage.

Ray Roberts’ Cookson 50 Quantum Racing and race one line honours winner, Wired, Ray Bassett’s Bakewell-White 52 Wired, started well at the pin end of the line and took one long starboard tack to the east. Race one IRC winner, the Corby 49 Audi Centre Melbourne, with owner/skipper Chris Dare again on the helm, elected to tack inshore of Pioneer Rocks.

As the fleet converged to leave West Molle Island to starboard, a close tacking duel saw Quantum Racing briefly gain the lead from sistership Pussy Galore, skippered by New Zealander Anatole Masfen, with Wired back in third place, closely followed by the Melbourne-based Cookson 50 Living Doll (Michael Hiatt).

Pussy Galore led the IRC Division 1 around Roma Point and into the freshening breeze, just ahead of Quantum Racing, Wired and Living Doll, but on the long spinnaker run up the eastern shores of the Molle Island, Wired, with her longer waterline took the lead briefly.

However, a couple of less than perfect gybes saw their New Zealand compatriots regain the advantage. Little separated the leading four boats at the Grimston Point mark and the margins changed little on the final windward leg to the finish, Pussy Galore crossing the line 35 seconds ahead of Quantum Racing with Living Doll only 54 seconds further astern. In fourth place, a well within her rating, came the eventual IRC winner Living Doll, 1 min 06 seconds astern.

Kiwis fly - but not fast enough at Airlie Beach

Living Doll and Wired - Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week 2008 Peter Campbell ©

[by: Peter Campbell]
New Zealand sailors took first day line honours today at the 2008 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week being sailed in the Whitsundays of tropical Far North Queensland, but handicap honours went to the Victorian boat Audi Centre Melbourne.

Wired, Rob Bassett's canting keel Bakewell-White 52, obviously faster than she was a year ago, sailed away from the fleet to get the gun by more than 12 minutes from compatriot Pussy Galore, Anatole Masfen's Cookson 50, also from Auckland.

However, with her high rating of 1.401, Wired could not hold her time on the Corby 49 Audi Centre Melbourne, the former Flirt owned by Chris Dare from Melbourne's Sandringham Yacht Club and helmed by newly elected Yachting New South Wales President Roger Hickman.

The well-sailed Corby 49 is provisional winner of IRC division 1 of the 19 nautical mile Cone Island - Armit Island Race, with a handicap margin of 43 seconds from Wired, third place going to another Victorian boat, Chris Hiatt's Cookson 50, Living Doll.

Wired got an early break over the rest of the fleet on the frustratingly light breeze that dogged the IRC fleet on the two nautical mile beat to windward.

Smart tactical sailing saw the Kiwis hoist their code 0 spinnaker to close-reach out into the Passage, seeking the wind. 'We knew there was breeze out there and we sailed in that direction rather than the more direct rhumbline course down to Cone Island, ' skipper Bassett said.

'Once we got out in the Passage between the mainland and the islands, we had 14 knots and went charging north at 14 knots under spinnaker.

'We were far ahead at Cone Island and when we crossed the line back off Airlie Beach we had a margin of more than 12 minutes from our fellow Kiwis on Pussy Galore,' Bassett added.

Bassett, a member of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, said that since last year's rather disappointing IRC result at Arlie Beach Race Week they had worked on the boat's rating back in Auckland. 'The boat is now much more balanced now and obviously faster,' he added.

Winning owner/skipper Chris Dare said he and the crew had been frustrated by the early light winds but once out in the trade winds, the Corby 49 had sailed fast. 'Coming back (from Armit Island) we took some long tacks and that paid off to give a narrow, but satisfying win on corrected timer,' Dare said.

Michael Hiatt (Living Doll) from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria described the Cone Island - Armit Island Race as a 'tough one' adding that his Cookson 50 had been stuck in a hole before they reached the trade winds. However, an eventual fast spinnaker run and a good beat back to the finish saw Living Doll take third place on corrected time,

Steve McConaghy, tactician aboard Ray Roberts' Quantum Racing said it was a 'a horrible way to start the regatta... but once we picked up the sou'easter we regained lost ground to round Double Cone Island with Pussy Galore and Living Doll.'

However, it was not good enough and Quantum Racing, the pre-regatta favourite following her recent Sydney Gold Coast Race win, had to be content with a sixth on corrected time.

Last year's overall IRC winner Arajilla, skippered by Geoff Pearson from Middle Harbour Yacht Club, with Olympian Neville Wittey calling the shots, scored an impressive win in IRC Division 2. Second place went to another MHYC boat, the Sydney 38 Zen (Gordon Ketelby) and third to Secret Mens Business 1, now owned by Robert Curtis from Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club.

As the IRC divisions slowly worked to windward in a light south-westerly breeze to the first round mark in Pioneer Bay, the breeze behind them died away to zilch and Principal Race Officer Tony Denham temporarily abandoned race for the other divisions.

Two hours later, with the breeze finally filling in, he started these divisions on the Cone Island - Armit Island course, with the fleet enjoying a good sail in a 10-12 knotter.

In the Performance Racing, Division 1 handicap honours went to Lake Macquarie, NSW, sailor Mick Hinchey in his Melges 32 Ian Short Sails, with a 14 second corrected time win from local Whitsunday Sailing Club boat Rising Farrst, a Farr 1104 skippered by Tim Osborne. Third place went to another local boat, Another Fiasco, a Jutson 43 skippered by Damian Suckling from Abel Point Yacht Club.

Gold Coast yachtsman Noel Leigh-Smith, a former National JOG champion sailed the Bethwaite-designed Vivace to a hard-fought win the Sports Boat division, taking honours under the new SMS (Sports Boat Measurement) handicapping from the little Egan 6 Quantum Sails (Graham Shering) also from Southport Yacht Club. Third place went to Coffs Harbour-based French sailor Pierre Gal in the Sports 8xx boat Conquistador.

In the One Design SB3 division, Magees IGA (Paul Hunt) from Tasqua Youth (Matthew Jones) and Wagop (Michael McLean).

After the delayed start the Cruising division boats did not finish the Cone Island - Armit Island Race until late this afternoon.

In the Cruising Non Spinnaker Division, Rainbow, Peter Hall's Beneteau 473 won on corrected time from Time Lord, Keith Munro's Bavaria 50, with Joie De Vie (Martin Cross) third.

Don Algie's Storm 2 won the day's prize in the Cruising with Spinnaker Division 1, with Double O Seven (Jeffrey Brown) finishing second. Garry Anderson's Espirit was third.

Mr Bojangles, Pauline Cleaver's Northshore 38, took the handicap honours in Cruising with Spinnaker Division 2, from another Northshore 38 Full Frontal, hemled by Mark Travis. Completing the top three was yet another Northshore 38C, More Intrigue, skippered by Merv Stephensen.

All results are provisional and subject to protest. Full results are available on the website - http://www.airliebeachraceweek.com.au/event_results.php

IRC split into two divisions at Airlie Beach

[By: Peter Campbell]

In the interests of fairer racing, race officials have split the IRC fleet for the Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week, which starts on Pioneer Bay tomorrow with the Double Cone - Armit Island Race.

In broad terms, IRC Division 1 will be the larger and faster IRC boats, including the Bakewell-White 52 Wired from New Zealand, the Cookson 50s Quantum Racing from Sydney, Living Doll from Melbourne and Pussy Galore from New Zealand, along with the Corby 49 Flirt, now racing as Audi Centre Melbourne, and the Farr 40s Cracklin Rosie and Night Nurse.

Division 2 includes the Archambault 35 Arajilla, the Sydney 38 Zen and the Murray 42 Secret Mens Business 1 and the RP35 Sea Quest.

'Splitting IRC into two divisions will make for better and fairer racing and give us the ability to set courses more suitable to the various sizes of boats,' Principal Race Officer Tony Denham said this evening at the Abel Point race centre.

Race officials also announced that the Cruising with Spinnaker Division, the largest in the regatta, had been split into two divisions - Division 1 comprising 17 boats and Division 2 of 21 boats.

The Double Cone - Armit Island Race is a traditional opener to the Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week, with the larger boats likely to sail a course of about 19 nautical miles.

The forecast is for south-easterly tradewinds of 15-20 knots, giving expectations of some fast and spectacular racing, particularly among the 19-boat fleet of Sports Boats.

Race Week this year has drawn entries from all Australian States and Territories and New Zealand, competing under IRC, Performance Racing, Performance Cruising, Cruising with Spinnakers, Cruising Non-Spinnakers, and Sports Boats and One Design categories.

Aussies breeze into contention

[source: Sydney Morning Herald]
Six Australian sailing crews currently competing are within reach of medals after a day of reduced sailing competition in Qingdao.

It was an agonisingly slow day on the water today as a hazy fog hung over Qingdao and the wind barely blew an average of three knots. In the tough conditions, the Australian team’s strategy was about lowering risk and consolidating positions. Read on...

Olympic Sailing- Day 3

It seems our Aussie sailing team is doing well in Qingdao. The conditions have been light as predicted, but that old nemesis the green slim is back, with those on the spot reporting that a flotilla of chinese junks make their way onto the course area in the evening to spend the night cleaning up the mess.
Here's a link to the latest report on the Australian Sailing Team webiste. Day 3 report

Olympic Sailing Schedule, Qingdao China

For those interested, here is a link to the Olympic sailing schedule.
Sailing Schedule

The Finn and Yngling are the first to get away. Let's hope our mate Nocka gets a great start to the regatta in the Finn class. It's his 3rd Olympic games and I am sure he is going for a podium finish. Here's a link to his profile.
Nocka Finn Profile

Audi Med Cup Round 4

Without a doubt the best sailing on the planet at the moment is in the Audi MedCup TP52 class. Here is some video of the latest round in Palma, Spain.

Video in a new window

Wot Chicks Make the Cut

[source: Wot Chicks Media]
Day 3 in Lysekil saw the completion of the Stage 1 Round Robin, with the 6 highest scoring teams qualifying for the next stage.

The draw meant Wot Chicks were racing for all of the last 6 races of the round supported by a cheer squad of Liz Baylis, Camilla Ulrikkeholm and their teams as well as the occasional seal.
In a light and fluky sea breeze, the conditions were once again challenging. The 5 knot breeze emphasized the importance of boat speed and gauge in pre-start manoeuvres in order to maintain control. Having trailed off the start Wot Chicks learnt their lesson, dominating subsequent starts.

Our races today were against some of the top European teams who regularly race these boats. Capitalising on the DS37 training in Denmark proved invaluable for both boat speed and boat handling. Our racing this trip has shown a marked improvement since Marstrand, highlighting the importance of time and experience in what will be the boat used for the next Worlds.
Finishing the round with 7 wins, the slate is wiped clean for the next stage.
Teams through to the Stage 2 Round Robin are:

Claire Leroy
Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen
Lucy MacGregor
Katie Spithill
Jenny Axhede
Linda Rahm

Wot Chicks would like to thank their sponsors Graeme Wood, co-founder of Wotif.com, SLAM & Rudy Project.

As well as their coach and extra crew member sitting back in AUS pacing the hallway.
http://www.lysekilwomensmatch.se/

Quantum Racing takes line honours in the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race

[source: CYCA]

At 07:19am this morning, in a moderate west sou’west wind with her spinnaker up, Ray Roberts’ Quantum Racing took line honours in the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race 2008.

After a very cold night on the water, Quantum Racing sailed through the finishing line just as the sun was coming up and were greeted by some very friendly dolphins and a few people on Main Beach. Shortly after their arrival at Southport Yacht Club, Commodore Neale Hollier congratulated Ray and his crew on taking line honours victory.

For the twelve crew members onboard Quantum Racing it was a tough race. Ray Roberts recalled their race upon setting his feet on dry land “It was a fantastic but tough race. We had a pretty good start and were in a good position with Quest and Ragamuffin (the early leaders off the start line) and Yendys. We continued to battle with the other 50ft yachts over the first afternoon and evening.”

During that first evening we had to make a critical decision whether we went offshore or kept inshore. We opted to go with the offshore strategy as we analysed the weather patterns and though that there would be more breeze offshore. It panned out that we made the right choice early in the race that helped get us into a good position – We needed to continually consolidate our position as we headed up the coast so that when we made our move back inside the rhumbline, we had enough of a lead that if we lost the breeze we would still be able to maintain it.” added Ray.

Ray congratulated his twelve crew members on a great race and also noted that this is probably one of the best fleets he has ever raced against – including the new boats Wot Now and Secret Mens Business 3 plus some other well known yachties including Syd Fischer and Bob Steel. Quantum Racing’s crew included Angus Gordon, former Commodore of Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Warren Miller, Steve McConaghy, Jack Newman, Ben De Costa, Stuart Lee, Mark Gorman and Garry Adshead.

Congratulating his crew Ray said “The crew sailed really well and tactics that we used made us come out on top. We made good decisions at the right time and it’s not easy to make those decisions as the weather and current is changing constantly so you have to observe the conditions and the long range weather forecast.

Quantum Racing’s elapsed time was 1 day 17 hours 59 minutes 26 seconds for the 384 nautical mile race which began at 1pm from Sydney Harbour on Saturday afternoon.

For Bob Steel on Quest, finishing second over the line was great news. “We knew Quantum Racing had got the line honours win – they had us beaten when they went offshore and we (and the rest of the fleet) got a little nervous and came back in. We went out again but we couldn’t could catch them, so all in all 2nd across the line is not to shabby!” said Bob.

Bob commented on Quantum Racing’s win saying that Ray will have to get a normal boat (not one with a canting keel) because he won by a country mile!. I will be watching the rest of the boats in our division to see if we come out on top. Quest’s elapsed time was 1 day 19 hours 10 minutes 35 seconds.

When Quantum Racing finished the line she was also leading the IRC overall, with Quest second and Cockatoo Ridge – The Goat third.

The PHS Division has a new leader – Andrew Lygo’s Obsession, with John Simpson’s Shark face holding second and David Fernie’s Sea Quest.

About 1.5 hours after Quantum Racing and Quest crossed the finishing, Geoff Ross’s Yendys finished in third across the line with a time of time was 1 day 19 hours 22 minutes 49 seconds, followed by Matthew Short’s Shortwave, Syd Fischer’s Ragamuffin and Alan Whiteley’s Cougar II.

http://www.cyca.com.au/

The new "Anonimo Q8"

The new "Anonimo Q8" hits the water in NZ. Built by Hakes Marine, she sure is a fine vessel.




Check out the teams website. http://www.audiq8.it/home-page.html