By Ian Grant.
Perfectionist multihull yacht builder David Biggar has turned his skill to building his first Grand Prix IRC class racing yacht.
There is little doubt about his personal ability to build a high performance hull with his Stallion Marine built cruising catamarans moulded into an art form of excellence at his Yandina boatshed already regarded among the best in the country.
Rachael Cox and Daniel Fitzgibbon with the Chairman of the National Sailability Committee Bruce Dickson
Yachting Australia’s Sailor of the Year with a Disability Award for 2009 has been shared by Brisbane’s Daniel Fitzgibbon and Perth’s Rachael Cox. The duo won a Silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games in the SKUD 18 class.
Fitzgibbon and Cox’s fine performance in China was due to the determination and hard work put in by the pair with Sailability WA’s Cox moving across the country to join Fitzgibbon in Brisbane to dedicate the time required to train. Daniel and Rachael sailed consistently well throughout the regatta and with the final placings going down to the last day of competition, they won the first race of the day and finished the next second to secure the Silver medal. The pair have also proven themselves as great sportspeople on and off the water.
The other nominations were: Read more…
youth champs - lake cootharaba
The 2009 Youth Titles for the Hobie 16 class on Lake Cootharaba on the Sunshine Coast saw 8 teams competing in moderate to fresh winds and testing conditions over the weekend. Consistent 15 to 20 knot North Easterlies greeted the Hobie 16 sailors for the first day of racing. Competitors aged 21 and under had travelled from Rockhampton’s Keppel Bay, Bunderberg, the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane for this two day state championships. Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club, a great sailing venue is renowned for its sandy beach and yellow tinged shallow waters.
Race One, Two and Three on the first day were won by Andrew Gough (16 years) and Jackson Grant (15 years) from RQYS and members of the Yachting Queensland high performance squad. Conditions on the second day of sailing saw more blue skies but lighter gradient winds with a 10 o’clock start. However winds strengthened to 25 knots as the afternoon sea breeze kicked in during the next two races.
After the six race series in winds from 10-25 knots this year’s winners were Andrew Gough and Jackson Grant. The boys said they were very pleased with their first time on the lake, the opportunity to try tactics against good competition and their first state level win in the Hobie 16 class. Second place went to Brendan Effaney and his crew Nick Sommerfeld from Keppel Bay sailing club with third place getters, Bruce Woodward and Gemma Potter.
The TSCQ Burgee was flown on the backstay of Rudy Webers’ Too Impetuous in the 2008 Rolex Sydney to Hobart.
Bruce Green, Steve Lock & Linsay Patterson were part of the winning crew on Too Impetuous for the Hobart Race achieving 1st in PHS Div 2 & 5th Overall.
Sunshine Coast Daily, 21st October 2009
CRAFTY CUSTOMER: Mark Kennedy won his class.
If sailing was a game of chess, the Sunshine Coast’s Mark Kennedy would be a grandmaster. Kennedy, a Mooloolaba club member who lives in Buddina, kept the field at bay to win the Laser Radial plus-45 years sailing category at the World Masters Games in Sydney last week.
An injury-free Kennedy, 49, who tore cartilage in his knee while sailing in Brisbane late last year, won by eight points at the event at the Woollahra Sailing Club. Kennedy won five of the nine races.
A keen sailor all his life, Kennedy only rejoined the competitive side of the sport about 15 months ago because of his children, who both sail. He had his knee operated on in March and took a couple of months off training, before starting strengthening exercises and easing back into his routine. A determined Kennedy cycled three mornings a week and sailed every weekend to ensure his weight was right for the competition. “In my view, the ideal weight for my event is 70 to 75kg and I’m about 73, 74kg now,” he said. “Fitness is paramount for success.”
Back on the Sunshine Coast yesterday, Kennedy said he was thrilled with his gold medal, which was an unexpected surprise. “If I could have finished in the top 10, I was happy, and if I could get on the podium, I would be ecstatic,” he said.
“But to win gold is beyond any of my beliefs and dreams.”
Gabrielle King, Ashley Stoddart, Jason Waterhouse & Lisa Darmanin
The winners of the 2009 Australian Yachting Awards have been announced at a gala event at Sandringham Yacht Club in Victoria.
2008 Beijing Olympic Games Gold medalists Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page were named Male Sailor of the Year following their victory in the 470 class which saw them dominate the competition on the biggest stage to win the Gold medal with a race in hand. The pair had dominated the 470 class for a number of years with their Gold medal capping off a partnership which encompassed two Olympic Games campaigns and three World Championships.
Fellow Gold medalists and 470 competitors Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson won the Female Sailor of the Year Award after their impressive performance in the light winds of Qingdao. Rechichi and Parkinson overcame adversity on their way to the Gold medal after Rechichi fought back from being struck down by a debilitating illness with their single-minded determination, skill and attention to detail culminating in the now famous victory.
The OAMPS Insurance Brokers Youth Sailor of the Year Award was won by 2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship Laser Radial victor Gabrielle King. The New South Wales sailor won back to back Youth World Championship titles and now has her sights set on the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The Sailor of the Year with a Disability Award was shared by Brisbane’s Daniel Fitzgibbon and Perth’s Rachael Cox, who won a Silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games. Fitzgibbon and Cox’s fine performance in China was due to the determination and hard work put in by the pair with Cox moving across the country to join Fitzgibbon in Brisbane to dedicate the time required to train.
By Ian Grant.
Mooloolaba Yacht Club’s Lauren Calder has accepted a huge challenge to match her male rivals in the physically demanding discipline of one-design racing in the SB3 Dart sports boat class.
She recently returned from competing in the open World championships in Portugal and is now ready to test that valuable experience against her male rivals in class racing off Mooloolaba Beach before heading to contest the Audi Australian championship at Port Stephens next April.
Meanwhile the Audi Sunshine Coast women’s SB3 Dart racing team have issued an open invitation for new members to join their campaign which includes an opportunity for successful applicants to compete at Port Stephens followed the 2010 World championship at Lake Garda, Italy in July. The program managed by 2007 and 2009 Audi Australian IRC champion Rod Jones is designed to provide an equal opportunity for female sailors to compete at the international level beside enjoying a unique and friendly fellowship with racing in an exciting one-design class.
Strict class rules and the clone nature of the design provide all crews with the equal opportunity to test their personal energy, technique and tactical strategy against the prevailing wind and sea conditions. Also the SB3 Dart is an exciting performer particularly on the spinnaker and two sail reaching in fresh winds. “They are equally ballasted with a drop keel and there are no hiking assists to favour the normally heavier male crews.” Rod Jones said.
Re-Ignition competing at Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week
By Ian Grant.
Articulate Airlie Beach Doyle Loft sail maker Charles Wallis and his knockabout South African sailing mate Seddon Cripps will fly the Whitsunday Sailing Club burgee at the prestigious international China Cup regatta later this month.
Meanwhile the tropical North Queensland duo have experienced the cold and blustery elements of the storm tormented Tasman Sea on their way to record a Rolex Sydney Hobart Race finish in their personal log books are currently brushing up on the Chinese language.
They are a dedicated sailing combination and are expected to exercise their right of way when the international fleet compete for space on the start line but making their rival crews understand the word ‘Protest’ will probably fall on deaf ears. Read more…
by Ian Grant
Ryan & Klade
Noosa River sailors Ryan Palk and Klade Hauschildt remain on course to achieve their personal career ambitions to represent Australia at the Olympics.
The Sabot class graduates have already won individual Laser class National championships and represented Australia at World championships but remain totally focused on wearing the Green and Gold sailing rig at a future Olympic regatta.
Both are great mates and are fiercely competitive testing both mind and muscle with intensive personal training sessions under Craig Keene at Jetts Noosa Gymnasium and equally demanding training sessions on the Noosa River.
“Fitness is a key factor and Craig has provided Klade and myself with the program to suit our sport, we are both physically stronger which has helped to improve our boat handling”. Ryan Palk said.
The Australian Sailing Team’s Nathan Outteridge has been nominated for the prestigious ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year. The dual 49er World Champion is up against the World’s top sailors for the award which will be announced in Busan, Korea, on 10 November, 2009.
Outteridge has had an incredible 12 months, winning all three 49er regattas he has competed in with new crew Iain Jensen, including the 49er World Championship and two ISAF Sailing World Cup regattas, finishing second at both the 29er World Championship and Moth World Championship and sailing as tactician in the Farr 40 World Championship.