Two Australian IRC yacht racing championships in three years has allowed Mooloolaba Yacht Club skipper Rod Jones to claim the honour as the nation’s best blue water sailor.
He was born to be a successful sailor following in the footsteps of his uncle Graeme Jones who steered Quartermaster to win the World Quarter Ton class championship in 1983.
As to be expected the science of sailing has changed dramatically over the past 26 years with the modern helmsman forced to have a better than average knowledge of tactical sailing skills and the applied technique to steer fast in all wind and sea conditions.
Furthermore these individual skills developed over racing experience in a wide range of classes from Sabots, to Olympic Tornado catamarans and Etchells proved that the ‘Jones boy’ was ready to test his talent and crew management skills against the nation’s best blue water racing combinations.
Brisbane Yacht Broker Mike Freebairn entered a bold challenge to secure a career best result in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race when dawn broke over the Tasman Sea this morning.
He and his crew of Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron sailors were searching for some favours from the rolling clouds above to provide the required favourable reaching and spinnaker sailing winds to lift their chances of securing a top three result in the 628 n/ml international blue water classic.
By Ian Grant.
Neville Crichton’s super-maxi Alfa Romeo sprinted to what promises to be a possible line and handicap double in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race overnight.
Just after dawn this morning Alfa Romeo was tracked at speeds in the high teens with her position reported as 22 nautical miles east of St Helens Point with 158 nautical miles to sail.
Her crew including experienced big boat sailors Michael Coxon, Noel Drennan, Stu Ballantyne, Bruce Clark and Peter Merrington held a vice-like grip on the line honours trophy leading the English challenger and Rolex Fastnet Race line honours winner the Mike Slade skippered ICap Leopard by a runaway by 33 n/mls while Wild Oats Xl trailed by another .4 of a nautical mile.
Yachting Queensland have continued to invest wisely with the high performance sailing program dominating the class results in finals of the International Sail Melbourne regatta over the past weekend.
The State yachting team jointly coached by Beijing Olympic Yngling class mentor Adrian Finglas and the talented Yachting Queensland resident coach Ben Callard mastered some tricky sailing conditions on Melbourne’s Port Philip Bay to complete a best ever medal haul at the important international regatta.
By Ian Grant.
All ocean racing sailors who have contested the Rolex Sydney to Hobart race including Mooloolaba Yacht Club Commodore Bob Robertson have experienced the mental and physical torment in what is described as the World’s toughest ocean race to win.
Bob Robertson who successfully raced Queensland Maid on the Australian east coast circuit a decade ago has the career distinction of finishing third overall in the International Blue Water classic.
RUNNING THE RHUMBLINES.
By Ian Grant.
Whitsunday Sailing Club Corsair dinghy sailors Bruce Carter and Jim Hayes are well prepared to defend their 2008 Australian Championship Silver Medal on the tricky Lake Munmorah course at Budgewoi.
The only knowledge they have of the sailing conditions is that the course is similar to racing on Lake Macquarie but apart from that skipper Bruce Carter and tactician Jim Hayes will be ‘clutching at straws’.
Released: Thursday, 17 December, 2009
Limited racing on day four of Sail Melbourne
Day four of racing had a stop-start feel with the weather having a major influence on proceedings.
The morning fleets headed out in a 20 knot breeze making for some tricky sailing conditions and as the morning wore on a storm front moved across the bay, initially dropping the breeze before the boats were sent to shore and racing postponed. After an hour break the afternoon fleets hit the course to try and get some racing in amongst the shifting breeze and driving rain.
Gold Coast Cat Week
After having been a great success in previous years Gold Coast Cat Week returns to Southport Yacht Club from Sunday, 30th January – Thursday, 04th February 2010. Incepted by longstanding sponsors of the event, Steve and Kerry from Fastway Couriers, Gold Coast Cat Week provides a week of great summer racing and fun for off-the-beach catamarans.
To keep racing interesting and diverse the racing will be held on a range of different courses, from passage racing to short course races. A lay day on Monday gives time to do some tweaking on the boats – or simply laze around and enjoy the Gold Coast beaches. And the Beach Party at Hollywell on Saturday 30th January after racing ensures that the social side of sailing also gets its deserved attention.
As in previous years, Gold Coast Cat Week will incorporate the Nacra Class South East Queensland Championships to be held on 30th & 31st January 2010.
And for those who just cannot get enough of racing: the Great Race – a long distance race from the Gold Coast to Brisbane, held on 06th February 2010 – will provide a great opportunity to test skills, stamina and willpower.
For more information and the Notice of Race contact the Southport Yacht Club – Hollywell Sailing Office on (07) 5537 7030 or sailing@southportyachtclub.com.au.
By Rike Belcher, 17/12/2009
YA-CEO-Phil-Jones-with-RFD-Managing-Director-Mark-Barker
Yachting Australia has signed a new sponsorship agreement with safety and survival equipment specialist RFD which will see the company play a role in Yachting Australia’s Sports Services and Training programs.
RFD’s involvement is a significant boost to Yachting Australia’s Sports Services and Training departments and will assist in the delivery of a number of key programs. In the Sports Services area RFD will work with Yachting Australia on the IRC Rating System certification program, providing IRC certificate holders with a range of offers and opportunities surrounding RFD products.
