TRADE WIND DRAG RACE.
Fresh trade wind sailing reputations will be on the line when the 2009 Audi Australian IRC Champion Alegria now racing under the Arcadia ‘battleflag’ competes in the 170 n/ml Yeppoon to Mackay race today.
Owner skipper Tim McCall and the Arcadia crew representing the Capricorn Cruising Yacht Club and the 2008 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week Performance Handicap champion Re-Ignition skippered by Seddon Cripps are poised to stage a boat on boat match race for line and handicap honours.
“There is plenty of ‘puff’ in the breeze which is to our liking but I expect the conditions to be a little hairy and rough around Cape Clinton and Townshend Island however the Re-Ignition crew have the experience to handle it”. Said experienced blue water racing skipper Seddon Cripps.
The forecast of 20-25 knots winds combined with a 3 metre easterly swell was in place with gusts to 20knots recorded at the halfway point of Middle Percy Island this morning.
However while crew experience and the fact that the 1998 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race winning navigator Bob Thomas will be on board Reignition they will have a real challenge to repeat their 2009 line and handicap double.
Re-Ignition has a locker full off larger spinnakers which provides her crew with a decided advantage over the IRC rated sail profile of Arcadia but the largest spinnaker in the locker is likely to remain below deck with the threat of more power suggesting there will be more risks.
But skipper Seddon Cripps and his long term sailing mate Bob Thomas are ‘no sissy’s’ and if it means more speed with the risk of sailing on the edge then they will be up to the challenge.
“We busted the 20 knot speed barrier last year and there is every chance to challenge that later today”. Seddon Cripps said.