By Ian Grant.
Brisbane Sports boat skipper Bruce Tardrew has a high hope of being on the pace when he contests the 2010 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week in the warm Whitsunday Islands.
The ten race series generally accepted as the unofficial Australian Championship has again attracted the nation’s best including the defending champion Cam Rae helming the Royal Geelong Yacht Club Thompson 8m Laminar Capital.
Skipper Cam Rae was among the first nominations accepted by regatta Principal Race Officer Denis Thompson for what promises to be another exciting series to open the annual Whitsunday Island Festival of Sail with the battle for the highly competitive Meridien Marinas class championships set down for August 12-19.
The Victorian champion who expertly steered Laminar Capital to six wins in the ten race series in 2009 is understandably the pre regatta favourite ahead of West Australian Heath Townsend in the Melges 24 What Tha.
Townsend winner of the regatta Silver Medal in 2009 is again expected to be a formidable challenger along with the consistently sailed Lake Macquarie Yacht Club’s Bob Cowan skippered Stealthy while Bruce Tardrew disappointed with his six overall in 2009 with his Alan Carwardine designed Stealth 8m No Limits has a plan in place to be on the pace later this year.
Tardrew who keeps his tactical and steering skills in shape with racing on the International Hobie 16 catamaran circuit was well in the mix for a medal after the opening five races last year when Townsville skipper Leon Thomas in Guilty Pleasures progressively led the series by one point from Cam Rae while Heath Townsend held third by one point clear of the Bruce Tardrew skippered No Limits.
Bruce Tardrew has the long term sailing experience to improve on his below par 6th in 2009.
Besides representing the Royal Papua Yacht Club in the 1983 Admirals Cup he also steered Di Hard to a memorable light wind victory in 1983 Brisbane to Gladstone Race over the Sir James Hardy skippered Police Car and ‘Sir Robbo’ Bob Robertson’s Hot Prospect 11.
As expected the memories and the trophies from those long ago results have gathered dust leaving the champion of the past with the challenge to do some repairs to his respected racing reputation when the ultra modern fleet of fast lane sailing sports boats duel for the honour of winning the 2010 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week title on Pioneer Bay in mid-August.
Based on their 2009 results Cam Rae (Laminar Capital) and Heath Townsend (What Tha) will be the pace setters while the almost identical Stealthy and No Limits face the need to improve on their all angle sailing speed to hold a chance of finishing as a medallist when the important championship final is decided on August 19.