By Ian Grant.
Sunshine Coast World Etchells champion Bucky Smith has accepted a crew role with Chris Hampton and Warwick Hill to contest the 2010 Musto Australasian Winter championship off Mooloolaba Beach over the Queen’s Birthday weekend.
Smith has gained valuable experience from testing his tactical knowledge and crew skills in the tricky mid-winter sailing environment over the Mooloolaba Yacht Clubs windward leeward courses off Pt Cartwright which have bolstered skipper Chris Hampton’s chances.
He is regarded as one on the best in the class and his knowledge of the local conditions which are again expected to be spiced with unpredictable swings in wind direction promise to again place his tactical one-design racing reputation on notice.
However Bucky Smith and his 2009 World Gold Medal winning crew mates Jason Muir, Matthew Chew and Paul Wyatt proved they were the real deal when they won the prestigious title with a race to spare.
Winning an Etchells World championship is a result to cherish but Bucky Smith like every other prominent sailor in this year’s fleet including Australia 11 Americas Cup champion Phil Smidmore have far too much respect for their opposition to rest on their laurels.
When Phil Smidmore won the 2006 series at Mooloolaba with former World champion Cameron Miles and Dave Samson he openly described the result as a special career milestone.
“Finally I’ve achieved the result which has followed on from a string of minor places, it’s a nice feeling to have won” He said.
Smidmore will again be focused on playing a major role for 1999 champion Ian Johnson and his skilful Victorian crew mate Tim Ede when the sails are tensioned to sort the best from the rest to decide the 2010 Musto trophy winner.
Skipper Ian Johnson like Phil Smidmore and Tim Ede are no strangers to racing at Mooloolaba and this experience has helped to list them among the top chances in a series which promises to provide another high standard of tactical racing involving another high s6tandard fleet including the exceptionally talented New Zealander Alistair Gair.
Last year the Kiwi skipper Gair held a stranglehold on the trophy after scoring a 1-2 but then placed his title aspirations in dame control when he was Black Flagged (disqualification) for breaking the start in heat 3.
However he still managed to finish third overall which suggests his Gulf Harbour Yacht Club crew will be among the top contenders for the 2010 championship.
The same applies to Sydney skipper Mark Johnson who ‘blew’ his chances of winning when he became the tactical target in an aggressive start to the final 12 months ago.
There is no doubt that Johnson winner of the North American Championship in 2008 will carefully protect his sailing space this year.
Interest will also focus on class veteran Noel Paterson’s challenge with 2009 World champion Paul Wyatt joining the crew along with 2010 Brisbane-Gladstone race winning crew member Curtis Skinner and Sarah Broad.
The addition of Paul Wyatt may just add that crucial edge for the Paterson skippered Waterloo Bay to become a serious contender