By Ian Grant.
Ocean racing crews presently faced with sailing in thermal suits to lock out the chill factor will thaw out with some hot fleet racing in the 2010 Meridien Marinas Race Week at Airlie Beach in mid-August.
This popular Queensland tropical shirt regatta well known for its high degree of serious racing and fun filled post race parties on the deck of the Abel Point Marina has again attracted another high profile fleet representing New Zealand and Australian clubs.
Heading the list is the colourful Cruising Yacht Club of Australia skipper Ray Roberts and the equally well known Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron helmsman James Farmer.
Both skippers supported by individual crew members who have the career experience of racing in the Americas Cup and winning World One-Design class championships are set to stage a boat on boat match race for the prestigious Grand Prix IRC championship over the Whitsunday Sailing Club courses from August 13-19.
Skipper Ray Roberts and his crew cleverly answered the last New Zealand challenge against the Anatole Masfen helmed Pussy Galore but there is a strong indication that his Evolution Racing team will be hard pressed to produce the required handicap rated boat speed to post a series winning score over the Kiwi challenger Georgia.
News from across the Tasman confirms the new Georgia racing team which has strong ties with the successful Black Magic Americas Cup syndicate is on the pace.
However this reputation will have to be reproduced in an unfamiliar racing environment to finish ahead of Ray Roberts and crew who have the distinction of winning the 2008 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week title before loosing the 2009 series by 40 seconds on count back to the Michael Hiatt skippered Victorian sloop Living Doll.
Michael Hiatt is expected to defend but is not yet listed among the official entries.
Another strong fleet have entered for the popular Cruising class championship with Race Week founder Don Algie heading the challenge to win the class line honours trophy with Storm 2.
However the Storm 2 crew will need to be tactically prepared to protect their sailing space which promises to be challenged by the Geoff Pettifer skippered West Australian registered Oyster 66 Miss Molly and the Abel Point Yacht Club Sydney 60 the Malcolm Robertson skippered Eureka 11.
Whitsunday Sailing Club skippers Jeff Brown (Double O Seven), Chris Jiggins (Grizzly) and the Helen and Jeff Shipsey co –skippered Sunrise will have the advantage of local knowledge when they enter the duel for the IRC Cruising class championship against the impressive Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron’s Ocean Affinity (Stewart Lewis) and Stomp (John Moore).
Ocean Affinity a Marten 49 has the speed potential to dominate the line honours but skipper Stewart Lewis will be hard pressed to match the smaller Adams 10 Grizzly which is always tactically well sailed by Chris Jiggins and his young Airlie Beach crew mates.