By Ian Grant.
Veteran Mooloolaba Yacht Club Ocean racing skipper Bob Robertson has officially ended his personal and expensive challenge to add a Rolex Sydney Hobart victory to his impressive career.
The proud Queensland ‘Blue Water’ sailor known among his peers as Sir Robbo of Queensland for his support of representing the State in what is regarded as the toughest 628 n/ml race on the International sailing circuit has focused his attention on re-establishing Mooloolaba as a major regatta venue.
Bob Robertson can proudly rest on his laurels having proved his tenacious attitude with a career which includes a third in the Rolex Sydney Hobart plus two wins in the Brisbane to Gladstone race and a Performance Handicap trophy success in the 2009 Club Marine Brisbane to Keppel Race.
This is a performance that any sailor would be proud of and Bob Robertson is no different.
He is a uniquely proud individual who has never been known to take a backward step and his recent re-election as Commodore of the Mooloolaba Yacht Club promises to place sailing back on the Sunshine Coast sporting calendar.
There is a special meaning behind the Mooloolaba Yacht Club burgee and the club committee headed by the energetic Bob Robertson have plans to promote major regattas at the national standard venue.
They already hold a signature event with the annual Musto Australasian Etchells mid winter championship.
However there are plans in place to coincide the Musto championship as the feature event in a Mooloolaba Race Week regatta.
“We know that the Sunshine Coast is a popular winter racing venue with the success of the Etchells class championship attracting crews from New Zealand, Hong Kong and all Australian State fleets”.
“Our plan is to host a multi-class regatta similar to the Coca-Cola winter dinghy racing series and the Northern Ocean Racing championship which helped to establish Mooloolaba as a major sailing destination”. Bob Robertson said.
Mooloolaba would also be the perfect venue to host the annual Farr 40 Queensland championship while there is a strong move for the Sydney-Mooloolaba ocean race to be included in the program.
Local SB3 Dart sports boat crews will also welcome the opportunity to compete in a special class championship on home waters as part of their preparation to contest the World championship at Hamilton Island in December 2012.
Several top class skippers including Mooloolaba’s Phil Gray who steered Dulon to a narrow win in the Wild Oats trophy at Hamilton Island in late August and Lauren Calder skipper of the Audi Girls crew will welcome the opportunity to test their crew skills in a fleet racing championship in the proposed Mooloolaba Race Week regatta.