By Ian Grant.
Ray Roberts the popular Cruising Yacht Club of Australia ocean racing skipper who holds the distinction of winning the 2006 Sydney to Mooloolaba Race would like to defend his trophy.
Skipper Roberts like so many other prominent Australian Blue water racing yachtsmen remain keen to support a new launch of the tactically demanding Sydney – Mooloolaba coastal classic onto the Australian circuit.
Unfortunately the event which attracted a record fleet of 79 yachts in 1979 including Australia’s best crews lost a place on the National Ocean racing calendar when the Mooloolaba Yacht Club fell into financial trouble.
Sure fleet numbers had also fallen away due to the shoaling of the Mooloolah River entrance however while this was considered to be dangerous the destination still remains as one of Australia’s most popular sailing ports.
When Ray Roberts skippered the DK 46 Quantum Racing to the overall win over the Victorian yachts Flirt and XLR8 he described the experience among his best results.
At that time the 34th Sydney to Mooloolaba race had established a significant history with many of Australia’s more famed yachts including Apollo, Helsal, Sovereign, Brindabella, Bobsled and Skandia Wild Thing having their names engraved on the line honours trophy while Cadence, Ragamuffin, Public Nuisance, Klinger, Scampi A, Storm Bay and Quantum Racing stand as the most prominent winners on corrected handicap.
George Snow who steered Brindabella on a wave surfing spinnaker ride before favourable South East trade winds also remains as the race record holder setting an average speed of 10.53 knots in her 44 hour 1 minute 43 second course time in 1994.
This important Australian ocean racing will continue to remain unchallenged unless the restructured Mooloolaba Yacht Club decides to add another signature event to their racing calendar.
Meanwhile recently elected Commodore Bob Robertson who understands what the commercial value of the race means to the local community has the value from personal experience of racing in the classic to set the guidelines for a new race in place.
They already host the successful Musto Australasian Etchells championship over the Queen’s birthday holiday weekend and have plans in place to extend this regatta into a Mooloolaba Race Week which leaves a pre-Easter time slot as the most ideal starting date.
Owners from southern States have already completed their race diaries for the winter circuit however they remain interested in the possibility of the Sydney to Mooloolaba being added as the official delivery race for the Brisbane to Gladstone.
This will provide Ray Roberts with the opportunity to defend his 2006 Sydney to Mooloolaba race win while also re-establishing the busy and friendly Sunshine Coast port back into the history of Australian yacht racing.