Ball at the beach

A report from the Meridien Airlie Beach Race

Today the fleet sailed new passage courses with the Premier Cruising Division sailing a 28 nautical mile course north east to the Gloucester National Park Group, first to Gumbrell Island, about three nautical miles west of Armit Island, then to Olden Island and back down the coast to Pioneer Bay.

"The nicest Whitsunday race I have every done," said Premier Cruising division leader John Bacon. "A glorious sailing day and some great new islands we've never seen before, that was the furthest north we have ever been along the coast. At Olden Island there is a great anchorage and a great beach...very tempting."

Perhaps Bacon's view was coloured by his three wins in a row, guaranteed to make any skipper feel good, but the same sentiments came from across the fleet.

For the PHS Racing and Cruising with Spinnaker divisions there was a 24 mile course to Gumbrell Island and return and the Sports Boats and Cruising Non Spinnaker sailed to Edwin Rock, Grassy Island and return - 20 miles.

85 boats in the fleet enjoyed the new adventure. Simon Fisher's Elliott 780, which on the first day had become X1 Mast, became X2 Tangent again with a tremendous crew effort. An inner and outer sleeve was put on the aluminum mast and today, the Whitsunday locals were back on the course.

The day was not nearly as much fun for the gun boats in the Grand Prix IRC Racing fleet.

Pioneer Bay was the perfect location that was for sure, for two windward leeward races, but the fierce fight amongst the 50 footers is costing them all dearly.

In the first race, the Ray Roberts turbo-charged Cookson 52 Quantum Racing hit the line with speed and managed to force Bob Steel's Quest away. Quantum Racing found an extra gear, controlled much of the race, but Rob Bassett's Bakewell-White 52 Wired had the speed to come through. Quantum racing's tactician Stephen McConaghy explained: "coming up to the top mark for the second time, there were four of us locked together. We had to go well beyond the lay to get clear air, but Wired still slammed us and we all suffered.... Quest and Living Doll too."

At the finish a 100m beach towel would have covered the top four boats. Ray Bassett's Wired took the gun with Quantum Racing two lengths back, ahead of Quest and Michael Hiatt's Living Doll.

In the second race Wired spat Quantum Racing out. McConaghy said: "We were forced to the less favored right side of the course and that was the boat race."

After Quest's shocker in the first race North Sails' Julian Plante explained the second race was a big improvement: "We got the gun, we had retuned the rig - got away fast and played the shifts. Behind us we left the other 50 footers fighting each other."

Helmsman Jamie McPhail is upbeat about Quest's position in the battle of the 50 footers. "We are in there right part of the learning curve, we have plenty of room for improvement and some extra gear to the boat for next week."

Among the bigger boats, Living Doll has been most consistent. It's been a fast learning curve, with the removal of her canting keel mechanism, a taller mast and deeper keel with 400 kilo more in the bulb; the boat handles very differently. Owner/skipper Michael Hiatt commented: "We only managed to get new mast, sails, new keel and crew in the one place together on Thursday. The teamwork has been great."

However clean air is the key to yacht races. While the big boats are taking turns in lamping on each other at the small end of the fleet the little Archambault 35 Arajilla, has been getting clean starts and clean air. Arajilla continued her handicap winning spree in Race 4 today, from Harold Clark's Farr 1104 Invincible, with Bob Steel's TP52 Quest in third. Arajilla leads the IRC series overall from Michael Hiatt's modified Cookson 50 Living Doll, with Quest in third.

Owner Bob Pearson said: "The Archambault 35s and 40s have been winning well in Europe. Alegria has shown the way in the Audi IRC series and now we are having our place in the sun. We've been getting really nice starts, we have clear air...we are trying hard not to make any mistakes and we are getting good results."

Nev Witty from Doyle Sails has been driving the boat. He commented this afternoon: "Our task has been made easier by the fights at the front of fleet. We are trying very hard to sail smartly. We are working very hard to stay out of the current and that is obviously paying off. Three wins in the last three races..."

Pearson interjected: "Can you let the sailing community know we need two more crew - we had two nice crew we met at the Lagoon and they are getting off to back-pack north.

"Should we write an ad? 'Crew wanted for Leading IRC Racer'."

In PHS Racing today, Race 3 went to Whitsunday Sailing Club's A.F.R.I.C.A, the Bavaria Cruiser 42 of Chris Nicoll and Terry Archer. Second was Roger Down's Farr 11.6 True Love, also from the Whitsunday Sailing Club. The Poacher, John Foster's Cavalier 1050 took third place on handicap. Overall, A.F.R.I.C.A. leads the PHS Racing Series from True Love and Lorna Rose Too.

In Premier Cruising, John Bacon's well performed Sydney 39CR Hussy continued her winning form. Berani V11, the Jarken 12.5 of David Todner placed second, with John Moore's Sydney 36 This Way Up third. After three races, the series leader is Hussy from This Way Up, with Garry Anderson's Beneteau 47.7 Esprit in third.

In the very competitive Sports Boat class, It's What You Do, the Elliott 780 of Brett Whitbread took handicap honours in Race 4, from Andrew Fisher's Elixir, an Elliott 7.8. Rock N' Roll, the Townsville-based Thompson 7 of Leon Thomas completed the placings. Overall series leader is Rock N' Roll, with It's What You Do second and Health Walters, Melges 24, Melges Asia Pacific third.

In the Cruising Yachts with Spinnaker division, Merv Stephensen's More Intrigue, a Northshore 38C won on handicap from Meltemi, the S&S 34 of Jim Shannon. Mike Roper's Beneteau Ropabull, completed the top three. Meltemi leads the series overall after three races with Sunrise, Helen and Jeff Shipsey's Elan 37 second and Treasure, the Dehler 34 of Harold Menelaus holding third.

Lady Hawk, John Hudson's Beneteau Oceanis390 from the Whitsunday Sailing Club won Race 3 of the Cruising Non Spinnaker division, from fellow local Lachlan Wilson on his Clansman 30, Felicity. Third was the Beneteau 473 Rainbow. New Zealander Peter Hall and his crew are racing at their sixth consecutive Airlie Beach Race Week and believe 'its just fantastic to get out of the cold New Zealand mornings and enjoy the warm weather and hospitality of Airlie Beach.'.

Lady Hawk leads the overall series, with local Whitsunday identity Mick Phillips' Spencer, Shearwater, in second and Fish Frenzy, Wayne Banks-Smith's converted Frers 50 Pilot House, third.