Whitsunday Sailing Club

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BIG BOAT DEMOLITION DERBY.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 26 - 4pm.

There was a dramatic collision during the pre-start to the final race of the 2006 Hahn Premium Race Week Big Boat class championship off Hamilton Island today.

All seemed normal when the defending champion Bob Oatley and his Wild Oats X crew joined in the usual tactical jousting with the smaller sloops Loki (Stephen Ainsworth) and Wild Joe (Steven David) for the vital clear wind advantage.

All three sloops were running the line in the pre start in a bid to control the best start when Wild Oats X on port tack collided with Loki.

Fortunately their rigs did not lock up but both yachts suffered slight hull damage while Wild Oats X was forced to retire with damage to a shroud.

Skipper Stephen Ainsworth took the precaution and hoisted a crew member aloft to make sure there was no damage to their rigging.

"Both boats slammed together and there was a lot of noise and shouting, you are never sure so we were pleased that there was no damage to the rig". Stephen Ainsworth said.

The Loki crew placed the incident behind them when they became engaged in a boat on boat drag race with Wild Joe as both crews sailed smart into the variable sea breeze.

It was difficult to determine which of the Reichel Pugh designed 60's the canting keeled Wild Joe or the fixed keel Loki was leading when spinnaker were set when they weather North Molle Island.

They were equally impressive on the shy spinnaker reach down the Whitsunday Passage where Wild Joe seemed to have stretched her margin but at the finish the course times confirmed Loki rating 1.404 was too classy winning by 2 minutes 36 seconds over Wild Joe with another 7 minutes 32 seconds to Vanguard (Richard Cawse).

However the Wild Joe crew including owner skipper Steven David, principal helmsman Chris Links and tactician Cameron Miles although outpaced over the 22 n/ml course claimed a deserved overall win with their consistent 2-1-3-1-2-1-1-2-2 defeating Loki 3-2-1-3-1-4-2-1-1 by 2 points while the defending champion Wild Oats X which was fast in the stronger winds failed in the light wind races to fill third overall with her 1-3-4-2-4-2-3-3-6

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SUMMMER WINDS BLOW AT HAMILTON ISLAND.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 26 - 7am.

There is a warm feeling of summer in the wind as the sea breeze continues to blow over the Whitsunday Islands.

Normally at this time of the year the cool and gusty South East trade winds prevail to provide ideal yacht racing conditions for the international standard fleet contesting the prestigious Hahn Premium Race Week at Hamilton Island.

But the summer wind which has rarely blown above 15 knots over the past three days will again prevail when the 159 yacht fleet representing New Zealand and Australia head out from Hamilton Island today to contest the final race of the championship series.

A forecast of 8-10 knot winds will again present the fleet with another supreme test of light wind sailing on the Whitsunday Passage which was almost glassed out earlier this morning.

This forecast will suit the championship front runners who have mastered the tactically demanding light wind racing conditions over the four days to firm a grip on their respective Waterford Crystal trophies.

The battle for the best of the Big Boats will turn into an intense boat on boat mate against mate match race between the point score leader the Steven David skippered Wild Joe and the almost identical Reichel Pugh designed and Azzura Yachts built Loki skippered by the popular Stephen Ainsworth.

Loki showed her class to beat the Wild Joe crew yesterday and a similar result will mean that Wild Joe the sloop which has won the Admirals Cup and the 2002 Hahn Premium Race Week will add another important entry in her impressive log book as the 2006 Hamilton Island Race Week champion.

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BIG BOATS SET FOR DOG FIGHT.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 25 - pm.

Stephen Ainsworth and his Loki crew have fought their way back to enter into a tactical Americas Cup style match race for the 2006 Hahn Premium Race Week Big Boat title trophy off Hamilton Island tomorrow (Saturday).

The fixed keel Reichel Pugh designed Loki showed her moderate wind class when she power sailed impressively in the 12-15 knot North West wind to win the 22.6 n/ml Whitsunday Passage race.

Loki a sister design to the Admirals Cup winning Wild Joe outpaced her match racing rival over the upwind- downwind passage race around the Molle Island group.

Skipper Ainsworth and his key crew mates including helmsman Tony Kirby and sailing master Gordon Maguire set a smart tactical race in motion when they had the edge over Steven David's Wild Joe out of a tricky start in Dent Passage.

Both Loki and Wild Joe were evenly matched on the long slog upwind with Loki holding a slender lead when spinnakers were set for the run across the Whitsunday Passage.

Wild Joe rating 1.478 with her canting keel looked set to score another win on corrected handicap when she completed the course in 2 hours 38 minutes 8 seconds but the lower handicapped Loki rating 1.404 spoilt the party for the Wild Joe crew when she finished 7 minutes 15 seconds later.

This allowed Loki to claim the fastest corrected time prize with a comfortable 1 minute 31 second win over Wild Joe while Bob Oatley's defending champion Wild Oats X finished third another 2 minutes 49 seconds off the pace.

However Wild Joe with her consistent score of 2-1-3-1-2-1-1-2 leads the championship by 4 penalty points over Loki which sets the stage for an Americas Cup style match race between the two high performance crews when they sail out for the final race tomorrow (Saturday).

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LIGHT WARM WINDS IN THE WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 25 - 7am.

Light wind yacht racing tactics will be put to the test again today when the 159 yacht fleet competes for the major points in the 2006 Hahn Premium Race Week regatta off Hamilton Island.

The forecast of light and variable sea breezes which may or may not gust above 8 knots for any part of the races today has forced all crews to revise their light wind sailing skills.

Unfortunately a slow moving high pressure system which has bent a strong wind warning onto the South Queensland coast has promoted an early spring weather pattern onto the picturesque Whitsunday Islands.

At dawn this morning it was warm and almost windless at Hamilton Island with a 6 knot North West wind and the combined 19 degrees presenting the crews with another warm day of sailing.

Naturally the heavy wind sailors who starred to break race records during the opening two races would like the fresh trade winds to return but the present forecast suggests that the warm northerly wind stream now locked in for the past 60 hours is likely to continue for the next three days.

These conditions will test the tactical skills however the class championship leaders have shown the skills to be consistent over the complete range of winds and that is not expected to change today.

Young Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club skipper Steven David and his talented Wild Joe crew are just to clever races away from winning the prestigious Big Boat class championship over the Stephen Ainsworth helmed Loki and Bob Oatley's defending champion Wild Oats X.

But the battle for the equally important IRC class championship will enter into another boat on boat mate against mate match race during the Baynham Island race today.

Sydney skipper Ray Roberts helming Quantum Racing presently holds a 1 point lead over the equally impressive South Australian champion Geoff Boettcher's Hardy's Secret Mens Business and this is expected to lead both crews into a light wind tactical dogfight in this race and the final over the Lindeman Island course tomorrow.

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WILD JOE IN COMMAND.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 24 - 4pm.

Steven David and his Wild Joe crew again proved they were the masters of light wind sailing when they firmed a stronger grip of the 2006 Hahn Premium Big Boat championship off Hamilton Island.

Wild Joe the winner of the 2003 Admirals Cup under her former name of Wild Oats IX was unmatched for speed on all angles of sailing in the soft 7 knot North West wind giving her rivals little hope of running her down on handicap rated course times.

Skipper David having the luxury to concentrate on steering for speed while his experienced tactician Cameron Miles called the race strategy never seemed to be in any trouble when they slipped into a clear wind position out of the start.

They purposely tacked clear of the disturbed wind when Grant Wharington's 30m Skandia established an early break over Bob Oatley's defending champion the 20m Wild Oats X which showed signs of lacking speed in the soft and unstable wind.

The advantage of waterline length and sail power allowed Skandia to avenge her defeat by Wild Oats X on Wednesday to record a 1 minute 8 second win with a relatively fast elapsed time of 56 minutes 13 seconds.

However both Skandia and Wild oats X had no answer to the speed of the match race Reichel Pugh designed 18m sloops Wild Joe and Loki when Steven David steered the Admirals Cup champion to her fourth win of the series.

The exceptionally talented Wild Joe crew are sailing smarter and faster compared with last year when they claimed the Silver medal behind Wild Oats X.

This was expressed on the course when Wild Joe assumed command in the opening minutes of the race to eventually complete a polished tactical racing performance with a deserved 26 second corrected handicap win over Loki while Wild Oats X proved to be sluggish finishing another 2 minutes 12 seconds of the pace.

"The smaller boats are just to slick for us in the light winds". Said Wild Oats X crew member Iain Smith.

Wild Joe with her impressive score of 2-1-3-1-2-1-1 is comfortably poised to win the series but her crew will need to be tactically defensive in the final two races to claim the title ahead of Loki (3-2-1-3-1-4-2) and Wild Oats X (1-3-4-2-4-2-3).

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WINDLESS WHITSUNDAYS..

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 24 - 6am.

Hamilton Island will again be bathed in warm tropical sunshine this morning which is not a welcome sign for the Admirals Cup and major ocean race winning crews who have placed their reputations on the line to win the 2006 Hahn Premium Race week trophies.

The crews spent a warm day on the water yesterday waiting for the sea breeze to fill in to provide a fair competition for the short course races and the forecast for today will be very similar.

Zephyr strength 2-4 knot North West winds were recorded at various times overnight which suggests there will be a glassy calm on the race course this morning when the fleet prepares for the 15 n/ml Whitehaven Beach race followed by Australia's largest 'Beach Party' at Whitehaven one of the Worlds prettiest beaches located on Whitsunday Island.

As the forecast suggests it will be picture perfect for a warm and relaxing day at the beach and not the best in terms of wind as the national award winning special event showcases another spectacular scene of colourful yachts and sails as the high standard fleet race for the important points in the seventh race of the weeklong regatta.

Interest today will focus on the battle for the Big Boat championship and the equally interesting tactical dog fight for the IRC class trophy.

Steven David's Wild Joe currently leads the battle of the Big Boats and the youngest skipper in the class is determined to show his respected rivals that he and his crew who finished second overall last year are not prepared to release their grip on the trophy.

Another top place finish today against the defending champion Bob Oatley's Wild Oats X and the equally impressive Stephen Ainsworth skippered Loki will further enhance the prospects for the Wild Joe crew to be crowned as the 2006 Hamilton Island Race Week champions after the final race on Saturday.

Meanwhile the battle for the IRC class title remains in the balance with popular South Australian skipper Geoff Boettcher (Hardy's Secret Mens Business) locked into a duel with his New South Wales Rival Ray Roberts and his Quantum Racing team.

Both crews who enter the important seventh race today with 21 penalty points lost will no doubt stage a boat on boat match race in a bid to become the outright leader later today

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WILD JOE IN CHARGE.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 23 - pm.

Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club skipper Steven David is just three races away from achieving his career best performance by winning the 2006 Hahn Premium Race Week Big Boat trophy at Hamilton Island.

Skipper David showed his maturity to overcome intense tactical pressure and steer his high performance sloop Wild Joe to a comfortable 4 point lead over his match racing rival Loki after six closely fought races contested in a varied range of winds.

He was disappointed after claiming the 2005 series silver medal and vowed he would be back to challenge again in 2006.

As expected the Wild Joe crew have showed the class to back their confidence and this was revealed when they shared the points with Loki in the two demanding light wind races.

There was evidence of tactical wind shadowing when the defending champion Bob Oatley's Wild Oats X purposely shadowed Wild Joe during the pre start allowing Stephen Ainsworth to claim a clear wind start which ultimately laid the foundation to sail above her handicap rating.

Wild Oats X also capitalised on a perfect start to outpace Grant Wharington's super maxi Skandia for the fastest time while Loki sailing in unison with the variable winds cleared out to claim a runaway 4 minute 47 second win over Wild Oats on corrected time.

The Wild Joe crew was again forced to fight clear of a wind shadow during the start of race 2.

Fortunately the Wild Joe crew produced unmatched speed jumping clear from the lee of Skandia to take early control maintaining the vital use of clear wind to match Wild Oats X tack for tack before Mark Richards steered the larger sloop to her second line honours win over the disappointing Skandia.

Wild Joe picked up the pace as the sea breeze freshened to 12 knots late in the race allowing her to claim a 10 second corrected handicap win over Wild Oats X while the Richard Cawse skippered Vanguard finished third another 2 seconds off the pace.

After six races Wild Joe with her impressive score of 2-1-3-1-1-2 appears to have the speed and the tactical defence to weather the storm and win the prestigious trophy over Loki 3-2-1-3-4-1 and Wild Oats X 1-3-4-2-2-4 when the final race is decided on Saturday.

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WARM IN THE WHITSUNDAYS.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 23 - am.

A summer wind stream has set in for the important fourth day of championship racing in the 2006 Hahn Premium Race Week off Hamilton Island today.

The slow moving high pressure system hovering over Queensland's tropical coast has locked in a northerly air flow basking the aquatic wonderland of the Whitsunday Islands with warm sunshine and soft unstable winds.

During a six hour period overnight the wind veered between 5 knots North East to a freak 17 knot gust from the North West which indicates the high class fleet of 159 yachts competing for honours in Australia's premier Race Week series will face another day of light wind sailing.

There is another strong indication that the tacticians will experience another demanding day as the new season sea breeze will not be reliable with inconsistent changes in direction and velocity.

However they can only make the tactical decisions with what wind blows over the deck and the weather bureau holds some doubt by issuing the forecast of variable 5-10 knot winds from North East to South East with an increasing sea breeze later in the day.

Meanwhile the tactical battle for the prestigious Big Boat and Grand Prix IRC championships will continue today with racing over two tactically demanding windward-leeward races on a testing course between Hamilton Island and Pentecost Island.

Steven David's high performance Wild Joe was the star performer recording a 3-1 on the windward-leeward type race track yesterday and should show the same form when the sails are tensioned today.

But the Wild Joe crew can expect to be the target for some aggressive wind shadowing from the defending champion Bob Oatley's Wild Oats X and the improving Loki (Stephen Ainsworth).

South Australian skipper Geoff Boettcher will face similar tactical attention when Hardy's Secret Mens Business lines up with Airlie Beach Race Week champion Quantum Racing (Ray Roberts) and the impressive New Zealand sloop Pussy Galore (Anatole Masfen) to resolve the progressive leader in the IRC class championship.

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TOUGH DAY AT THE OFFICE.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 22 - pm.

Leading business executives spent a tough day at the office when they fought for the important points in the 2006 International Hahn Premium Race Week Premier Cruising class championship in the warm and almost windless Whitsunday Islands.

Finance industry executive Paul Clitheroe, Merchant Banker Laurence Freedman and Wot If chairman Graeme Wood cast aside their smart business suits to wear a more colourful sailing rig when they slipped into the helming role of their high performance yachts.

They faced a demanding day of yacht racing in a difficult set of racing conditions that ultimately tested their personal decision making.

Laurence Freedman helming his impressive 17m Bruce Farr designed sloop Espresso Forte looked to be untroubled to score a runaway line honours win before he inadvertently sailed into a glassy calm just off the rocks fringing Pentecost Island.

Espresso Forte was far from being an express when she was glued to the water in what became known as the Pentecost parking lot.

They had drifted back with the current before the Paul Clitheroe helmed Balance took up the running closely followed by Graeme Wood's Wot's Next.

Then there was a log jam when 20 yachts shared the lead as they drifted along in the zephyr strength breeze waiting for a new sea breeze to fill in.

As expected there was some interesting tactical strategy applied as the race result hung in the balance before Espresso Forte broke clear of the calm to sail a smart race winning line honours with a comfortable margin from Balance and Wot's Next.

The light and variable winds also played a big role in the battle for the important points in the Big Boat championship with Stephen Ainsworth steering Loki to an impressive win over Vanguard (Richard Cawse) and Wild Joe (Steven David).

Ainsworth and his sailing master Tony Kirby were simply unmatched for speed in the drifter recording a 7 minute 53 second win to now share the overall lead with Wild Joe after three races while Bob Oatley's defending champion Wild Oats X holds third place.

They had discarded the smart business suits to wear their colourful crew rig which had blended into a colourful scene

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TRICKY FORECAST.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 22 - am.

Overnight wind recorded at Hamilton Island suggests the 159 crews competing in the 2006 International Hahn Premium Race Week will need to stock up on sunscreen and be patient today.

There is every indication that an early morning glass-out with associated pockets of calms will present the race management team with a difficult task to lay a fair course for today's important windward-leeward course racing.

Wind recordings over a three hour period varied between a 1 to 4 knot easterly to a 3-4 knot north westerly then the unstable zephyr petered out altogether to register all was calm at Hamilton Island.

A slow moving high pressure system has locked in a variable north east to north west sea breeze for the Whitsunday Islands today however a 3 degree drop in temperature to a mild 18 degrees during the night suggests the cooler southerly air stream will add further uncertainty to the weather pattern.

This tricky weather system will provide a perfect day on the water for whale watching or relaxing on Catseye Bay beach while the yachting tacticians will feel as though they have been put through a wringer with the twisting nature of the wind.

However the smarter skippers, tacticians and crews who had enjoyed fast sailing in the moderate trade winds to head the class championships over the weekend will have the associated skill to protect their points and reputations.

But the results will be close with the Steven David skippered Wild Joe and the defending champion Bob Oatley's Wild Oats X heading for another exciting tactical duel for the important first place points in the Big Boat title.

The tactical arm wrestle between the very competitive IRC fleet will also be close with the three match racing Mick Cookson designed sloops New Zealand's Pussy Galore and Victorians Living Doll and Aero poised to dominate the line honours results while the equally competitive DK46 class yachts Quantum Racing and Dekadence will lead the South Australian sloop Hardy's Secret Mens Business and the well sailed Victorian sloop XLR8 in a nip and tuck struggle for the more important corrected handicap points.

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WIND BACKS OFF AT HAMILTON ISLAND.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 21.

Australia's smartest yacht racing tacticians will face a supreme test of light wind sailing strategy in the 2006 International Hahn Premium Race Week on the warm Whitsunday Island waters tomorrow.

The ideal 15-18 knot South East trade winds which propelled Grant Wharington's super maxi to record breaking line honours results in the opening Island passage races has fallen away to a soft unstable easterly wind.

A controlling high pressure system will certainly present another warm and almost windless day perfect for tourists and whale watching tours but not so perfect for the 159 yachts competing for the Waterford Crystal trophies in Australia' premier Race Week regatta.

Weather forecasters have confirmed that almost calm and sunny conditions will prevail over the Whitsunday Islands for the next few days.

Naturally the unstable forecast has not pleased the heavy wind experts however soft sea breeze which could be spiced with some big swings in direction will help to decide the difference between the crew who is fast in the fresh and can sail equally as smart in the softer wind range.

The new racing environment should not prove to be a problem in the helming station of the Big Boat class title leader the Steven David skippered 2003 Admirals Cup champion Wild Oats now racing under the Wild Joe battle flag.

Skipper David has an excellent tactical back up with Chris Links and the former World Etchells champion Cameron Miles who are proven masters in making the right choices when an unstable wind blows over the deck.

They are expected to master the expected challenge from the Bob Oatley skippered and mark Richards helmed Wild Oats X when both crews match race for the important points in the two testing 12 n/ml windward leeward races.

A similar exciting tactical duel will unfold when the Victorian Cookson 50 Living Doll skippered by Michael Hiatt defends the IRC class championship lead against the South Australian sloop Hardy's Secret Mens Business intelligently skippered by Geoff Boettcher).

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SIGNS OF SPRING IN THE WARM WHITSUNDAYS.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 21.

Mother Nature has sent out a signal that spring has arrived early in the warm tropical international yacht racing destination of Hamilton Island with a comfortable 26 degree temperature and soft winds forecast for today

Normally a weather change of this nature would cast a puzzled frown on the sun-tanned faces of approximately 1300 sailors who make Hamilton Island their preferred port-o -call to compete in the annual Hahn Premium Race Week regatta.

Any reference to which way the wind is blowing will be placed on hold today as the crews of 159 racing yachts re-energize their race weary muscles with a well earned rest day soaking up the sun by the pool or meeting friends on the deck of the yacht club.

Sailing will not be cast aside entirely with a group of super fit sailors turning their talents to match racing Olympic Laser dinghies in the annual King of Hamilton Harbour Match Racing championship.

This tactical joust always draws a big following as the race crews reserve a spot to relax on the lawn and other vantage points around the harbour to watch the action unfold.

Unfortunately the wind which has propelled the super maxi Skandia to her history making race records over the past two days will not force the Laser sailors to stress their hiking and sail handling muscles today.

In fact the trade wind southerlies are also on a rest day with the forecast of variable 8-12 knot winds brilliant blue sky and 26 degree temperature heated up by warm sunshine laying the format for what the sailors relate to as another perfect rest day in paradise.

However they will be answering the call on deck when the fleet returns to racing tomorrow with the Big Boat, IRC, Sydney 38 and Performance Handicap classes lining up to contest two 12 n/ml windward leeward races on courses set south of Hamilton Island while the Premier Cruising, IRC Cruising, Cruising, Classic and non spinnaker classes will compete in 20 n/ml passage races around picturesque islands.

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RECORDS ROLL AT RACE WEEK.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 20.

Yachts rounding White Rock on day 2.

Grant Wharington helmed his super-maxi Skandia to an impressive record breaking win in the 59n/ml Club Marine trophy Edward Island race off Hamilton Island earlier today.

Wharington who steered Skandia to an outright line and corrected handicap win in the 2004 International Hahn Premium race Week has been unmatched in the present series breaking records in the first two races.

The results are a fitting reward for the Skandia crew who looked to have sailing their last race on the maxi sloop when they were forced to abandon and leave her to the savage torment of the stormy Tasman Sea during the 2004 Rolex Sydney - Hobart race.

She has triumphantly returned to short course racing power sailing in moderate 15-18 knot winds to outpace the best maxi chases in the nation including Bob Oatley's Wild Oats combination Steven David's Wild Joe, the Stephen Ainsworth helmed Loki and Richard Cawse's Vanguard.

The size and sail power has rated Skandia as the favourite to win all of the line honours trophies but her skipper and crew have not rested on their laurels pressing the big sloop into perhaps the best big boat sailing performance ever recorded in the 23 year history of Hamilton Island Race Week.

On Saturday the Skandia crew over came serious sail control fitting failure and a tattered spinnaker to slash 12 minutes 11 seconds off the 23 n/ml South Molle -Daydream Island race and repeated the performance with an even more impressive record in the longer Coral Sea race today

Skandia was the star performer in what proved to be a very fast race when she slashed 1-36-13 of the record during her 34 minute 7 second win over Wild Oats X while Steven David steered Wild Joe into third to claim an important win with the fastest handicap rated time.

This was an important result for the aggressive Wild Joe crew who were narrowly beaten by Wild Oats in the opening race on Saturday.

After two races Wild Joe holds the upper hand with her 2-1 score leading Wild Oats X 1-3 by one point with another point to Loki on 3-2.

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ANOTHER RECORD FOR SKANDIA.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - August 19.

Grant Wharington steered the super maxi Skandia to an impressive record breaking win in the opening race of the 2006 Hahn Premium Race Week regatta off Hamilton Island earlier today.

The 30m maxi powered sailed over the 23 n/ml Molle-Daydream Island course slashing 12 minutes 11 seconds off the 2 hour 19 minute 31 second time set by George Snow's famed maxi Brindabella in 1998.

This was the result of an amazing comeback when Skandia trailed in third place at the half way mark after some dramatic incidents on the down wind spinnaker run across a windy and bumpy Whitsunday Passage.

Skipper Wharington skillfully elected a clear wind start allowing Skandia to charge out of Dent Passage with a handy lead but that came to a sudden halt shortly after the big maxi became pressed with the 15-18 knot breeze blowing over the Whitsunday Passage.

At the time she was logging speeds in the high teens before a sheet block exploded ripping out the life-lines before terminating an expensive spinnaker.

"It was a great day we were all powered up and enjoying a great sail". Wharington said.

The big maxi was noticeably underpowered when she trailed in third place when Mark Richards steered Bob Oatley's maxi chaser Wild Oats X to a comfortable lead over smaller Wild Joe (Steven David) when they cleared North Molle Island for the testing windward beat to the finish.

Both Wild Oats X and Wild Joe put up a great fight but Skandia eventually expressed her unmatched windward sailing speed to draw away claiming an 8 minute 17 second line honours win from Wild Oats X with another 6 minutes 54 seconds to Wild Joe.

Defending champion Wild Oats X also finished 3 minutes 54 seconds inside Brindabella's record with her course time setting the foundation to claim a narrow 26 second corrected handicap win from Wild Joe and Loki (Stephen Ainsworth).

Two torn headsails proved to be the difference between the match racing Cookson 50 class sloops New Zealand's Pussy Galore and Australia's Aero when they match raced in almost the same space for line honours in the highly competitive IRC Class championship.

They were poised to stage a close finish when a headsail luff let go forcing the Aero crew to make a new sail change but they had not winched the replacement into a power sailing shape when it suffered the same damage allowing Pussy Galore to claim the victory while the Aero crew headed for the sail maker needing an overnight repair before lining up for the 80n/ml Edward Island race tomorrow.

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PICTURE PERFECT FORECAST FOR RACE WEEK.

By Ian Grant at Airlie Beach - Augusr 19.

A moderate 12-18 knot South East trade wind blowing under a clear blue sky will provide perfect sailing weather for the 159 yacht fleet contesting the opening race in the International Hahn Premium Race Week off Hamilton Island today.

However while spinnakers will be set for the start there is little chance for Race Week line honours trophy favourite Grant Wharington's Super-maxi Skandia to challenge the super slick 1 hour 51 minute 1 second record set by Neville Crichton's Alfa Romeo during the 23 n/ml event last year.

Alfa Romeo powered with a brute breeze which gusted above 25 knots logged a peak speed of 29.6 knots when she sail-surfed across a bumpy Whitsunday Passage on her way to a treble trophy win of line honours in record time and the fastest corrected time.

Sailing conditions will be more moderate allowing all skippers and crews an equal chance to prove their handicap rated boat speed when they set sail for the UBS trophy in the nine class championships.

Last years overall champion Bob Oatley will be back in the helming cockpit of Wild Oats X when his Rolex Sydney-Hobart race winning crew led by principal helmsman Mark Richards prepare for what promises to be another very exciting contest involving former Olympic, Americas Cup and Sydney-Hobart race winners.

Wild Oats X will naturally be the focus of tactical attention with their most serious challenge coming from the Steven David skippered 2005 Silver Medalist Wild Joe.

The slight advantage of a longer waterline line will allow Wild Oats X to sail in clear wind and relatively unchallenged sea room today but she will be chased hard by the smaller Wild Joe.

"We now have a secret weapon in the sail-locker and it will create a surprise when it's hoisted today". Steven David said.