Airlie Beach Race Week: First local entry is ‘one to beat’
If Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban is the ‘one to beat’ in the IRC class, then multihull racers should watch out for Paul Mitchell’s Ullman Sails at Airlie Beach Race Week 2018.
Mitchell, a sail-maker and life-long Whitsunday sailor with national and international titles to his name, was determined to be the first local entry to the 30th anniversary of his home regatta.
Ichi Ban No. 1 entry for 30th Airlie Beach Race Week
Entry for the 30th anniversary Airlie Beach Race Week has opened, and Matt Allen is the first of three high profile owners announcing their intention to take part – he is entering his newest Ichi Ban, winner of the 2017 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Ichi Ban No. 1 entry for 30th Airlie Beach Race Week
Entry for the 30th anniversary Airlie Beach Race Week has opened, and Matt Allen is the first of three high profile owners announcing their intention to take part – he is entering his newest Ichi Ban, winner of the 2017 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Airlie Beach Race Week Festival of Sails was a light weather regatta - race officials were even forced to abandon all attempts at racing yesterday - and for a short time it looked likely to happen again today, but just after 11am all that changed.
The weather gods smiled, answering competitors' prayers in the Whitsunday Sailing Club hosted event, a light zephyr of breeze filtering across Pioneer Bay in time to start a bay course.
Day 5 at Airlie Beach Race Week Festival of Sailing hosted by Whitsunday Sailing Club (WSC) and the forecast was not good for racing – barely a breath of wind on a glassed out Pioneer Bay, forcing PRO, Denis Thompson to raise the AP at 8.30am.
Thompson held the fleet and officials ashore and hoped by 10.30am to deliver better news, but no, and no again at 12pm, finally at 1pm, racing was cancelled: “The breeze is not consistent enough for the whole fleet,” Thompson said.
Airlie Beach Race Week: Light on for breeze and a change of plan
The sun came out in force, but the going was light on Day 4 of Airlie Beach Race Week Festival of Sailing hosted by Whitsunday Sailing Club, making it difficult for race officials to get racing away.
It wasn’t until after 1pm the nine divisions were away at five minute intervals, so spot of whale watching was on the agenda as the 11am start time came and went.
Trainee doctors versus champion skiffies at Airlie Beach Race Week
It has come to light that there is a bit of a return grudge match going on at Whitsunday Sailing Club’s Airlie Beach Race Week, with a group of experienced skiffies again taking on a boat load of medical students in Cruising Division 1 on two illustrious yachts.
Last year, Hammer of Queensland had it all over Helsal 3, finishing second overall to Helsal’s 16th.
G’Nome flies in for Airlie Beach Race Week
Desperate times call for desperate measures – so when you haven’t missed Airlie Beach Race Week for 15 years and you don’t want to change the trend you don’t let obstacles stand in your way – just ask Terry Archer, owner of the Grainger 075, G’Nome.
Mark Skelton forsook the Barbados and the 2017 OK Dinghy World Championship just so he could finally attend Airlie Beach Race Week – and so far it has paid in spades – two wins from two races.
