Whitsunday Sailing Club’s 30th Anniversary Airlie Beach Race Week surpassed expectations – anyone would be hard put to remember better weather at a regatta, accentuated by the variety of winds, courses and the sunny days.
At the top end, winds reached 25 knots with gusts – and at the lower end, 7-9 knots and lovely fluent trade winds - competitors were spoilt for choice.
Whitsunday Sailing Club’s 30th Airlie Beach Race Week comes to a close this afternoon and the final day of racing is likely to be superb, according to Race Director Dennis Thompson, who says competitors will sail in the remnants of yesterday’s trade winds in a Bay Race.
“It will be a little weaker, maybe up to 13 knots. I expect a sea breeze influence in the Bay. It may strengthen and move around. We’ll shorten courses if need be,” he said.
Somebody up there loves the 30th Airlie Beach Race Week
Day 5 of Airlie Beach Race Week Festival of Sailing and conditions during the morning were above and beyond the forecast 15 knots, the wind whipping seas up quickly and crews had to stay on their toes, then winds eased after lunch – another great day in paradise.
More fabulous conditions forecast for Airlie Beach Race Week
Whoever is in charge up there is certainly favouring Whitsunday Sailing Club’s Airlie Beach Race Week, this week, as Race Director Denis Thompson reports, “more trade winds, but lighter than yesterday – probably in the 15 knot range.”
Thompson says, “The wind is expected to go around to the south-east or event further to the east and lighten off to 12 knots.”
Spills and thrills – Ichi Ban in control at 30th Airlie Beach Race Week
A sports boat limped home under motor after breaking its rudder, while other boats broached in up to 25 knots wind with gusts, their crews finding it difficult to control their rides - all part and parcel of the forecast superb windy conditions that arrived in time for Day 4 of Airlie Beach Race Week Festival of Sailing.
Trimaran flips at Airlie Beach Race Week – all aboard are fine
Queenslander Dennis Lehany’s Jim Brown 6 metre trimaran, Billy the Kid, flipped while racing in shifty and gusty 25 knot winds at Whitsunday Sailing Club’s Airlie Beach Race Week Festival of Sailing today.
Airlie Beach Race Week to serve up windy conditions today
Another day, at the Whitsunday Sailing Club’s 30th Anniversary Airlie Beach Race Week and the wind gods pulling out all stops with a 22-23 knot south-easterly breeze on order – different again to the previous three days of racing.
Airlie Beach Race Week delivers champagne sailing on Day 3
Three days of racing at the 30th Anniversary Airlie Beach Race Week, three different types of conditions and today’s was champagne sailing, with light 7-9 knots around the course on Pioneer Bay for the entire fleet.
IRC Passage was won by Matt Allen and his TP52 Ichi Ban from Marcus Blackmore’s TP52 Hooligan and Ray Roberts’ Team Hollywood.
Generations of skiff sailors reunite at Airlie Beach Race Week
Airlie Beach Race Week Festival of Sailing has been attracting more and more former and current skiff sailors to the Whitsunday Sailing Club hosted event.
Old skiff sailors don’t die - they come to Airlie Beach and take advantage of great racing on flat waters – perfect for the skiffs. But these sailors are here refining their yacht, multihull and sports boat skills.
Racing delayed as wind gods procrastinate at Airlie Beach Race Week
Could be too much of a good thing in one place and after two great and very different days of sailing at Whitsunday Sailing Club’s Airlie Beach Race Week, Race Director, Denis Thompson, was looking at a weak and fading westerly land breeze and keeping competitors ashore while he monitored the situation.
Thompson, his team and competitors are praying for a light sea breeze to filter through early this afternoon.
