Following the abandonment of racing due to unsuitable conditions yesterday, it’s back on at SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week (SMIRW) this morning, as the fleet heads out from the marina for the earlier start time of 10am on the final day of the event.
“Yesterday is the first time in 14 years that we have had to cancel a race,” Event Chairman, Mike Steel said. “Despite that, competitors had fun, finding different things to do on the Island, and that is the joy of holding the event here.”
The various divisions are out on a Bay triangle race. SeaLink Divisions 1 and 2, along with the Multihull division, are on a course taking them from the start off Peppers Blue on Blue to the Nautilus Marine mark, Middle Reef Eastern beacon, Strand, P2 and the finish.
SeaLink Spinnaker Division 3 and the Non-Spinnaker division’s course is a shortened version of the above. These divisions are away first this morning in the 14th running of Townsville Yacht Club (TYC) hosted event.
“It’ll be breezy, but today is looking better than yesterday, so we’re all looking forward to racing again,” said Steel, who doubles as the owner/skipper of Boadicca, a Dufour 36, currently placed sixth in Division 2.
“There’s not a lot of windward in today’s race, so we’ll have the benefit of some good downwind rides,” he said. “The sun is out, it’s lovely. Back into tropical today – the wind made it quite cold yesterday.”
To recap after the missed race yesterday, three races have been put to bed. Drew Carruthers’ Rushour leads the Multihull competition overall, but is on equal points with second placed The Boat, owned by Graeme Etherton and Ian Johnson’s Salacia. Kevin Lord’s Vivacious from NSW is tapping at the door, just one point behind this trio, so it’s anyone’s and today will decide.
Division 1’s leader is Stuart Tivey and Lisa Sampson’s Ragamuffin III from Port Douglas. Local boat, Guilty Pleasures, owned by Leon Thomas, is three points in arrears in second place, and Craig Watsons Coopers, from just south of the border, is third, a further three points behind.
Amaya II (Ben Kingsberry), Helena May (Lyndy Sawbridge) and Brava, owned by TYC Rear Commodore, Tony Muller, are the top three in Division 2. Four points separate the three.
It’s tight in Division 3, where Son of a Son (Peter Webster), Fenina (Rod Finucane) and Akarana (Vicki Hamilton) are on 13 points apiece, with Son of a Son up front on countback. Today is make or break.
In the Non-Spinnaker Division, Lance Denby’s three straight wins with Ostara will be hard to beat. He is six points clear of Glenn Myler’s Thylacime One (Tas) and a further two ahead of Gavin Gourley’s Elektra from Victoria.
Tonight from 5pm, competitors will gather at Peppers Blue on Blue for Presentation Night with entertainment from Cranky Pants, a popular rock band around the North Queensland circuit. Officially, the night ends at 10.3opm, but…
For full results and all information, please visit: www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au/
By Di Pearson/SMIRW media
