Yacht race records eclipsed

by Ian Grant on 11 Aug 2002 New course records were set on the first day of the 2002 International Hog's Breath Race Week regatta over the windy Whitsunday Sailing Club courses on Pioneer Bay yesterday.

This was the result from a spectacular day of offshore yacht racing in moderate to fresh South East trade winds where some crews enjoyed exciting spinnaker sailing rides while others frantically held on to deck fittings as their yachts careered into uncontrolled wipe-out broaches.

Wind gusts recorded to 32 knots and ranging between 18-25 knots sorted the players from the stayers when the fresh wind sailing specialists sailed on the fine line between distinction and disaster.

It was much dryer and less nerve wracking to be a spectator and absorb the action as it unfolded when the power sailing Port Macquarie trimaran Trilogy expertly helmed by Keith Glover produced a white water wake over the 25n/ml Double Cone -Armit Island course to claim a new 10.26 knot average speed record on her way to leading her class championship with a runaway corrected handicap win.

The Trilogy crew noted for a sailing attitude to go hard or go home displayed their skill to complete the race 6 minutes 42 seconds faster than the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club monohull sloop Aftershock (Colin O'Neill) which slashed 13 minutes 32 seconds off the 2001 record set by Ian Treleaven's Line 7 in winning her IRC class event.

Aftershock led from the start to establish her record challenge and set the race strategy that paved the way for her to beat Line 7 who also sailed a fast race to finish 4minutes 6 seconds astern of Aftershock and 9 minutes 26 seconds inside her previous record.

The race proved to provide a triple celebration for the experienced Aftershock crew when they outsailed their 1.380 IRC class handicap rating to score a 6 minute 51 second corrected time win over Hollywood Boulevard (Ray Roberts) with Bob Robertson's Eureka 11 another 8minutes 1second astern.

In other classes Champagne On Ice won PHS Division 1 from Kerinda and Aspect Computing while the Townsville sloop Farrago won PHS Division 2 over Dehler Magic and Bimblegumbie.

Shala V noted for her heavy wind performances was well skippered by Graham Roberts to win the Cruising class ahead of My Girl and Earl Grey.