64 Boats to race inshore at Sail Port Stephens today

12:57 AM Sat 25 Apr 2009 GMT

'Quest flexing her muscle offshore in the Yachting NSW IRC Championship - Sail Port Stephens' Anthony Kelly Click Here to view large photo

Yesterday it was the weather gods, and today it is the wind gods that are looking down favourably on Sail Port Stephens, with a strong breeze forcing Principal Race Officer Denis Thompson to bring the IRC fleet inshore to race a revised course in the Bay.

Perfect clear skies and sunshine have certainly made Port Stephens a beautiful place to be on Anzac Day - and the Bay will be a spectacular sight today as 64 boats race in six different divisions on three courses.

A large number of crews paid their respects this morning at the 5:28am Dawn Service in Nelson Bay after a late night at the RSL. Those who hit the snooze button attended a mid morning service just behind d'Albora Marina, followed by a quick espresso to get the brain into gear for a big day on the water.

The 25 knot westerly will make things very interesting, but the flexibility of the Port Stephens Marine Park gives the Race Management team plenty of scope to continue racing, even with a strong wind warning in place.

After day one, not a lot separates the top half of both the Port Stephens Trophy (PHS) and the Yachting NSW IRC Championship fleets, and Quest, the first TP52 to compete at the regatta, is enjoying a daily tussle in IRC Division One with Rob Hanna's Shogun whose busy campaign has included Sail Port Stephens in 2009, the Melbourne based boat and crew also first timers to the event.

In IRC Division 2, the tactics of Matt Allen and skipper Michael Mahon on the Sydney 38,X Cubed saw them get one over the current leader of the Audi IRC National Championship, Alegria, so skipper Rod Jones and his finely tuned crew on the Archambault 32 will be keen to lay claim on the number one spot on day two.

The 31 boats in the Port Stephen Trophy fleet are off on an inshore course that will take them around Boondaba Island, past Corlette and back for a spectacular finish in front of d'Albora Marina at Nelson Bay.

The Melges 24 fleet will have plenty on in Shoal Bay, giving locals and visitors a great sight from the al fresco courtyard of the Sandy Foot Bar at Shoal Bay Resort as they hoist kites on their tight windward leeward racetracks and battle it out for the National title.

by Jody O'Brien

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