Audi Hamilton Island Race Week fleet tops 100

7:34 AM Sun 14 Jun 2009 GMT

'The magical tropical waters that encircle Hamilton Island will be the course area for Audi Hamilton Island Race Week' Hamilton Island

It was as if Trans Tasman rivalry between Australia and New Zealand had unwittingly surfaced when the Brisbane based yacht Lady Fay, owned by Gavin Bicknell, became the 100th entry lodged for this year's Audi Hamilton Island Race Week.

Only minutes earlier one of the greats of New Zealand yachting, Ray Haslar, just missed out on what is seen as a milestone for the big event when he registered his very successful Davidson 35, Jive Talkin', and became the 99th entry.

Both men have been strong supporters of Race Week, which this year will be staged on spectacular courses around the tropical Whitsunday Islands between August 22 and 29. Gavin Bicknell's experiences at what is Australia's premier keelboat regatta go back to the inaugural event in 1984, while Ray Haslar, who has been voted New Zealand's Yachtsman of the Year, has been a regular for many years.

'I think I've missed only four Race Weeks since 1984,' said Bicknell, who will be sailing his Hanse 430e in the Non-Spinnaker Cruising Division. 'It is the best regatta imaginable. There's nothing to compare with it in every respect, but for me, more than anything, it's the warm weather and great sailing around the islands that really appeal. It took me two Sydney Hobarts before I realised that going south was way too cold for a Queenslander. Now it's only the tropics for me.'

Hamilton Island CEO and Olympic yachtsman Glenn Bourke said to see entries top 100 more than two months before the start of this year's regatta augured well for the final fleet number in what will be the 26th staging of Race Week.

'The fact that we are seeing such a good cross section of yachts entering this year, from cruising through to Grand Prix, confirms the status Audi Hamilton Island Race Week holds on the Australian sailing scene,' Bourke said.

His words were supported by the fact that around the same time as Lady Fay was registered for the Non-spinnaker Cruising class two of Australia's top Grand Prix racers, Stephen Ainsworth's Reichel/Pugh 62, Loki, and Graeme Wood's 52-footer, Wot Now, were entered.

Hamilton Island Race Week is Australia's most awarded keelboat regatta and biggest offshore classic. In 2008 it attracted a record fleet of 225 for the 25th anniversary event.

Legendary kiwi offshore yachtsman Ray Haslar will be bringing his very competitive Davidson 35 design, Jive Talkin', to Audi Hamilton Island Race Week 09 - Hamilton Island

All details, including entry forms, can be obtained from the website - www.hamiltonislandraceweek.com.au

by Rob Mundle

Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:

Newsfeed supplied by

#News #Sailing

Sailing

Read the Wind: Judge Its Force Without a Gauge

Sailing

Reefing Early: Shorten Sail Before You Must

Sailing

VHF Radio on the Water: Channels and Calls

Sailing

Reefing: Read the Signs, Act Early

Sailing

QLD Coast in Winter: Dry Season Tactics

Sailing

Overnight at Anchor: Setting Up Right

Nearby
North Head, NSW	12 kn SSE
Little Bay, NSW	10 kn S
Cronulla, NSW	10 kn SSE
Windiest in Australia
Hogan Island, VIC	30 kn W	12°
Most Windless in Australia
Mandurah (Coastal), WA	Calm	15°
Hottest in Australia
Fitzroy Crossing, WA	11 kn ESE	36°
Coldest in Australia
Mount Baw Baw, VIC	10 kn SW	0°
Wettest in Australia
Garden Island, WA	27.0 mm

Audi Hamilton Island Race Week fleet tops 100

Heave-To: Sailing's Emergency Pause Button

The Beaufort Scale: How We Learned to Rank Wind

Reefing Early: Shorten Sail Before It's Too Late

Live Weather

Nearby

Windiest in Australia

Most Windless in Australia

Hottest in Australia

Coldest in Australia

Wettest in Australia

Sailing Articles

Buy & Sell

2024 Core Xr8 + Sensor Pro 3 Bar

2026 Sunova Shorty 9'2

2022 Switch Kites Nano

2021 Infinity Blurr V2

Starboard Phantom 299

PPC Surge Mk 2

2025 Kt Surfing Atlas Front Foils Run Out Special

Weather

Activities

About

Other

Support