XXXX Sunshine Coast championship held last weekend off Mooloolaba.

by Ian Grant on 1 Feb 2001 SPINNAKER TALES
Sunshine Coast Ocean racing sailing mates Nick Cox and Col Thomas understand the real value of having a good time.

They have done the 'hard yards' over a wide range of courses to be a good judge and they were unanimous in claiming one of their best racing experiences during the XXXX Sunshine Coast championship held last weekend off Mooloolaba.

Club Commodore Nick Cox was particularly impressed 'The day and the racing was right up there with the best'. He said.

The 12knot true sea breeze, which increased to 18-20 knots as the day wore on and the stamina wore out proved to be ideal tactical racing conditions to decide the overall XXXX Trophy winner in a fleet that included the Telstra Sydney-Hobart Performance Handicap division winner Cruz Control.

There was an excellent standard of racing however the format of three races sailed back-to-back sorted the stayers from the players.

Stephen Bean's crew on the Sydney 41 Ocean Designs, the former Sydney-Mooloolaba winner (Sycorax) enjoyed the opportunity to test their proven tactical racing skill with impressive wins in the IRC and Performance Handicap classes.

They gave a polished display of crew technique in the demanding day of racing over three radically different courses to record a 2-1-1 for the Performance Title and a 4-1-1 in the IRC championship.

Brisbane sloops including Maynard and Vicki Smith's Cruz Control, Rob Pennell's Dancing Lady, and the Nick Stump skippered Wild Rose dominated the major places.

No doubt there was an incentive with owner skipper Stephen Bean offering to 'shout a few frosted XXXX 'on the result at the bar.

Ocean Designs winner of the Hog's Breath Clipper Cup at Port Douglas reproduced her all angle sailing speed to ward off the challenges in what proved to be the most interesting XXXX SCOR title series in a decade.

Cox and Thomas tried all the tactical tricks with Bimblegumbie to stay on the pace with the Brisbane yachts but the consistency in speed over all courses proved too strong however they were rewarded with the best result for a local crew.

The father and son sailing team of Rob and Ben Noble 'blew' their title chances when their sloop Sea Noble Engineering was judged by race officials to have broken the start in race 2.

Rob Noble was philosophical about the breach 'If you're not up there, you're not trying'. He said.

In a different incident the Mooloolaba husband and wife sailors Ian and Marie Caroline dramatically damaged their point score when Marie was struck on the head with the flaying boom.

The injury, which required several stitches, was not a happy way for the Special Effect crew to end what proved to be a very enjoyable day of racing in ideal Sunshine Coast summer weather conditions.