Please select your home edition
Edition
Hyde Sails 2024 - One Design

Airlie Beach Race Week - Day 2 - Light on for breeze again today

by Di Pearson / ABRW media 8 Aug 2020 02:13 BST 6-13 August 2020
A dull and wet day on the race course - Airlie Beach Race Week © Shirley Wodson

Sixty four boats are taking part in the 2020 Airlie Beach Race Week Whitsundays Festival of Sailing and faced the unusual situation of little to no breeze on a foggy and rainy day in the beautiful Whitsundays yesterday, but there were happy campers in the end, when some found 6-7 knots of breeze late in the shortened race.

Whitsunday Sailing Club (WSC) officials had to think outside the box when they were faced with near non-existent breeze early in the day. They persevered and thankfully yachties got what they came for - a good race, albeit a slow one.

Rob Davis sailed Treasure VIII to a massive 23 minute win over Daniel Farmer's B52 in Performance Cruising Division 1. Being local paid dividends, according to Davis, who hails from WSC, while B52 represents Southport Yacht Club on the Gold Coast.

"Very light, foggy and very drizzly for half the day. It was very much a small boat day. It was hard to get across the line. It was a drift over the line, and if you were lucky you might get a whisper," Davis recalled.

"Our plan was to get out to meet the change of tide, which went out around 12.30pm near the Cones. Only half a knot there at times, but we found some breeze around 1.30, 2pm.

"When the breeze freshened to 6 and 7 knots eventually, with the tide behind us, it all worked nicely. When we looked around, we realised we had crossed the line first and then won on handicap as well. We had some of the sports boats and trailable yachts around us, but most of our division was stuck back in Pioneer Bay.

"Our handicap will be punished now," Davis, a local, bemoaned. "But it was great that they started the race and then shortened when they did. It was good to get a race in. We were lucky to get under way at 11am.

"Our hope is to stay up in the rankings if it's light again today," Davis ended.

To that end, Race Director Ross Chisholm said, "Another very light day is on the cards today. I've got people on the water monitoring conditions, and it's likely we'll postpone ashore.

"Conditions willing, we plan on sending the Rating Passage, Performance Cruising Division 1 and Multihull Racing divisions on Course 27 around the Molle Islands and return. The remaining divisions will do Course 29 to Daydream Island return.

And while Treasure VIII took out Division 1 of Performance Cruising, Robert Holmes was the winner in Division 2 with 'Good Vibes'. Holmes and crew overcame a challenge from a regular on the podium, Craig Piccinelli's Wobbly Boot, defeating the latter by little more than a minute. Both represent WSC.

Locals benefitted in the Non-Spinnaker division too, with John Galloway's QMS coming out on top, scoring a win over another local, Peter Harrison's Awesome, which has taken home a trophy or two from this event in the past.

On the Multihull Passage course, John Williams' Tyee III from Sandringham in Victoria came out on top. Tyee III left Victoria well before the Coronavirus spread in the state, joining others from Melbourne and Sydney who were not at home when the lockdowns occurred.

Tight controls are in place at WSC, which is strictly adhering to health regulations created by the Covid 19 virus.

Airlie Beach Race Week Whitsundays Festival of Sailing is the region's premier sporting and community event.

For full results and all information, including social bookings, please visit: www.abrw.com.au

Related Articles

Faithful look forward to Airlie Beach Race Week
Performance Racing category has already attracted 15 entries Just as Whitsunday Sailing Club is looking forward to 74 Islands Distillery Airlie Beach Race Week, so too are competitors, including those in the Performance Racing category where already 15 have signed up ready to race in the 37th edition. Posted on 25 Jun
Entries surpass 100 for Airlie Beach Race Week
74 Islands Distillery has signed up as Naming Rights Sponsor As entries breach the century mark, Whitsunday Sailing Club (WSC) is pleased to announce that 74 Islands Distillery has signed up as Naming Rights Sponsor for 2025 Airlie Beach Race Week (ABRW) Posted on 15 May
Come to ABRW where fun doesn't set with the sun
60 entries received just a short time after entries opening Just a short time from entries opening for Airlie Beach Race Week (ABRW) 2025, keen competitors started committing to the fun event and with 60 entries received to-date, it is a good start to what is sure to be another great week of racing. Posted on 16 Apr
Glorious Race Weeks
Bumper participation is an indicator for the health of sailing It would be so easy to write about the Olympics and America's Cup this week in my newsletter but, in all honesty, we're writing and talking enough about those on Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com already. Instead let's focus on Race Weeks. Posted on 3 Sep 2024
ODMG Airlie Beach Race Week concludes
The last three days of racing have been in variable light breezes Compliments flowed from competitors at Whitsunday Sailing Club's (WSC) Ocean Dynamics and Mount Gay Airlie Beach Race Week 2024, following a solid week of racing, as the Club and Whitsunday Islands delivered the best mix of racing seen for a while. Posted on 15 Aug 2024
Light air to decide Cormie's fate
At Ocean Dynamics and Mount Gay Airlie Beach Race Week It's the final morning of racing at Ocean Dynamics and Mount Gay Airlie Beach Race Week 2024 and once again it is light and lovely and expected to be almost a replica of yesterday, with the sea breeze poking her nose into the Whitsundays around midday. Posted on 15 Aug 2024
Some have divisions stitched up at ABRW 2024
Racing starts just after midday on day 5 at Ocean Dynamics and Mount Gay Airlie Beach Race Week 2024 Where is that damn wind", we were all asking this morning, Day 5 at Ocean Dynamics and Mount Gay Airlie Beach Race Week 2024 Posted on 14 Aug 2024
Waiting for the wind at ABRW 2024
PRO Kevin Wilson has announced an AP ashore It's the morning of Day 5 at Ocean Dynamics and Mount Gay Airlie Beach Race Week 2024 and PRO Kevin Wilson has announced an AP ashore, as the beautiful sunny morning does not include a breath of wind. Posted on 13 Aug 2024
Airlie Beach Race Week day 4
Light air enthusiasts have a field day Day 4 at Ocean Dynamics and Mount Gay Airlie Beach Race Week 2024 was the antithesis to the earlier part of the week-long regatta, as variable warm breezes under a sunny sky meant a return to the beautiful tropical Whitsundays Posted on 13 Aug 2024
Paradise is not lost as sun is back at ABRW 2024
After an extremely wet lay day at Ocean Dynamics and Mount Gay Airlie Beach Race Week It is the morning of Day 4 at Ocean Dynamics and Mount Gay Airlie Beach Race Week 2024 and the sun is out again after an extremely wet lay day - the question though is will there be any wind in Paradise today for the fourth day of racing. Posted on 12 Aug 2024