Families sailing in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Race
by Lisa Ratcliff 23 Dec 2000 11:52 GMT
Family affair in Telstra Sydney to Hobart Race
For this year’s Telstra Sydney Hobart Race, a number of yacht skippers have opted to take immediate family as part of the crew including George Snow who will race to Hobart with three of his four children onboard his maxi yacht Brindabella.
“I like sailing with my family and they’ve all earned their spots on the boat and pull their weight so I can’t ask for more than that,” said George Snow.
Brothers Richard (19) and Robert (23) Snow have both sailed previous Sydney to Hobarts races with their father while their sister Marissa (21) will be making her race debut.
Catherine Shanks was only 15 when she competed in her first Sydney to Hobart Race. Following the stormy 1998 race, Catherine was excluded from racing to Hobart as she no longer met the minimum age requirement but this year, at 18, she is once again eligible to compete in the 630 nautical miles ocean classic and will join her father Gary and sister Victoria, 20, on board the family’s South Australian yacht Doctel Rager.
“Sailing is a very much a family sport and there has been an increase in the number of families sailing south this year,” said Media Director Peter Campbell. “In addition to Doctel Rager and Brindabella, three yachts are carrying a father and two sons, while a husband and wife team will skipper the UK yacht Sunstone, which they have lived aboard since 1981.”
Other family combinations include Tasmanian skipper Roger Jackman who will be joined by sons Rod and Chris on board Doctor Who. Rod is lining up for his 25th Sydney Hobart Race, an achievement that will see his name recorded on the honour roll at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.
Key crew members on the Zeston 40, Kemenys (Gabor Kemeny), competing in its first Telstra Sydney to Hobart Race, will be three members of the Ratcliff family of sailors headed up by veteran of 35 Hobarts, Bill Ratcliff, and his two sons Paul (10 Hobarts) and Luke (8 Hobarts).
Yet another team of a father and two sons making the 630 nautical mile voyage south is the Blakes on the Victorian entry Kaos, an Inglis 40. Owner Peter Blake and his sons Simon and Adrian will be undertaking their first Sydney to Hobart Race.
The winning combination of Ed Psaltis and his brother Arthur, who took out overall IMS honours in the stormy 1998 Telstra Sydney Hobart Race on their little Hick 35, AFR Midnight Rambler, will once again reunite for this year’s race, along with his brother-in-law John Whitfield.
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