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SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week Day 1: Light Breeze Sets the Stage
29 August – 4 September 2024
The opening day of the SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week 2024 featured a light breeze that some competitors found challenging. However, the day was beautiful, warm, and sunny, with flat water perfect for sailing across the four classes divided into seven divisions.
In the SeaLink Spinnaker Division 1, Leo Rodriguez’s smooth-sailing RP36, Smooth Criminal (Qld), finished nearly ten minutes ahead of Colin and Denise Wilson’s MKL 49, Never A Dull Moment (NSW).
Regular participant Ian Edwards led Division 2 with his Dehler 46, Wings (NSW), almost six minutes clear of David Newton’s Yknot.
“We all had to wait around for the wind, but it didn’t really come,” Edwards noted about the delayed start, originally set for 11am. “Denis (Thompson, the Principal Race Officer) did his best and found more wind inshore. It was light in the 5-7 knot range when we had our spinnaker up, and we were sailing angles to get down to the mark.”
Edwards added, “The wind did build slightly on our way back to around 8 knots. That was fine because, like others, we have some crew who sailed with us at Hamo and some new faces here, so we haven’t all sailed together as a team before. I’d prefer a day like this to one with 20-30 knots.” He praised his team’s performance, stating, “Our team did well—tacked well, gybed well—it was a good day out, and I was really impressed with Denis getting us a race in.”
Division 3 saw the Melges 32, Mac 2, sailed by brothers Andrew and John McDougall (NSW), take the win, finishing ahead of last year’s overall division winner, Tim Campbell’s Private Equity (Vic).
“It was really light,” Andrew McDougall agreed. “We had a good start on the pin end, which helped us take the lead on that side of the course. We were able to put our asymmetrical spinnaker up at the first mark and continued to move forward.”
He explained that the Melges performs well in light conditions, noting their primary sailing with Etchells at Gosford Sailing Club while campaigning the Melges at other regattas. McDougall added that they kept an eye on Joust, a J111 owned by Simon Cruickshank from the Northern Territory, who ultimately finished in fifth place. “This is our first time here, and we’re lucky to be part of it. It’s a fantastic and social regatta, and we’re impressed by the location and accommodation,” he concluded.
In Division 4, Daniel McSweeney’s Brigus (Qld), a Beneteau First 35, clinched the victory, with Jack Maguire’s Zen and the Art of Sailing taking second place from the host club. Kim Younger’s Poppy dominated the Non-Spinnaker division, finishing exactly 11 minutes ahead of the nearest rival, Riff Raff, owned by Dan White and Nikki Abbott, both from Queensland.
Dennis Coleman topped the points table in the Multihull class with his Corsair Sprint MK1, Mistress (Qld), narrowly beating Will Ford’s Second Wind (NSW), which finished just 14 seconds behind.
In the Sports Boats category, Justin Van Stom’s local boat Bambalam outperformed Julian Bethwaite’s Don’t Panic (NSW) by 13 minutes, indicating potential adjustments to the handicap.
The Townsville Yacht Club’s (TYC) annual event has reached its 17th year and continues to grow in popularity with each edition. Racing resumes tomorrow at 11am.
For all information, including full results, please visit: www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au
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Sarah Mitchell, an experienced sailor and marine journalist from Sydney, has nurtured a love for the ocean throughout her life. After earning a degree in Marine Journalism from the University of Sydney, Sarah quickly made a name for herself with her compelling and vivid storytelling. Her work captures the thrill of sailing and the unique culture of maritime life, making her a respected figure in the sailing community. Outside of writing, Sarah spends her time exploring Australia’s stunning coastlines and competing in local regattas, always on the lookout for her next great adventure.
