Day One on the Mooloolah River - a gentle breeze and lots of early sunshine for the 13th annual Etchells regatta.
Fifty four gleaming white One Design Etchells will line up around 11am, north east of Point Cartwright, off Mooloolaba for the 2009 Musto Etchells Winter Championships.
The six race series, with a worst race drop after five races, is wide open ith at least a dozen series contenders for the coveted title.
The first Winter Championship was conducted in Mooloolaba in 1997. It attracted 25 boats and was won by Brisbane skipper David Rose, who will be on starting line again this year, with his 13 year old daughter Taylor-Jane who was just a toddler when her father won the inaugural series.
Since the first regatta the event has grown from strength to strength with previous winners including a 'who is who' of international sailing. Russell Coutts (1998), Ian Johnston (1999), Julian Plante (2000), Michael Coxon (2001), Mark Bradford (2002), Cameron Appleton (2003), Grant Wharington (2004), Rob Brown (2005), Cameron Miles (2006), Skip Lissiman (2007) and Graeme Taylor (2008) have all held the Etchells Australian Winter Championship trophy.
The field is wide open this year, with lots of top contenders.
There was an early morning fog which burnt off at dawn. The course will deliver spectactular viewing from Point Cartwright as the fleet beats to the top mark close by, then heads north east under skinnaker.
The Coastal Waters forecast issued by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology Queensland, issued at 4:36 am EST on Friday 5 June 2009, valid until midnight Sunday.
Southeast Coast Waters, Double Island Point to Point Danger:
Friday until midnight: SW winds 10/15 knots, tending variable 5/10 knots in the afternoon. Seas to 1.2 metres offshore. A 1.5 metre E/SE swell. Isolated showers.
Saturday: SW/W winds 10/15 knots, tending variable 5/10 knots in the afternoon and NE/NW 10 knots in the evening. Seas to 1.2 metres. Isolated light showers.
Sunday: N/NW winds 10/15 knots, possibly reaching 15/20 knots offshore and tending W/SW later in the afternoon.
