Old Felicity Cruises in at Airlie Beach
'Lochie Wilson - Felicity - collects his prize. Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week 2008 Day 3'
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Lockie Wilson expressed his knowledge of sailing around the Whitsunday Islands when he steered his race weary Clansman class sloop Felicity to a runaway win in the Cruising with Whites class Gumbrell Island race today.
However her form reversal may attract a handicap penalty after finishing 11th and 13th in earlier island passage races for the prestigious Meridian Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week championship class trophy.
There is no suggestion that the crafty Whitsunday Sailing Club skipper had 'sandbagged' in the previous two races but he may have some explaining to do following the form reversal which resulted in Felicity outpacing her old rival Shearwater (Mick Phillips) by 18 minutes 34 seconds with an elapsed time of 5 hours 35 minutes.
'I guess my mates will have a little to say but Felicity needs to have some pressure to compete and when she has the wrinkles blown out of the sails she responds' Wilson said.
The little old cruiser which has logged an enormous amount of miles easily proved to be the star performer in spite of finishing at the tale of the fleet.
The slog on the long beat to the finish in Pioneer Bay allowed Felicity to make up time while she protected her low .653 handicap correction factor.
All of skipper Wilson's 14 class rivals including arch rival Mick Phillips in Shearwater understood that Felicity would sail clear of Grimston Point and present them with a challenge.
As expected they had a long wait but in the end Felicity had plenty in hand winning with a commanding margin over Shearwater while Peter Hall remained consistent to fill third place with his Beneteau 473 Rainbow.
After three races Rainbow with her 1-7-3 score leads the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club sloop Joi De Vie (Martin Cross) 3-4-4 on count back while Delphian (John Sloan) holds third with 4-1-11.
by Ian Grant 
