Sports Boat title on line at Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week

2:08 AM Tue 21 Jul 2009 GMT

'Stealthy on the edge - Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week' Ian Grant Click Here to view large photo

Australia's fastest sports boats will sail in the fast lane when they compete for the 2009 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week title over the Whitsunday Sailing Club courses on Pioneer Bay next month.

This year a highly competitive fleet representing clubs from West Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland includes the 2008 line honours champion Conquistador skippered by 1987 French Kiss Americas Cup Sailor Pierre Gal.

Interest will also focus on the interclass match race between the super fast Alan Carwardine designed Stealth class No Limits skippered by former Brisbane -Gladstone Race champion Bruce Tardrew and his Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron rival Raptor (Mark Buchbach) who have a score to settle with Bob Cowan helmed Lake Macquarie Yacht Club entrant Stealthy.

All three crews are well known to sail hard along a fine line between distinction and disaster where overpowering wipe-outs are accepted in the battle to beat each other around the course.

In the eight races last year Stealthy finished all with a faster aggregate and her crew are keen to show their Queensland rivals the way again.
But their task will be far more difficult with the No Limits crew having ironed out the 'new boat bugs' over the past 12 months while Mark Buchbach has improved his understanding in sailing the smaller Raptor to her potential.

Stealthy is again expected to be the pacesetter however the No Limits crew are keen to take the match racing honours this year.

'No Limits suffered the new boat blues last year with annoying gear failure, which is never accepted as a personal excuse for mediocre result'. Bruce Tardrew said.

Their boat on boat match race against Stealthy will be one of the highlights when the Nations best test their individual crew technique and tactical strategy to win what promises to be a spectacular clash for the honour of winning the 2009 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week Sports Boat title.

by Ian Grant