Whitsunday Sailors set for Corsair nationals
Whitsunday Sailing Club's champion Sabot Sailor Klaus Lorenz will gain important tactical sailing experience when he contests the 40th Australian Corsair championship on Brisbane's Bramble Bay. 
'Klaus Lorenz, was the the 2007 Qld Junior Sabot Champion'
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The championship hosted by the Sandgate Yacht Club and contested over seven heats from September 28th to October 4th has attracted a strong fleet with Klaus Lorenz competing under the Whitsunday Sailing Club burgee with veteran dinghy sailors Jim Hayes and Bruce Chapman.
All three are unfamiliar with the open water course which is exposed the summer northerly sea breeze but they are capable of handing the strong winds and the typical white crested wind wave which turns this dinghy racing course into a torture track.
Both Jim Hayes and Bruce Chapman have spread their sailing career over a number of classes which will be important when they test the boat speed of their dinghy One Thong against the Nation title pace setters including the defending championAaron Hunt who completely dominated the 2007 series with Ferocious steering her to a perfect score win over the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron courses on Waterloo Bay.
Ferocious has the form on the board to start as the short priced favourite to win back to back championships and there is little doubt that Aaron Hunt who outpaced Succession (Dave Thomas) and Brady Lowe (Power of Three) in 2007 will again become the focus of tactical attention.
However while the Ferocious crew have the reputation as being the fastest in the class will sensibly pay special attention to the Whitsunday crew particularly their schoolboy tactician Klaus Lorenz.
The talented school boy Sabot sailor who is progressively gaining confidence and experience will play a major role in the challenge with his youth and enthusiasm.
He understands the value of commanding a clear wind start and this will ensure that the trio of tropical sailors will mix it up with their Brisbane rivals in the pre-start.
Then it will be up to the crew to protect any advantage by selecting the more favoured course on the windward beat.
The series promises to be a valuable test of character for Klaus Lorenz who will skipper The Thong in the Australian Junior Championship.
Meanwhile this challenge represents a refreshing change for the exceptionally talented sailor who has been spending endless hours sailing his Sabot in preparation for the 2008-9 Australian championship which will be hosted by the Whitsunday Sailing Club courses over the Christmas- New Year holiday period.
by Ian Grant 
