There will be a special element of pride evident when Don Algie steers his majestic 19.9 m sloop Storm 2 onto Pioneer Bay for the opening race of the 2010 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week on Friday August 13.
Meridien Marinas Abel Point Airlie Beach - Photo Credit Abel Point Marina
He will have a vivid memory dating back to almost 21 years ago to September 1990 when he and his equally enthusiastic friend Miles Wood launched the first Airlie Beach Race Week under the proud banner of the Hogs Breath Cafe.
Both experienced sailors Don at the helm of his former yacht the South African built and Van de Stadt designed sloop Storm and Miles Wood skippering the rather wet and flighty Hobie skiff ‘press boat’ initially produced the infectious enthusiasm and desire to initially launch what has become a major yacht race week on the Australian sporting calendar.
Sure the opening regatta started from humble beginnings with a small fleet racing for the honour of becoming the inaugural winner of the now famed Boss Hog trophy.
However from the outset both Don and Miles set the benchmark for the Hog’s Breath Cruising Race Week to be totally different from any other.
They loved the relaxed lifestyle of living and sailing in the land of the 12 month summer in Australia and were determined to roll out the welcome mat for ocean racing sailors representing clubs from the far away ports of Hong Kong, New Zealand and southern states of Australia to set their compass bearing for Airlie Beach in the Whitsunday’s to enjoy a week of fun sailing at what is now known as the tropical shirt regatta.
In a tribute to their fun loving foresight a fleet in excess of 100 yachts with a high percentage representing clubs from the cold latitudes south of The Tropic of Capricorn will help to turn the 21st anniversary of Airlie Beach Race Week into a special celebration.
While relaxation and fun is a major priority the high number of major race winning sailors are not about to harm their reputations which suggests the racing for all ten individual class championships will be hotly contested.
The crew assisting skipper Don Algie on the deck of sailing yacht Storm 2 can expect to face a high workload when they enter the contest for line and handicap honours in the Cruising Class.
Sailing yacht Storm 2 - Photo credit Andrea Francolin
They will be presented with some interesting and competitive challenges from the West Australian Geoff Pettifer skipper Oyster 66 Miss Molly and Tasmanian Hughie Lewis in Cyclone while the former Sydney Hobart line honours champion George Snow has the proven ocean racing miles to become a major threat to win the Boss Hog trophy with his comfortable Beneteau Oceanis cruiser Argo Blue.
Interest will also focus of the performance of the fast lane sailing catamaran Cynophobe.
This exciting twin hull ‘Flying Machine’ which is capable of sailing faster than the prevailing wind velocity only needs favourable 15-20 South East winds to set her record chase in place and add a special touch to the 21st anniversary celebrations.
The Airlie Beach Race Week runs from the 13th to the 19th of August. The 27th Audi Hamilton Island Race Week is then scheduled for August 20 to 28.
