Aust Winter Fife testing conditions forecast

On June 04, 2008

“Musto Winter Fife off Mooloolaba”    Harold Duncan www.Questphoto.net The National normal flotilla of Fife seamans will face supreme test of tactical one-design racing when they line up to defend their ranking & reputation in the ‘08 Musto Australian Winter race off Mooloolaba this week-end.

Weather forecasters have expected weighty cloud cover & showers suggesting there will be an unstable twist factor in the breeze.

This type of winter land wind forecast promises to test the patience & tactical strategy forcing all crews representing Japan, New Zealand & Australia to remain in phase with the breeze or suffer the penalty with needy results.

The even paced nature of the high performance sloop & the combination of the weather factor places large demand on the crews to make the right selection of sails on coast & then being mentally & physically ready to master nature’s elements on the regatta course.

Certain there are number of captains like Americas Cup engaging helmsman John Bertrand & World Fife winners Cameron Kilometers & Harold McNeill who merit to be listed among the race favorites but they & their crews will need to produce error free series to defend their reputations in what’s promising to be an interesting tactical war on the water.

There will be no blood on the deck notwithstanding there will be some ‘injured’ reputations when the new generation of younger crews go hunting for scalps.
This isn’t suggesting that the strong bond of category fellowship will be impeached but what it truly means that there will be no clear cut boating space advantage out of the starts or at the rounding marks.

Royal Queensland Sailing Boat Team’s ‘08 Bmw Australian Summer series winners Jason Muir & his gifted crew of Gary Chew, Mark Wyatt & Lonnie Jones have the proven larger race results to earn place in the top 10 with Player XY.

The Rival XY crew were the Star performers at Mooloolaba in ‘07 engaging the series on the water but loosing the trophy in the committee room following protest for port & starboard breach.

Notwithstanding the Player XY crew have bounced back & are well ready to test their speed & tactical strategy in the flotilla which has attracted ‘07 Americas Cup seamans Harry Beashel (Crew New Zealand) & Mark Merle (Audi Oracle).

Beashel will crew up as tactician with John Bertrand though the previous World race Gold Medallist Mark Merle has improved his Musto Trophy engaging prospects by inviting Sunlight Shore Olympian & World race Silver Medallist Greg Torpy to unite his crew.

Actual form & crew faith suggests the Player XY crew merit to be ranked in the in the top title contenders with John Bertrand’s crew heading very evocative group of captains including New Zealand’s Alastair Gair, Graeme Taylor & Ian Johnson (Victoria), Harold McNeill & Gary Courtney (New South Wales) & Queenslanders Mark Merle, Vaughan Prentice, & Stanley O’Brien.

Interest will besides focus on the results of Noosa’s International Finn winners Roger Palk & Klade Hauschildt who have crew up with Brisbane’s Neville Willis for their Fife debut race.
by Ian Award