The 10th edition of the Magnetic Island Race Week has kick started on 1st September 2016 in North Queensland. Everyone taking part in the event was in a celebratory mood. We saw Pommery champagne flowing on Matt Pireet’s boat named ‘Champagne” and glasses were given to the people on the rail. Everyone was happy and they enjoy the scenery and the sip of the champagne.
The Ron Knott’s team on the Callista was enjoying a song sung by their crew member. The ladies on the local boat Soul Sister were seen having a lot of fun on their boat. All this meant that the sailors enjoyed the picturesque setting and the breeze that was on offer in Northern Queensland.
The best part was that after the racing, champagne was also enjoyed on board of Wine Dark Sea owned by Sarah Goddard Jones and Peter Lowndes, courtesy of the Plainsailing Yacht website, and it was enjoyed by their two cats, Noodles and Smudge, who joined them on their ride. Tripe Olympian Karyn Gojinch and her daughter Amy were also on board. The team came second in the IRC and Performance Racing division.
The crew aboard the Stanley Barnes boat Librain was in totally different attire and they were dressed in a ‘goddess’ kind of dress. The racing conditions were pretty good on the first day and it was enjoyed thoroughly by the first time racer at the Sealink Magnetic Island Racing Week, Greg Newton, the owner of Antipodes of Sydney. He said that the run at the beginning was not good because of poor kite sets. But, things changed on their way back and they picked up speed to end up fourth in line.
The fleets of boats taking part in the Magnetic Island Racing Week are from New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia. There is no doubt that it would be an exciting week for all participants.