Max wild for race

Westcoaster attracts big fleet for 50th anniversary

A BAPTISM of fire awaits Hobart’s Max Gluskie in this year’s 50th anniversary Melbourne to Hobart yacht race, but the young sailor says “bring it on”.

Gluskie, 21, is part of the 12-strong crew aboard Tasmanian yacht AdvantEdge for the race and is ready for whatever the formidable 435 nautical mile ocean race can throw at them.

The local sailor, who has been part of the AdvantEdge crew for the past three years, is mainsail trimmer on the 47-footer.

The crew originally had targeted the Sydney-Hobart yacht race but switched to the Westcoaster to be part of its anniversary celebrations.

“A lot of the old boys on-board have done the Melbourne race before, and because the 50th came up and so many boats were involved, we thought it would be a great opportunity to support that race,” Gluskie said.

It will be his first shot at the challenging event.

“They do call it the Wild Westcoaster, so it does sound intimidating but I am very excited to do my first one,” he said. “Hopefully there’s a big northerly breeze and we get to see a bit of action out there.”

He has earmarked what might deliver some memorable moments.

“Coming out of the Heads from Melbourne will be really good and then pushing on into Bass Strait,” he said.

“Coming down the West Coast, some of those views will be pretty awesome as well, and across the bottom around Maatsuyker Island where it can churn up pretty hard.”

Weather forecasters have tipped superb conditions for the start and the first half of the race.

The downwind spinnaker start is likely to be held in a light east to northeast breeze of seven to 10 knots, and as the yachts head into Bass Strait, they will encounter a consistent 15 knot easterly breeze, offering near perfect conditions.

As the fleet approaches King Island the wind is expected to swing back to the northeast and then to the northwest giving the fleet a comfortable sea state and fast conditions to start the run down Tasmania’s West Coast.

Officials believe the race record of one day, 17 hours, 28 minutes and 59 seconds, set by Shortwave in 2008, is unlikely to be beaten.

The 50th Melbourne to Hobart starts off Portsea at noon on Tuesday.