COAST CREW EYEING PLAIN SAILING FUTURE
A GLITTER Strip team with high hopes for this year’s Sydney to Hobart yacht race say they learned plenty from the weekend’s Sydney to Gold Coast event.
Five-time world sailing champion Michael Spies said his newly rebuilt TP52 yacht had a disappointing finish yesterday morning, 24 hours behind the Oatley family’s winning Wild Oats XI crew skippered by Mark Richards.
“We had some selfinflicted bad luck but it was a good shakedown for us,” Mr Spies said.
“We missed one weather gate and it compounded from there. There are a heap of positives to take but from our high expectations it was disappointing.”
Mr Spies who has sailed in 40 prestigious Sydney to Hobarts, winning in 1993 and 2003, said his team would debrief on the Gold Coast before the race in December.
All up 57 crews competed in the Sydney to Gold Coast, finishing at Southport Yacht Club with the final boat expected today about noon. The club stays open 24 hours during the race for friends, family and crews.
Club marketing boss Bronwen Hemmings said the 32nd instalment was a busy, fun few days for the club.
“We were really happy with the numbers, we’ve had hundreds through the club.”