Get Set for the 2013 Melges 32 Australian Championships

Get set for the pinnacle of racing in the 2012-13 Australian Melges 32 regatta schedule. The third Melges 32 Australian Championships promises action packed one design racing from a quality fleet that includes some of Australia’s most accomplished sailors.  Middle Harbour Yacht Club will host the three day regatta from the 19-21 April.  Sponsors for the event include Magic Marine Australia suppliers of technical sailing gear and winning Melges 32 sail makers, Quantum Sails. 

Frontrunner Greg Prescott’s 2 Unlimited is eager to claim the title of Australian Melges 32 Champions that eluded them last year.  The season has seen the Tasmanian team dominate results as perfect preparation for the Championships winning Hamilton Island Race Week, the East Coast Championships and recently the Sydney Harbour Regatta. New to the 2 Unlimited crew is renowned Australian sailor Chris Nicholson calling tactics.  Boat manager Darren Jones moves to mainsheet, which is his role on the 32’s he sails in the USA and Europe.

Set to challenge for the title is Angus Reid Maxstar from Canberra Yacht Club. Reid has a point to prove after winning the 2012 National title on the water only to lose in the protest room finishing the regatta in third place on a count back.  Current Australian Melges 24 Champion Chris Links teams up this year with Reid, after being part of the 2012 winning Desperado crew.

Since then Desperado has changed hands and been purchased by Martin and Anna Cross renamed If.  The crew on If are no strangers to tactical one design racing and are still getting to know the boat, eager to compete in their first National Championship.

After chartering a boat last year Chris Way has launched Easy Tiger III just in time for the Nationals. Team Tiger have been training with coach Alex Pallu de la Barriere (the French 470 Olympian) since taking delivery of the boat in February and in their debut at the Sydney Harbour Regatta in March finished second to 2 Unlimited.
 
“We have been looking forward to this regatta and we love the highly competitive nature of this class. We’ve got a great crew line up including tactician Steve McConaghy. We’ve spent the last month preparing the boat and ourselves for this event. We know the boat is fast and our focus will be on getting good starts, achieving consistent results and being at the pointy end of the fleet,” said Chris Way. 

All teams are looking forward to a fun weekend of exciting racing followed by a session at the famous Middle Harbour Yacht Club Sandbar.