Mick writes:

My sister took these pics recently at a place called ‘Mystery Island’.
Not sure if they are any use but as an ex fireballer I got a good chuckle
Reminds me of the time I supplied some second hand sails to a catholic priest in the Cook Islands. He was desperate for sails for the oppys he had built from packing cases! I got a friend in Singapore to find 5 ex racing sails and they were duly sent to the Cooks. I got a letter a little while later saying thanks but why did I send 5 sails to a catholic priest with SIN on all the sails?

Original post by johnsee and software by Elliott Back

Craig Monk is the man. He is also the grinder aboard Black Jack but before this he was an Olympic Bronze Medallist, grinder for BMW Oracle & Team New Zealand (two times cup winner) and a few other things in between.

Here is a commercial he did for Nike in 2000 to be played at the Sydney Games and during the America’s Cup.

Also check out his website >> http://www.craigmonk.co.nz/

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Original post by OG and software by Elliott Back

Photo by Andrea Francolini

This week I am in gorgeous Hamilton Island for Audi Hamilton Island Race Week. Yesterday I was lucky enough to get to sail on Black Jack for the two windward/leeward races. Both races we beat Wild Oats over the line!

The racing was extremely close and there we times where I though bow sprits would take us out!

Oats Rolled by Black Jack
By Lisa Ratclife

Today the formula one component of the 25th anniversary Audi Hamilton Island Race Week split from the bulk of the 225 strong fleet for some thrilling round the cans action in Fitzalan Passage, to the east of Hamilton Island.

The line honours battle continued at the front end of the fleet with Peter Harburg’s Black Jack gaining the upper hand, scoring two crucial wins over the Mark Richards skippered Wild Oats X.

The 2006 built Black Jack, named after the three time formula one world champion Sir Jack Brabham in honour of his sporting achievements and launched in Brisbane last month, is a slight development of the previous Wild Oats X model.

In race 1 the two got away side by side, Black Jack finally edging out Wild Oats to finish comfortably ahead of Wild Oats X, but in the second race just a boat length separated the two at the finish, PRO Denis Thompson reporting ‘in the end it came down to the best gybe’.

More…

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Original post by OG and software by Elliott Back

By Ian Grant

Proud International yacht racing reputations will be placed on the line when a World standard fleet compete for the prestigious Audi Hamilton Island Race Week IRC championship trophy from August 22-30.

The battle lines will be drawn off Hamilton Island tomorrow (Saturday) when the record fleet representing various high performance yachts from the International champion maxi and former Hamilton Island Race Week line honours champion Shockwave Club-Marine (Andrew Short) to slower yachts contesting the casual cruising class face the start for championship points in the Lindeman Island race.

A warm and pleasant 10-15 knot South East trade is expected to provide ideal sailing conditions for the Lindeman Island race before a robust ‘Southerly Buster’ with squalls to 30 knots promises to turn the regatta into a supreme ‘torture test’ of heavy wind sailing technique over the Whitsunday Island waters on Sunday.

This complex weather pattern will provide an exciting start to the 25th Anniversary regatta which has attracted former Olympians, Americas Cup sailors and Sydney Hobart Race winners in a duel for what promises to be the most exciting battle of sailing science and endurance ever staged in the history of this spectacular International regatta.

Size and sail power favours the Andrew Short skippered maxi Shockwave Club Marine to start as favourite to win the fastest yacht of the regatta trophy but this combination will have no margin for error with the super fast trio of maxi-chasers Wild Oats X (Mark Richards), Black Jack (Mark Bradford) and the Steven David skippered Admirals Cup champion Wild Joe possessing the capable crew skills and boat speed to cause an upset.

Special interest will focus on an Americas Cup type match race between the almost identical Wild Oats X and the new Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron challenger Black Jack.

Wild Oats X will have an edge in crew experience with Bob Oatley’s Rolex Sydney-Hobart champions on board but the Black Jack crew will be race ready for a tactical ‘dogfight’ with skipper Mark Bradford pitching his 2008 Americas Cup racing skills against the proven long and short distance race winners on Wild Oats X.

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Original post by johnsee and software by Elliott Back

‘Start of the third Tornado race – 2008 Olympic Regatta – Day 10 -’ Richard Gladwell

When the Tornado sailors line up for the start of the medal race today I’m sure it will be emotional. Today is the last race at an Olympic Games for the high performance Tornado catamaran…

From Sail-World.com & Australian Sailing Team Media

The Aussies need to finish the medal race two places ahead of Spain to take the Gold medal, but they also need to cover third-placed Argentina. For Argentina to win Gold, they need to finish at least three places ahead of Australia and five places ahead of Spain.

However, Bundock and Ashby are the only crew in the Tornado fleet to cross the finish line in the top ten in every race of this regatta.

The consistency of the world’s current number one ranked team and their ability to perform in the pressure cooker environment of a medal race will be critical in determining what colour medal they win tomorrow. Based on their medal race history over the past two years, the team has every reason to expect a positive outcome.

The wind is forecast to whip up with possible gusts up to 18 knots. However, no matter the strength of the breeze, the windshifts remain the biggest challenge for competitors on Fushan Bay.

‘You need to have eyes in the back of your head here, looking out for the shifts and changes,’ said Ashby.

‘We’ve proven that we go well in light, medium and heavy conditions and we’re happy to sail in anything.’

The Australians are highly experienced, with 11 world titles between them. While they are based in different states, with Bundock on the NSW Central Coast and Ashby in Victoria’s Bendigo, they spend so much time travelling and competing together they are almost a single entity on the boat.

This year alone, they have won the Australian Championships, Sail Melbourne, Sail Auckland, the Holland Regatta, the SOF Heyeres Regatta in France and the World Championships. Their ability to tame the Qingdao waters has already been proven with Silver at the 2007 Olympic Sailing Test Event.

‘We’ve been very consistent in difficult conditions and we’re looking good for a medal,’ said Bundock, who knows the thrill of Olympic success, having won a Silver medal with John Forbes at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

‘Tomorrow’s a big day – we’re just going to go for it and try to win.’

Can they do it?!?!?

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Original post by OG and software by Elliott Back

Qingdao Olympic Regatta 2008. RS:X. Jessica Crisp (AUS). – Guy Nowell ©

Aussie RS:X sailor Jessica Crisp definitely has a chance at a medal

“While Gold is a stretch given Yin has shown such dominance in this regatta, Silver or Bronze are very real opportunities for Crisp, particularly because of the double points up for grabs in the medal race.” AST Media

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Original post by OG and software by Elliott Back

Sarah Blanck
Photograph:Jack Atley

Moving focus away from the 49ers, Yngling and 470s it’s now time to zoom in on the Men’s Laser and Women’s Laser Radial classes.

Aussie Sarah Blanck is placed 4th going into the medal race and still has a very good chance to claim a medal. Current world champion Tom Slingsby didn’t manage to make the top ten and therefore misses out on racing in the medal event.

So best of luck to Sarah! She really does deserve a medal.

And in the Laser class – may the best sailor win.

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Original post by OG and software by Elliott Back

Fox Sports
AUSTRALIA’S double-handed dinghy crew of Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson have won the Olympic gold medal in the women’s 470 event at the Beijing Games sailing regatta in Qingdao.

Their win makes it a double for Australia in the 470 class, with Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page taking gold in the men’s earlier.

CONGRATULATIONS!

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Original post by OG and software by Elliott Back

Regardless of the 49er Medal Race results, Nathan Outteridge’s parents would still be proud.

Nathan’s dad Tony received a Johnson & Johnson Athlete Support Grant which enabled him to travel to Beijing to watch his some race in the Olympic Games.

The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies is a Proud Partner of the Australian Olympic Team and a Worldwide Partner of the International Olympic Committee and the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. We believe playing sport and being active together can help families form closer bonds.

The first grant of $5,000 from the Johnson & Johnson Athlete Family Support Program was awarded to Tony Outteridge, the father of Australian Olympic Sailing Team representative, Nathan Outteridge. Tony will use the grant to travel to Beijing to support Nathan in his first Olympic Games.

Nathan nominated his father for the Johnson & Johnson Athlete Family Support Program, paying homage to the sacrifices made by his dad, and indeed the entire family, to help him become an Olympian.

In addition to financial support and endless hours spent fixing equipment and preparing for competitions, Tony was instrumental in Nathan’s rehabilitation after a near-fatal car accident in 2005 at age 17. Sustaining severe spinal injuries and facing the prospect of never walking again, Nathan not only got back on his feet but has gone on to become one of Australia’s elite sportspeople.

“Without the support of my dad, I would never have got back to the top in the sport I love,” said Nathan. “He is an incredible source of inspiration and I am thrilled that he can now be with me in the biggest competition of my life.”

“Dad made incredible sacrifices, like increasing the mortgage, to afford the travel costs, equipment and boats I needed for training and competing. He also spent countless hours in the shed fixing and re-rigging the boats while teaching me many of the practical skills that now help me compete,” said Nathan.

Check out the TV Commercial here >>

Australian Finn sailor Anthony Nossiter also received the grant to get his Dad to the Games as well.

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Original post by OG and software by Elliott Back