On Saturday and Sunday 5th-6th May a great weekend was had by all at the 2012 North Queensland IOM Championships hosted by the Mackay Model Mariners. Paradise RYC, Club Kawana, Mackay, Whitsundays and Gladstone clubs were represented by a total of 16 competitors hitting the water. The competitors were divided into 2 fleets and racing got underway in a steady S/E breeze.

Michael Grieve was the stand out performer of day one picking up where he left off in the 2012 National Championships which he won in January. Michael blitzed the fleet out front with a very close battle developing between Allan Walker, Lindsay Walker and David Turton for the minor placings. Local GRCYC sailors Aaron Farrar sailing 'Grongle' and Laurie Donohoe sailing 'The Whitller' tasted top 5 finishes during day one but also experienced a few rear guard finishes, leaving the two Gladstone Boys mid fleet after day one.

Day two saw similar conditions and similar finishes.

Aaron Farrar, in only his second year of RC sailing spent the majority of the weekend in A fleet, nipping at the heals of the leaders to achieve a personal best 8th place, finishing as high as a second place in one A fleet race. While Laurie Donohoe couldn't replicate some of his high finishes from day one but with consistent mid-fleet finishes saw him finish top 10.

Michael Grieve comprehensively topped the table, finishing with as many points as there were races, while Lindsay Walker and Allan Walker finished 2nd & 3rd respectively.
It was great to see all but a couple protests sorted on the water, giving the sailors more time to do what they all enjoyed.

Many thanks to the Mackay Club for hosting a great event.

Full results HERE

Sailors are supposed to get wet - but this is ridiculous!

The first race of the 2012 season got underway in overcast, threatening conditions and let's face it, there had been 145mm of rain in the past 4 days and much to the want of a small band of enthusiastic sailors - it wasn't going to get any better today.

The text messages were flying about. "Are we sailing today" Txt Laurie Donohoe. "You up for it Coop" Txt David Laurie. "I might not come today as my mascara might run" Txt John Matthews. But the message went out it's on! (I mean if we called it off it wouldn't have rained & the sun would have come out.) With the Bundy boys frightened of a bit of precipitation, Aaron signing up the rugby stars of tomorrow, Liz barking orders from the bridge of slightly bigger boats and some other regulars MIA a dedicated group of 7…. wait 6…… wait 5…. saw out all 10 races.

And yes the rain started 5 minutes after the first heat and got progressively heavier all day.

The results are on the web and scores were transcribed onto a new scoresheet (as the other one got soaked) and is up online too. Don't forget to check the official GRCYC Calendar which is online now.

BTW - From the AGM