Fastest Monohull in the World!

This article focuses on Brisbane local Luke Molloy. Reason? He is a good friend of mine, and deseves the attention!!!

After 20 days battling through the Southern Ocean, RQYS member Luke Molloy returned to home soil as the first Australian and a crew member aboard the world’s fastest monohull ABN AMRO 2.

Luke, known to his close mates as Lukey, had no idea what was to welcome him back in Australia. The ETA was for 0130 hours on Sunday 22^nd January meaning there was a chance that little crowds would gather to welcome the “kids” home.

At approximately 2250 hours on Saturday 21^st January, ABN AMRO 1 canted their keel to get the 31.5m mast under the Bolte Bridge to finally end up at the dock and celebrate winning the 2^nd leg of the Volvo Ocean Race from Cape Town to Melbourne.

ABN 1, nicknamed “Black Betty”, arrived to a crowd of 30,000 screaming and cheering supporters and sprayed the champagne over the crowd before the interviews began broadcasting their achievement to world.

But there was a group of RQYS members present who were more interested in the second place winner.

After the crowds disappeared these enthusiastic members stayed on at the James Squire Bar in preparation to surprise young Lukey at the dock and give the lad the welcoming he deserved.

The scheming began… Because Lukey had no idea his RQYS mates were going to be there, no dock access passes were available, so they had to rely on their Queensland instinct to get them up close and personal with one of the fastest yachtsman in the world.

RQ Member:
“Hi, I’m Luke Molloy’s step father, and he doesn’t know I’m here. Me and the rest of his family are here, and we need to be able to get onto the dock to shake his hand when he arrives.”
ABN Official:
“No problem sir, so have you seen Luke’s mother Michelle?”
RQ Member:
“Errrmmmm….. Yes, she knows I’m here, we are just so proud of him…..”

And like magic the passes were granted!!!

Finally ABN AMRO 2 canted their keel just like their team mates and made their way the dock. There was a few hundred who overcame their sleep deprived state and prepared their voice boxes for the screaming that lay ahead.

“Give a warm Melbourne welcome to the kids aboard ABN AMRO 2”, the commentator encouraged the crowd.

But these RQ members did not need encouragement. The cheering had already began with “LUKEY” being the main word or choice, followed quickly by “QUEEEEENSLANDEEERRRR!!!”

The look on this young yachtsman’s face was absolutely priceless as he was never expecting to see the familiar faces that he grew up with sailing on Moreton Bay.

As Lukey wound up the interviews, one of these boisterous RQ members yelled at the top of his lungs “Someone get this boy a Four X!!!” but all that was available were magnums of Heineken, which did the job of refreshing Lukey quiet well.

The night never ended, with Lukey taking his RQ mates into the ABN AMRO pavilion with the crew from his yacht and ABN 1 and they all celebrated the night away enjoying free pour spirits with no ice in the sweltering heat from early morning until the sun peaked its way over the distant horizon and hours before the third yacht “movistar” was due to dock.

Lukey will spend three weeks in Melbourne before Leg 3 commences and leaves Australia bound for Wellington in New Zealand on February 12^th.