More Gladstone News
March 15th, 2008
2007 Brisbane to Gladstone Start
For more B2G 07 photos visit www.SAILINGphotos.net
By Stripey Grant
HOMEWARD BOUND.
Whitsunday Sailing Club mates Greg Tobin and Charlie Preen will complete another important entry in their personal ocean racing logbooks during the 60th anniversary Brisbane to Gladstone race over the Easter weekend.
The co owner skippers of Dehler Magic cast their mooring lines and left the warmth of a carefree Tropical Shirt sailing environment in November to sail into the Deep South with the 2007 Rolex Sydney Hobart fleet.
This was a personal mission to fulfil a career ambition and to be part of the Hobart Race sailor’s traditional New Year Eve party on the historical Constitution Dock.
The Dehler Magic crew had a good reason to celebrate and experience a special sense of pride after they completed a top ten finish in the Performance Handicap class.
Similar pride and enthusiasm will be expressed when Greg Tobin and Charlie Preen hoist their wind tormented ‘Dehler Battle Flag’ on Good Friday morning to set sail on another historical Blue Water Classic and the final race in their homeward bound voyage.
“Both Greg and I have had the Hobart and Gladstone Races on the drawing board for some time”. Charlie Preen said.
Their Rolex Sydney Hobart result associated with the numerous nautical miles of sailing between Airlie Beach, Sydney, Hobart and the delivery voyage back to answer the 1100 hour start signal to the historical Brisbane to Gladstone race on Good Friday confirms the Whitsunday sloop will be ready to race.
Dehler Magic will again have a happy crew onboard with Hobart Race rookie Tania Watson fulfilling her ambition to record another major race in her log book.
Their combined friendship and crew experience ranks Dehler Magic among the major contenders to win the Performance Handicap class trophy against a very competitive fleet including the champion Hervey Bay sailors skipper Ray Smith and his exceptionally successful navigator Ross Jones.
Jones a previous outright race winner and a 41 race veteran will provide his long term sailing mate Ray Smith with the tactical strategy that will allow Fraser Coast Boating to join Dehler Magic, and the 42 year old Gladstone plywood sharpie Wistari (Scott Patrick) as the top choices for the fastest corrected Performance Handicap time and the prestigious 60th Anniversary trophy.
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