Hamilton Island Race Week was back with a vengeance for 2022 with yachts and crews celebrating in true style both on the water and on shore.
IKON Crew, winners are grinners – © – Ken-Butti
MARITIMO 11 leading the fleet – ©-Salty-Dingo
Nautilus Marine Insurance was supporting the 200-plus fleet at every mark being a major sponsor of the event, and also the key partner of the Yachts Owners and Skippers Welcome Cocktail Party, the Nautilus Marine Insurance Classic Long Race, the Nautilus Marine Insurance Classic Medium Distance Race, and the Nautilus Marine Insurance Daily Highlights showcasing all the action.
Winner of the Nautilus Marine Insurance Classis Long Race within the rating two division was the 2009 Beneteau First 45 IKON that had made the pilgrimage from Williamstown in Melbourne. IKON is well known on the racecourse and is enthusiastically, and successfully, campaigned by a mix of family and friends.
Owner Bruce McCraken is back for a third Race Week and got to the island a week early to enjoy the Queensland weather before the start. “For us, Hamilton Island Race Week is the regatta we bring all our family and extended families to join us at. We have a full week to enjoy the onshore activities, we get to enjoy the sailing, and everyone gets to bond over a BBQ at night. There is 27 of us in total!”
IKON crew member Chloe Richardson is equally enthusiastic saying that “the ability to sail the course under blue skies, with great competitors truly makes this regatta. The onshore entertainment doesn’t hurt either!”
The camaraderie and family connections onboard IKON certainly worked, they went on to win four races, took second place in another two, and as a result, finished the week winning their division.
In second place on the podium for the Nautilus Marine Insurance Classis Long Race was a well-known industry name, Bill Barry-Cotter, owner of the stunningly presented Schumacher 54 MARITIMO 11. Built in 1996 and originally launched as SWIFTSURE II, MARITIMO 11 underwent a full refit at the Maritimo Racing Division in Queensland, and has been putting the owner and crew on the podium ever since.
Barry-Cotter joined in the enthusiasm about being back on Hamilton Island to race, paying tribute to the driving force behind the regatta and the owners of island, the Oatley family, commenting “The whole environment of this place is great, the Oatley family have done such a great job.”
MARITIMO 11 went on to win second place overall and Barry-Cotter made a point of praising 14-year-old crew member Addison Newland, “She’s great, we hope she’s going to be an Olympic champion one day. She really loves what she’s doing and because of that she will succeed.”
Of course many eyes were on the battle between the 100 footers HAMILTON ISLAND WILD OATS XI and ANDOO COMANCHE racing in division zero. The division was taken out by the RP66 ALIVE from Derwent Sailing Squadron in Tasmania, but we’ll give the final word to Mark Richards, long-time skipper of HAMILTON ISLAND WILD OATS XI, “You only have to look at everyone’s faces around the island to see how excited everyone is to be back. After three years you forget how beautiful it is up here.”
The whole crew at Nautilus Marine Insurance would have to agree…
Nautilus Marine Insurance Yachts Owners and Skippers Welcome Cocktail Party – ©-Salty-Dingo
Nautilus Marine Insurance CEO Lyndon Turner and Mark Richards, Skipper HAMILTON ISLAND WILD OATS XI – ©-Salty-Dingo
About Hamilton Island Race Week:
Hamilton Island Race Week is one of Australia’s favourite yachting events and a firm fixture on the international sailing calendar. Every August, spectators, and sailors from around the globe sail to Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef for what is recognised as Australia’s largest offshore keelboat regatta.
The much anticipated 36th edition of Hamilton Island Race Week was staged from August 20-27, when 220 plus boats and close to 2000 sailors, their family and friends, gathered at the jewel of the Whitsundays to enjoy the convivial atmosphere and unique camaraderie of the on-water and on-shore carnival.
Visit www.hamiltonislandraceweek.com.au
About Nautilus Marine Insurance:
Nautilus Marine Insurance are a leading provider of insurance solutions for recreational vessels and the marine businesses across Australia and New Zealand, protecting over 45,000 vessel owners and marine industry members. For over 17 years, Nautilus Marine Insurance has been a specialist supplier of insurance for pleasure craft and marine business assets and liability insurance.
Nautilus Marine Insurance provide coverage for pleasure craft of all sizes, ranging from sailing dinghies and PWCs through to yachts, runabouts and luxury motor yachts as well as commercially operated boats and marine businesses. Through its Industry Lines division Nautilus Marine Insurance also specialises in providing tailored business insurance for clients servicing the recreational boating market including marina operators and owners, yacht clubs and boat clubs, boat dealerships and most marine trades including boat repairers and boat service providers.
Thousands of professional insurance advisers and brokers choose to work with Nautilus Marine Insurance. These insurance experts trust the breadth of Nautilus Marine’s products and claims support to recommend our products and services to their clients. Nautilus Marine Insurance has a staff of over 70 passionate insurance experts and offices across Australia and New Zealand. Nautilus Marine Insurance is a business name of NM Insurance Pty Ltd ABN 34 100 633 038, AFSL 227186.
Visit www.nautilusinsurance.com.au
