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Quest of Queensland’s talented Gold Coast crew

Home 2006 Quest of Queensland’s talented Gold Coast crew

Quest

Consistent all angle sailing speed and the selected tactical strategy will be put to the test when the Queensland yachts face the moment of truth against a strong New South Wales team who are looking to regain lost pride.

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Olympic 470 dinghy sailors Matt Belcher and Nic Behrens will take on key roles aboard Kevin Miller’s Quest of Queensland when the 2002 Sydney Hobart champion challenges the strong New South Wales fleet in Sydney to Gold Coast race starting on April 1.

Belcher and Behrens rated as a excellent chance to win Olympic selection for Beijing in 2008, if the current World Champions and fellow Australian’s Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page stumble, will add a touch of youthful experience to skipper Kevin Miller’s bid to become the first Queensland owner to win the 21 year old 384n/ml blue water classic.

Miller, the Vice Commodore of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, has the distinction of finishing fifth in the 1998 Sydney Hobart Race.

He and his sailing master John Warlow are returning to ocean racing with a proven performer in the 14.2m Nelson Marek designed sloop previously owned and skippered by Bob Steel of Sydney.

Belcher will be in the helming team while the energetic and enthusiastic Nic Behrens will be one of the key sail trimmers supporting the tactical strategy of champion offshore watch captain and tactician Ron Jacobs of Sydney.

This race will be the first offshore challenge for the Australian Olympic team contenders however as their one design dinghy racing has proved they will not fail when the heat is on.

A top five placing in the World 470 championship decided on the windy San Francisco Bay was a reward for their combined skill and determination and the stint on the deck of Quest of Queensland has given them a chance to show their appreciation to Kevin Miller for his commitment to financially support their expensive campaign.

Quest of Queensland is rated among the leading contenders to win the race on handicap but they will need a favourable forecast including a high percentage of windward sailing to win what is promising to be a State Of Origin type war on the water after the Queensland yachts gained the share of major places in the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart.

Queensland offshore racing is riding on the crest of a wave following the outstanding Hobart performances recorded by Koomooloo (Mike Freebairn), Wot's Next (Graeme Wood) and Wedgetail (Bill Wild).

Koomooloo and Wot's Next won their divisions while Wedgetail showed the blistering down win speed to rank her as Australia’s fastest 12.9m sloop.

Consistent all angle sailing speed and the selected tactical strategy will be put to the test when the Queensland yachts face the moment of truth against a strong New South Wales team who are looking to regain lost pride.

However the style of race while being a different endurance test will be a pleasant change for the young Olympic 470 sailors Belcher and Behrens with their small boat sailing skills proving invaluable when the strong Queensland team engage their New South Wales rivals for the best team performance.

Wedgetail, Koomooloo and Quest of Queensland will be racing under the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron burgee and are expected to achieve top results before they line up to contest the 58th Brisbane to Gladstone Race starting on Good Friday. - Ian Grant