Whitsunday blue water sailor Ian Thomson set a lonely record when he sailed alone around Australia last year. His challenge under the Save Our Seas banner gained international media recognition during and after the marathon voyage. He will be chasing further fame next month as an important crew member when Australia’s most famous offshore racing maxi yacht Brindabella now owned by Jim Cooney sets a course to circum-navigate Australia in under 37 days.
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s eighty-five nautical mile Bird Island Race starts off Point Piper on Sydney Harbour at 7.00pm on Friday 24 September. Some of the best known grand prix racers in the country such as sailing yacht Loki, S/Y Ragamuffin and Andrew Wenham’s Southern Excellence, a Volvo 60, expected to be the frontrunners.