Wave of success for Townsville sailors
Team Harken sailors Mick Guinea & Viv Hayden are the Thailand F18 National Champions.
The Townsville duo could not have started their preparations for a whirlwind month of title defences - including their Australian F-18 Nacra crown - much better after clinching the Thailand National Championship last week.
By winning that, Guinea and Haydon were also awarded the annual Varuna Cup.
Given that they were on a borrowed boat that required "plenty of work" and that major storms cancelled two races, Guinea could not have been happier.
"It's good because you can get yourself into a bit of a rhythm," said Guinea, who along with Haydon is also the reigning Queensland champion.
"Sailing in different waters against different people (and) that time on the water and practising manoeuvres, that's where that is valuable."
More than anything, winning in Thailand proved that long-time crewmates Guinea and Haydon still function well under pressure.
Despite claiming the first two races at the two-day regatta, an infringement penalty in the third race meant they had to clinch the fourth and final or kiss the title goodbye.
But the North Queenslanders held their nerve, winning by about 30 seconds.
"We just had to beat this one other guy, so we just turned it into a match race," Guinea said.
"If he tacked, we tacked with him and covered him all the way around."
It capped a massive 12 months for the pair, but Guinea said the hard work was only just beginning.
"We've had a really good year, winning the state titles as well, and a few other regattas along with the regatta in Thailand, so it's been good, but we obviously want to defend the (Australian) title as well," he said.
That starts for Guinea and Haydon at the end of the month when they attempt to defend their Nacra National title in Hervey Bay. That is followed by the F18 Nationals in Newcastle and then the Nacra World Championships on the Gold Coast.
ANTONY STEWART | December 18th, 2012, Townsville Bulletin
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