From 9 - 12 June, 39 Etchells teams will be on the start line for Mooloolaba Yacht Club’s Evans Long 20th Etchells Australasian Championship.
At the close of entries, the list of skippers and crew is impressive in its quality and its representative breadth. Across the Australian fleets and even from New Zealand, they are heading to where the sun shines and the welcome westerly winds smooths the open water off Mooloolaba Beach.
Each of the teams of three or four-crew have their own motivation to be on the start line for the annual event. For some it’s another chance to race in the fleet with the best sailors in a true one-design class. For others, it’s the drive to put their hand on the championship trophy in its 20th year.
Whatever the motivation to race, whatever the other distractions of life that have kept some from a perfect preparation for the seven-race series, they are still all happily heading north to Mooloolaba with the rolling road caravan of boats on trailers heading into town with pace
