Reporting live from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Rushcutters Bay in Sydney on Boxing Day 2021. I suggested to my partner in crime Steve Core that we should make the effort & venture into Rushcutters Bay to check out the crews preparing for this year's Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht race.
We arrived at the Cruising Yacht Club at 7:00am, lucky to jag a parking spot for the ‘81 Ford Bronco a short stroll away from the club. We walked down to the Marina only to be informed by Event Security that there was no public access onto the jetties until 10:00am. That meant we had 3-hours to kill, so I put my thinking cap on & came up with this wild idea to attempt to wriggle our way into the exclusive press & media area.
Being ex-Qantas Trolly Dollies with the gift of the gab, we wangled our way into the sacred echelon of the press overlooking the multi million dollar yachts & marina right in front of the Club House.
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| Me and the always comical and mirthful Channel 9 News Reporter Mike Dalton. Mike confirmed he'll be covering our Car Show in March. Photo: Steve Core |
There was plenty of action in this area due to the numerous National News networks from around the world doing their pre-race interviews to their respective outlets.
We needed to keep a very low profile because neither of us had Security passes & did not want to be evicted from our ring side seats where all the pre-race action was happening.
Steve noticed our friend Mike Dalton from the Channel 9 network interviewing various high-profile sailors about their tactics for the run down the east coast to their final destination in Hobart in a couple of hours time.
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| The race attracts entries & competitors from around the world for this international classic |
In between interviews I decided it was time for me to get off my butt, bite the bullet & approach him & re-acquaint myself with Mike.
I first met Mike in July 2020 when I organised a farewell to the Qantas “Queen of the Skies” Jumbo 747. I was interviewed by him on the Northern Concourse of the Sydney Opera House. Click here to see that story.
On that day I mentioned our up & coming Pre-WWII Vintage Car Show & asked him if Channel 9 would be interested to do a segment on our big day, at that time he showed a great deal of interest, however that was 18-months ago.
Anyway to cut a long story short I grabbed my opportunity to remind him of our conversation 18-months ago. To my delight he told me that he did remember our conversation. Mike also mentioned that he had received a Media Release from me last week & would definitely be at our show in Sutherland with a camera crew on Sunday 20th March 2020.
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| The main silverware up for grabs in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart blue water classic. |
Never to let a chance pass me bye I also managed to take photos of the precious silverware on display for the world' s media. The Trophy on the left is the Captain J.H. Illingworth Challenge Cup that is awarded to the first yacht to finish the Rolex Sydney to Hobart race with line honours, on the right is the George Adams Tattersall’s Cup awarded to the Handicap winner.
This is the most significant & historic perpetual trophy awarded in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht race. Now recognised as one of the great ocean races in the world, despite there being no prize money for winners, just some impressive silverware & monumental prestige. Magnificent silverware to say the least.
In this 2021 event there were 88 yachts that started the race from Sydney Harbour. The fleet was battered by strong southerly winds, and due to these arduous conditions, more that a quarter of the fleet has withdrawn from the race with broken rigging & torn sails.
Entry fee to compete in this race is $9,500.00. Maluku (built in 1932) is the oldest & smallest (31ft or 9.5mtrs) yacht, compared to the Super-Maxi’s that are at least (100ft or 30.48mtrs).
The Cruising Yacht Club's Commodore Mr Noel Cornish
during pre-race media engagements
The Super-Maxi’s, Blackjack, Scallywag, Law Connect are predicted to take line honours in this year's blue ribbon classic event.
As the small hand on the clock pointed to 10 & the large hand struck 12 we put on our running shoes & headed straight towards the dock. The security guard was no longer stopping spectators from entering the jettys, we were now permitted to enter the earlier restricted areas.
Steve was in his element with his camera, we took full advantage to get up close & personal with these magnificent offshore racing yachts, we even took the advantage to have a good old chat with some of the competing crews.
We spent the following couple of hours drooling over these multi-million dollar, high-tech craft until the time it was for the competitors to depart their safe moorings & head out onto the Sydney Harbour to prepare themselves for the start of the challenging race to Tassie at 1:00pm.
Steve suggested that we hit the road & head for home back in the Shire, not before a quick detour via Bondi Beach for another photo shoot.
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| Me and my '81 Ford Bronco at North Bondi Beach Photo: Steve Core |
I took the opportunity to give one of my classic vehicles a trip into the city today. Due to this wretched Corona Virus my 1981 Ford Bronco needed the cobwebs blown out of her. The big 351 Cleveland V/8 engine had been in bed asleep for almost the last 12-months, so believe me I sure enjoyed pushing the pedal to the metal. You can keep your electric cars.
When we arrived at Steve’s special photographic spot at the world famous Bondi Beach he was relieved to know that there was no one parked in the perfect spot on Campbell Parade that overlooks the beach where he wanted me to park the Bronco.
As you can see by the photo my classic ‘81 351 Ford Bronco looks pure gold with the world famous Bondi Beach in the background, doesn’t come any better than this, & that my friends is all she wrote.
Remember my motto: ‘Adventure before dementia’.
Cheers for now.
Warbo
Warbo
