Photo: Kiteboarders to provide spectacular backdrop to regatta. Credit Peter Campbell

Kite Townsville’s International Kiteboarding Championship will provide a dramatic back-drop to the annual SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week with both events being held from 28^th August to 2^nd September 2014. 

Throughout the week the Kiteracers will be blasting their way around the bay off The Strand at Townsville showing off their colourful kites and fancy moves, while the Race Week multihulls and monohulls will have on display their big boat moves across Cleveland Bay and around Magnetic Island. 

The Townsville Sailing Club are hosting the championship, a 50-point Formula Kiterace event as part of this year’s Sail Townsville Regatta. Event manager and local kiteboard expert, Marvin Baumeister-Schoenian, says because last year’s inaugural event was so successful he is expecting between 30 and 40 international-level competitors this year. “Last year we had 20 knots every day, warm water and warm weather. Also, the location is really good for racing. It is fairly flat even when it is windy and has easy access from the beach. The laid back North Queensland atmosphere also really impressed everybody. 

“This year there is a big group coming from West Australia. Then they are coming from Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Adelaide. Also from Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and New Caledonia,” Baumeister-Schoenian said. 

Sunday will see the Kiteracers, big boats and local community come together, to jointly celebrate the beauty of Magnetic Island. The big boats will contest a short bay race in the morning then the skippers and crews will return to shore in time to join the party at Arcadia Beach. 

For those big boat sailors who can multi-task, they will be back on shore in time to rig up for some Kiteracing. Other big boat sailors and supporters will be able to sit back and relax, enjoying the music and markets. For the more energetic there will be Come and Try in Paddleboarding, Kayaking and Outriggering while closer to shore a Discover Sailing for kids program will be happening. Around them will be an Island Orienteering event and in the late afternoon, a Fashion Parade profiling Magnetic Island designer wear. 

A short distance to the north of Arcadia the kiteracers will be warming up for their 3pm race start from Alma Bay. In a spectacular start, the fleet will race the SeaLink Magnetic Island Kite Marathon downhill sprint from the bay towards the sailing club, then across The Strand to Kissing Point, to finish in front of The Strand between Longboard and the Townsville Sailing Club. 

“Anyone can participate and we are expecting up to 80 racers for that race. There won’t be any requirement for the equipment and it’s not a course race. 

“It’s a high speed race. They will all be going as fast as they can with the ideal wind angle behind you. It’s really a spectator orientated race. You don’t go tactically around the course. On this one it’s just chasing the other boards as fast as you can in one direction.    

“It’s going to look really, really nice with the backdrop in Alma where you have these massive rock hills in the back and then this beautiful, turquoise lagoon with a lot of colourful kites in the air,” an excited Baumeister-Schoenian said. 

On Monday both the Kiteracers and the big boats will return to their normal race programs for their penultimate race day. 

The Notice of Race for Race Week and the online entry is at www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au. Entries close Friday 22nd August 2014.