Team Vegemite Vigilantes

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Team members: Andrew de Bruin, Scott Wallingford, Trevor (Zam) Bevan, Norris Comer
Hometown: Wynnum, Queensland, Australia
Race vessel: Corsair 760 Sport
LOA: 24′ 3″
Human propulsion: Pedal-powered propeller system

 

TL;DR: Stereotypes, Australia, Dennis Conner’s tears.

It’s a difficult time in the world to feel good about embracing any truth of stereotypes, but sometimes, and for vegemite-derived realities especially, let’s just say that from the ever-deepening depths of the R2AK writing bunkers, sometimes even if the shoe fits it feels increasingly dangerous to say it.

Getting clearer, and don’t cancel culture us prematurely here, there are plenty of unjust labels that get applied for wrong and racist reasons, but others earn it. Say what you will about █████ people, but in our experience, they’re actually just folks navigating the world the best they can. Sure, a lot of them should self-identify as entitled assholes, but that’s their culture of origin. Who are we to judge?

…and that’s how R2AK is holding space for Team Vegemite Vigilantes. No, as far as we can tell they’re neither assholes nor actively holding the █████ down, quite the contrary. As far as we can tell they are living into their stereotype: Australian sailors, potentially the fastest sailing stereotype ever made and the one that still haunts Dennis Conner’s dreams.

Who are they? The four souls aboard Team Vegemite Vigilantes seem about as stereotypical as you can get. Aussies, sailors, trimaran, vegemite—they might as well be singing Waltzing Matilda while they put a couple of shrimp on the barbie and bottle feed a koala bear.

As far as we’re concerned, they already are.

Sure they’ve sailed all over the world, 100,000+ sea miles, multiple Sydney Hobart races, certifications to spare… but you already knew that, or at least assumed it. They are Australian.

Australians in the R2AK, guess what their boat is? Yep, a trimaran, and a fast one at that, but you already knew that too, you accurately judgemental so and so. Their Corsair Sport 760 is about as Corsair as you can get. White as the white part of the Ace of Spades, the no-nonsense, 25-foot speed machine is somewhere between a proven and inevitable choice for teams who want to emphasize the “R” part of the R2AK.

Welcome to the R2AK, Team Vegemite Vigilantes. We’re not sure if it’s destiny or a stereotypical foregone conclusion, but we look forward to joining Dennis at the bar when you inevitably take our trophy, too.