Raw Nerve wins third Gladstone in a row
by Ian Grant on 15 Apr 2006
Victorian skipper Martyn Riley steered his maxi catamaran Raw nerve to her third consecutive line honours win in the Multihull class Brisbane to Gladstone Race this afternoon. Raw Nerve showed her speed potential to overcome a slow start in Moreton Bay yesterday by finishing the 308 n/ml race in 26 hours and 2 seconds.
A sub 28 hour course time seemed very remote when the speed sailing catamaran sailed into the final 100 miles of the course just after 5 am today.
But Riley and his experienced crew sailed the pressure angles in the building south east breeze to average 11.1 knots during the 9 hours between the 5am fleet report and her finish in Gladstone Harbour at 1-55-02 this afternoon.
This was another brilliant performance by Australia’s fastest offshore catamaran sailing combination which deserved the honour of winning their third line honours trophy in as many years.
However while this was a big recovery after a slow and unimpressive start Raw Nerve still finished just over 8 hours outside her 2004 race record.
Her finish time has now set the bench mark for the smaller yachts APC Max and Raider to record a faster corrected handicap course time to take possible dual honours win from Raw Nerve.
Both yachts looked set to spoil the celebration party for the Raw Nerve crew as they sailed fast towards the finish this afternoon
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