Brisbane to Keppel Tropical Yacht Race starts August 3

by Alaine Neilson on 1 Aug 2012 Twenty-seven spectacular monohull yachts are scheduled to leave Moreton Bay at 12 noon this Friday 3 August and race 348 nautical miles to the tropical waters of Keppel Bay. This is the sixth Club Marine Brisbane to Keppel Tropical Yacht Race and is the premier offshore yachting event for the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron.

Who is tipped to win?

The Reichel Pugh design Wild Oats XI skippered by Mark Richards finished three hours ahead of Lahana last year. With Lahana not competing this year it could be anybody’s race. Blunderbuss and Carbon Credits are fresh from the race to Noumea and rearing to go. Lunchtime Legend has been in the top three in the weekly WAGS (Wednesday Afternoon Go Sailing) races and Black Jack, also a Reichel Pugh, is another strong contender.

If experience is anything to go by Carbon Credits, Mondo, Bribie Star, Arcadia and Gauntlet, have all raced the last two Club Marine Brisbane to Keppel races. One thing is for sure the competition will be close.

Mark Richards said ‘This is our fourth Brisbane to Keppel race. It’s an exciting race for us and we enjoy it. We just won Line Honours in the Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race where we smashed our record by five-and-a-half hours so we’re really looking forward to the Brisbane to Keppel.’

The finishing line is in an area off Keppel Bay Marina, Keppel Bay. Presentation of trophies will be at Keppel Bay Marina at 10am on Monday 6 August 2012. Prizes are awarded for first, second and third places for each category. A Line Honours prize is also awarded and a Navigator’s trophy is presented to the navigator of the yacht with the closest ETA at the finish.

Spectator boats are very welcome to be involved in the excitement. Friday’s weather is predicted to be fine and sunny, a maximum of 22C with eight knot winds. Could you think of a better way to spend a beautiful day such as this? Spectators are requested to monitor VHF Channel 77 for updates and information that will be broadcast to competitors.?Race Officials request that spectator boats stay well clear of the starting area and follow all directions given by any official boat. Make a day of it – after the race, why not venture back to the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron for an afternoon or socialising and relaxation. Then stay on for dinner!

‘This is an important yacht race for Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. The quality of the entrants is second to none. The event is the culmination of great team work and we acknowledge the part our sponsors play in making it all possible,’ said squadron’s Commodore Greg Clarke.

Brisbane to Keppel Tropical Yacht Race website

The Club Marine Brisbane to Keppel Tropical Yacht Race is a feature of Queensland Tourism's Season of Sailing calendar and is proudly sponsored by Club Marine, Club Super, Angove Family Winemakers, O’Reilly’s Real Estate, Keppel Bay Marina, Morgan's Seafood, David Bray Yachts, Stones Premium Ginger Beer, Bundaberg Rum, WIN Television, Capricorn Enterprise and the Rockhampton Regional Council. Club Marine, as the principal sponsor, has been associated with the Brisbane to Keppel since the inaugural race. We thank all our valued sponsors for their continued support.