Father and Son poised for Gladstone win

by Ian Grant on 14 Apr 2001 Simon and Carlos Steenland were poised to claim a popular win in the Centenary Of Federation Brisbane to Gladstone ocean yacht race later today.

Skipper Simon a 17 race veteran sailing with son Carlos as his principal 'man Friday' had sailed hard in the spinnaker and two sail reaching winds to have their Jon Sayer designed sloop Belle as the clear corrected time on the water this afternoon.

The cruiser racer class sloop, which still had 25 miles of the 308-n/ml course to sail, had built up a major share of her lead before clearing Lady Elliott Island fore the final run to the finish.

At the mid-day fleet position report Belle had broken away to be the clear corrected handicap leader in the IRC class leading another father and son skippering team of Peter and Shane Gaddes in Outside Edge with the Bill Wild skippered Corum third.

All three yachts had entered the final 20 n/mls of what has proved to be a very fast race with time favouring Belle with her fleet placing to displace the record-breaking line honours winner Grundig Xena (Sean Langman) as the new provisional race winner.

The Steenland's can prepare their victory speech while the minor placing's may change when the individual course times are recorded later today.