Gladstone record rests with the wind

by Ian Grant on 6 Apr 2007 Matt Allen’s speed sailing sloop Ichi Ban continued on track to challenge the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race record.

Skipper Allen reported Ichi Ban had weathered the Double Island way point earlier tonight holding a big lead over Quantum Racing and Wot Yot as the freshening South East breeze gusted to 22 knots.

The wind velocity and spinnaker sailing angle provided Ichi Ban with the ideal conditions to race against the clock she was marginally ahead when the former Volvo Globe sloop surfed past Double Island Point logging an exciting speed.

Ichi Ban has the proven potential to finish in Gladstone Harbour before 7-24 am tomorrow but her crew will need the strong wind warning south east wind to continue as she tracks a course towards the turning point at Breaksea Spit later tonight.

The applied race strategy with sailing the pressure angles down wind particularly over the 86 nautical miles from Lady Elliot Island to the finish off Auckland Creek will determine the success of the record challenge.

It will be close and may come down to a minor margin of minutes however the Ichi Ban crew believe they will finish on the credit side of the record time of 20 hours 24 minutes 50 seconds.