Corum crew have a score to settle in the Brisbane to Gladstone race

by Ian Grant. on 4 Mar 2002 Corum the former Hong Kong based Mumm 36 has a score to settle in her final Queensland ocean race under owner skipper Bill Wild.

Skipper Wild and crew have focused on winning the Down Town Duty Free Brisbane-Gladstone race over the Easter weekend before the sloop is sold.

Their recent third place corrected time result in the Strathfield Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race suggests the Corum crew are race prepared for the tactically testing race over 308 nautical miles to Gladstone.

They are totally dedicated to sailing every mile on the weather rail and this race will be no different.

Corum has proved she has the all angle sailing speed to be ranked among this years top contenders and the crew have a special incentive to make sure the hard raced Mumm 36 adds a Gladstone Race win to her resale value.

She was in line to win in 1999 before two key crewmembers Kevin Costin and Mark Elkington fell overboard near Lady Elliot Island when a lifeline lashing failed under the load from aggressive hiking.

The crew of their match racing Mumm 36 rival Sea Noble Engineering swiftly recovered Costin and Elkington after an unexpected swim.

But the split second incident ended Corum's chances of winning The Courier-Mail Cup for skipper Wild.

However when the starting signal is fired at 1100 hours on Good Friday morning (March 29) the Corum crew fully understand they face their final chance to make the famed sloop, which has represented Hong Kong in the Admirals Cup a winner in Queensland's major blue water classic.




Sailing master Kevin Costin knows it's 'pay back' time and will be assisted by a crew who have spent numerous hard sailing miles on the deck of Corum.

They are also passionate about winning for skipper Wild who has been negotiating with an English designer to draw up a Sydney-Hobart race challenger.

'We as a crew have a job to do and it would be a fitting reward for Bill to be a winner with Corum'.

'As usual there will be no lack of enthusiasm'. Crewmember Matt Von Bibra said.