Strong wind warinings for Brisbane to Gladstone fleet

by Ian Grant on 31 Mar 2002 A strong wind warning spiced with gusts in excess of 25 knots provided a wave surfing fast spinnaker ride for the tailend Brisbane to Gladstone Race yachts today.

This ended a very frustrating 24 hour period when the yachts made slow progress in fickle winds.

As expected the winds have boosted the chance for the lower handicapped rated yachts including five times race winner Saltash 11 skippered by Ian and Bill Wright to upset the corrected handicap times of the yachts already safely moored in the Gladstone Marina.

Based on continually revised provisional race times Saltash 11 a 'blow home' winner in similar conditions in 1986, 1992, 1993, 1999, 2001 entered Gladstone Harbour just after 1-30 this afternoon holding a slim chance to win the 54 year old Courier-Mail Cup for a record breaking sixth time.

The crew of Sean Langman's class line honours winner Grundig was one of the crews regularly monitoring the position of Saltash 11.

Grundig a brilliant line and handicap winner in the Sydney to Mooloolaba race earlier in March was poised to write another chapter in ocean racing by taking line and handicap honours in both races in the same year.

Interested crews delayed race celebrations when Saltash 11 passed Gatcombe Head in a tight race against time and an outgoing tide.

Skipper Sean Langman and the Grundig crew who completed the course at 4-30pm on Saturday ended a long patient wait at 1-42pm today when Saltash 11 fell short by 39 minutes to record a sixth win in Queensland's premier blue water yacht race.

The Grundig crew were then forced to monitor Gladstone's hometown hero Wistari but she also missed to win her fifth race when time ran out at a 3-30pm.

Attention then focused on Peter Kerr's Pagan 11 the 1964 race winner, which had to complete her race before 6-24 to arm-wrestle the prestigious trophy from the grip of the Grundig crew.

Meanwhile the tide had turned and Pagan 11 which had won with a 9.22 knot race average in stormy winds only needed to average 7knots over the final 30 miles to spoil the party for Grundig.