The Dreamtime challenges Eureka in Mt Gay Mooloolaba to Airlie Race

by In 'Stripey' Grant on 4 Aug 2002 Veteran Sunshine Coast ocean racing skipper Bob Robertson and his Eureka crew are poised to ward off a line honours challenge as they sailed slowly passed Lady Musgrave Island shortly after dusk tonight.

Eureka seemed set to secure another major long distance yacht race win when they held a six nautical mile lead over second placed The Dreamtime earlier today but that changed in the 12 hours to 1830 hours after both yachts logged over 8 knot averages across the top of Hervey Bay.

John Woodruff and his Dreamtime crew reduced the lead to 3 miles but the promise of making any further improvement slipped away with the wind as the fleet sailed into another almost windless void as they set a course to weather Cape Capricorn.

Skipper Robertson's Eureka crew toughed it out in an unstable weather pattern on Saturday night sailing through winds that veered between North East to South West to be the first to clear the Breaksea Spit light.

'We faced a mixed bag of slow sailing winds in what proved to be a busy night of sail changing, however I was pleased with the result which allowed us to take a six mile break on the fleet'. Robertson said.

As expected the continuing changes in wind speed and direction slowed the pace with Eureka logging a 6.9-knot average for the first 30.5 hours

Robertson had continued to plot a course close to the rhumbline as they headed on the compass bearing to weather the Kepple Island group and complete the first half of what is proving to be an offshore racing tacticians nightmare as the wind predictably lost velocity after dusk.

Eureka was under siege to stall the challenge from The Dreamtime and Aspect Computing as all three yachts dropped off the back of the wind front which moved north to offer a cooling 15-18 knot south east change to a warm 26 degree end of winter day in the Whitsunday's.

Meanwhile while an interesting line honours duel developed the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron sloop Antipodes Australia moved into strong contention to lead the IRC class handicap over Occasional Course Language (CYCA) and Tara (MHYC).

The smaller Mooloolaba Yacht Club sloop Sunshine Coast Roofing skippered by Jeremy Leitch retained her lead in the Performance handicap class from his club mate Graham Roberts in Shala V and The Dreamtime.

Race officials are expecting the fleet to pass the halfway point near the Keppel Islands overnight with the race set to drag well beyond the 52hour 34minute 28second record set by 2GB Titan Ford in 2000.