Match Race For Line Honours In Brisbane To Gladstone Race

Friday April 6th 2012 1700 hrs.

Peter Harburg’s 20.3 m Black Jack was engaged in a nip and tuck match race against the 30m super maxi yachts Lahana (Peter Millard) and Wild Thing (Grant Wharington) when they tracked on a fast pace along the Sunshine Coast this afternoon.

Photo: Mike Kenyon/Kenyon Sports Photos

A course error forced Wild Thing the current record holder to lose valuable time when the leaders sailed into a soft wind shadow near Moreton Island. Crew spokesperson Kelly Matthews simply explained the error as a stuff up."I’m wearing the blame," Matthews said.

Photo: Mike Kenyon/Kenyon Sports Photos

However when Wild Thing sailed clear of the Moreton Island wind shadow she soon made up the lost time to enter into an interesting duel with Lahana and Black Jack. All three yachts had continued to log fast speed in the 15 knot breeze with the well sailed Black Jack putting together a strong performance.

They were reported to be romping fast under spinnakers with the race tracker regularly registering the peak speed at 17.5 knots. Based on their positions this afternoon the three yachts remain on track to chase down the race record of 20 hours 40 minutes 50 seconds set by Wild Thing eight years ago.

Photo: Mike Kenyon/Kenyon Sports Photos

As expected Robert Hanna’s TP52 Shogun V has firmed a strangle hold on the provisional corrected handicap to lead the wave surfing Gladstone yacht Wistari and the veteran Mackay yacht Matangi.

However all crews are expecting to face a moderating wind after dusk as the high pressure system in the Tasman Sea drifts off to the east.

Ian Grant