Shogun V Looking For Glory - Brisbane to Gladstone Race

Good Friday, April 6, 2012
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

This year's Brisbane to Gladstone fleet is peppered with a solid fleet of cruisers, high performance multihulls with some guns together and IRC grand prix stalwarts Lahana, Wild Thing, UBS Wild Thing and Black Jack. The 64th edition of this 308 nautical mile race is sure to deliver plenty of thrills and spills.

Lahana Photo: Rolex/Kurt Arrigo

Geelong sailor Rob Hanna is confident his IRC JV 52 Shogun V is not only well prepared but capable of a solid crack at handicap honours. The race is also another opportunity for the crew to rack up some more sea miles ahead of the NSW IRC Championships to be be held at Port Stephens between 16-22 April, 2012.

Shogun V Photo: Peter Blakeman/extremefilm.com.au

Shogun V's tactician Steve McConaghy is back onboard calling shifts and said before leaving the dock this morning that the biggest challenge in this race is getting out of Moreton Bay.

"It's a game of snakes and ladders navigating through the channel with three nautical miles north then eight south, an so on back and forth with a total of 40 miles to cover before getting out into the open sea," McConaghy said.

Shogun V Photo: Peter Blakeman/extremefilm.com.au

With (ESE) east-sou'easterly conditions expected of 10-15 knots building to 20 knots the fleet is expecting a quick downwind sprint that could break the record set by Grant Wharrington on his maxi Skandia in 2004.

Shogun V previously raced under the burge of Sardinia's Yacht Club Costa Smeralda when she was launched in 2011 as Audi Azzurra for Audi MedCup. She is one of the latest generation TP 52 hulls before Hanna had her optimised for IRC to also suit both ocean and regatta racing. Since Hanna took delivery of the boat in 2011 she has become a force to be reckoned with recently dominating the IRC Division of Sydney Harbour Regatta last month.

Ocean Affinity www.saltwaterimages.com.au

Notable Queensland boats competing include Stewart Lewis' Marten 49 Ocean Affinity, Barry Cuneo's Farr 40 Lambourdini/Envy Scooters, Grant Wharington's Wild Thing, Rod Jones' Welbourn 50 A5 - Audi Centre Sunshine Coast and the Volvo 60 Spirit of The Maid

Lulu Roseman