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  • Quantum Racing takes line honours in the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race

Quantum Racing takes line honours in the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race

Quantum Racing takes line honours in the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race
Quantum Racing claimed took the doubleline honours and overall win in the 2008 Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race

Quantum Racing takes line honours in the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race

Ray Roberts recalled their race upon setting his feet on dry land “It was a fantastic but tough race. We had a pretty good start and were in a good position with Quest and Ragamuffin (the early leaders off the start line) and Yendys. We continued to battle with the other 50ft yachts over the first afternoon and evening.”

At 07:19am this morning, in a moderate west sou’west wind with her spinnaker up, Ray Roberts’ Quantum Racing took line honours in the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race 2008.

After a very cold night on the water, Quantum Racing sailed through the finishing line just as the sun was coming up and were greeted by some very friendly dolphins and a few people on Main Beach. Shortly after their arrival at Southport Yacht Club, Commodore Neale Hollier congratulated Ray and his crew on taking line honours victory.

For the twelve crew members onboard Quantum Racing it was a tough race. Ray Roberts recalled their race upon setting his feet on dry land “It was a fantastic but tough race. We had a pretty good start and were in a good position with Quest and Ragamuffin (the early leaders off the start line) and Yendys. We continued to battle with the other 50ft yachts over the first afternoon and evening.”

“During that first evening we had to make a critical decision whether we went offshore or kept inshore. We opted to go with the offshore strategy as we analysed the weather patterns and though that there would be more breeze offshore. It panned out that we made the right choice early in the race that helped get us into a good position – We needed to continually consolidate our position as we headed up the coast so that when we made our move back inside the rhumbline, we had enough of a lead that if we lost the breeze we would still be able to maintain it.” added Ray.

Ray congratulated his twelve crew members on a great race and also noted that this is probably one of the best fleets he has ever raced against – including the new boats Wot Now and Secret Mens Business 3 plus some other well known yachties including Syd Fischer and Bob Steel. Quantum Racing’s crew included Angus Gordon, former Commodore of Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Warren Miller, Steve McConaghy, Jack Newman, Ben De Costa, Stuart Lee, Mark Gorman and Garry Adshead.

Congratulating his crew Ray said “The crew sailed really well and tactics that we used made us come out on top. We made good decisions at the right time and it’s not easy to make those decisions as the weather and current is changing constantly so you have to observe the conditions and the long range weather forecast.

Quantum Racing’s elapsed time was 1 day 17 hours 59 minutes 26 seconds for the 384 nautical mile race which began at 1pm from Sydney Harbour on Saturday afternoon.

For Bob Steel on Quest, finishing second over the line was great news. “We knew Quantum Racing had got the line honours win – they had us beaten when they went offshore and we (and the rest of the fleet) got a little nervous and came back in. We went out again but we couldn’t could catch them, so all in all 2nd across the line is not to shabby!” said Bob.

Bob commented on Quantum Racing’s win saying that Ray will have to get a normal boat (not one with a canting keel) because he won by a country mile!. I will be watching the rest of the boats in our division to see if we come out on top. Quest’s elapsed time was 1 day 19 hours 10 minutes 35 seconds

When Quantum Racing finished the line she was also leading the IRC overall, with Quest second and Cockatoo Ridge – The Goat third.

The PHS Division has a new leader – Andrew Lygo’s Obsession, with John Simpson’s Shark face holding second and David Fernie’s Sea Quest.

About 1.5 hours after Quantum Racing and Quest crossed the finishing, Geoff Ross’s Yendys finished in third across the line with a time of time was 1 day 19 hours 22 minutes 49 seconds, followed by Matthew Short’s Shortwave, Syd Fischer’s Ragamuffin and Alan Whiteley’s Cougar II.