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Bow on Stern Battle to the Finish

Bow on Stern Battle to the Finish

Bow on Stern Battle to the Finish

Queensland boat Black Jack, skippered by Mark Bradford, has overnight managed to hold back the rest of the 25th anniversary Audi Sydney Gold Coast Race fleet but will have to face relinquishing their lead given the insurmountable waterline length advantage of Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats XI.

0730hrs, 1 August 2010

Queensland boat Black Jack, skippered by Mark Bradford, has overnight managed to hold back the rest of the 25th anniversary Audi Sydney Gold Coast Race fleet but will have to face relinquishing their lead given the insurmountable waterline length advantage of Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats XI.

After taking injured crewman Tim Wiseman to Newcastle for medical treatment yesterday afternoon the Mark Richards skippered Wild Oats XI has climbed its way back through the fleet to be amongst the leading pack, and the 100ft supermaxi from Sydney will once again push to the front leaving the 60 footers in its wake. 

Currently the line honours positions are Black Jack leading Wild Oats X, skippered by Olympic and America’s Cup yachtsman Iain Murray, Wild Oats XI and Stephen Ainsworth’s Loki, which is at the top of the IRC overall standings.  All four are sailing well off the Solitary Islands north of Coffs Harbour in a 10 knot SW breeze.

“It looks like it's shaping up to be an epic bow on stern battle all the way to the finish line,” admitted Black Jack’s navigator, America’s Cup sailor Ed Smyth this morning. “Peter the owner is working hard on the mainsheet grind. We are getting every inch of speed out of Black Jack.”

Loki’s navigator Michael Bellingham this morning reported “It’s all very exciting now. Wild Oats X and XI plus Black Jack are all around us, we are frantically changing sails to stay in touch. We had a great night, perfect sailing, high numbers with a spinnaker all night.”

Based on current speed the first boat is due across the finish line off Southport’s Main Beach around 4.30pm this afternoon, the time to beat to break the longstanding race record set 11 years ago by George Snow’s Brindabella

 

On Nicholas Bartels’ Victorian Cookson 50 Terra Firma, navigator Lex O’Connor reported conditions in the early hours of this morning “We are having an awesome sail - lots of green water across the deck -- yee haa. Who needs a warm bed in the wee hours…

“We’ve have had a great night with a combination of kites and jib top with quite a lot of pressure, some exciting submarine excursions and white water all down the decks.

“It’s now 8.30am and Terra Firma Racing is in lighter pressure and we are looking at the forecasts that have light variable winds which will provide the most challenges so far in the race. The combination of light wind and current on the course will change the race significantly. There will be winners and losers.”

Overnight the weather remained consistent, averaging between 10-20 knots of west sou’west breeze, with most of the fleet sailing on or east of the rhumbline, the most direct course between the start and finish point in this 384 nautical mile race which kicks off the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's 2010/11 offshore season.

On IRC handicap Loki has the edge over Geoff Ross’ RP55 Yendys and Colin and Gladys Wood’s new Cookson 50 Pretty Fly III, the current ORCi leader.

Geoff Lavis’ ‘flying toothpick’ UBS Wild Thing is the best placed on handicap in PHS division 1 while Alan Warwick’s EZ Street has top spot in PHS division 2 and The Goat is the fastest Sydney 38.

On David Pescud’s Sailors with disABILITIES crewman Martin Hannon provided this morning’s report, “First night is out of the way and we are waking up to a fabulous dawn. Overnight Erin Mander nailed the speed record for the trip so far with 22.3 knots - the other watch was not impressed to lose the title!

“From midnight the breeze built to 30 knots+ for a period requiring a reef and a sail change from the jib top to a head sail, so fun and games on the bow. With the breeze dropping the race is looking close with those around us; let’s hope we can keep the SWD bus rolling along.

“After the rugby score was eventually found (Go the ABS - All Blacks, not Able Bodies in this case) there have been defections and more claims of being a Kiwi. Though some Aussies are ignoring the rugby and just wanting to discuss cricket for some reason.

“Breakfast menu today, Eggs Florentine served with your choice of fresh fruit juice, tea or coffee,” Hannon added.

There have been no further retirements overnight leaving a fleet of 72 racing north in the annual winter coastal classic.

Today’s forecast is for west to southwesterly winds 10 to 15 knots tending west to northwesterly up to 10 knots around midday then increasing to 10 to 15 knots by early evening and turning westerly at 15 to 25 knots later in the evening.

Fleet positions are available via Yacht Tracker at http://goldcoast.cyca.com.au

By Lisa Ratcliff, CYCA Event Media