IMPRESSIVE FLEET ENTERED FOR NEW OCEAN RACE.
An impressive fleet of 15 yachts have officially accepted the opportunity to create Australian ocean racing history by winning the inaugural Brisbane to
Great Keppel Island race starting from Brisbane’s historical Waterloo Bay on
Friday August 3 rd .
The unique nature of this tactical 348 nautical mile blue water race the only
Australian coastal yachting classic to start on a bay and finish off a tropical island resort in the Coral Sea has presented an enthralling challenge for approximately 125 ocean race sailors representing West Australia, New South
Wales and Queensland clubs.
Several crew members have experienced the personal torment of contesting the endurance testing Rolex Sydney Hobart Race and while they expect to face a test of their personal offshore sailing skill and seamanship their time at sea will be more pleasant with a view of picturesque coastal scenery and tropical islands throughout the race.
All of the 15 yachts have the distinction of contesting major Australian offshore races and therefore the battle for both the overall fastest corrected handicap time and the line honours trophies will be keenly contested.
A promise of spinnaker sailing winds has confirmed the speed sailing Royal
Queensland Yacht Squadron sloop Wedgetail as the line honours pacemaker.
Wedgetail owned and skippered by the popular Bill Wild will have former
Women’s World champion Vanessa Dudley and the equally skilled Gail
Harland on deck when they enter into the non-stop 348 nautical mile match race against the smaller Mooloolaba sloop Wasabi (Ken Down) and Kevin
Miller’s former Rolex Sydney Hobart champion Quest.
Size and sail power favour this trio of well sailed sloops for the first to finish trophy while the 39 year old Margaret Rintoul II originally built to represent
Australia at the Admirals Cup in England has the proven long race record of
21 Sydney-Hobart races with various skippers including the internationally famed Syd Fischer to be a worthy nomination as a handicap challenger.
There will also be a high degree of personal pride associated with the watch keeping aboard the smallest yacht in the fleet the John Gray skippered
Battleship Gray.
John’s seafaring father the late Allan Gray was a key crew member when John
Bourne skippered Sea Prince to her history making win in the inaugural
Brisbane to Gladstone race during the 1949 Easter holiday weekend.

Naturally the new generation ocean race seafarer would like to emulate the feat of his father by celebrating 59 years of proud family yachting history by winning the inaugural Brisbane to Great Keppel Island race with Battleship
Gray.