Glorious sunshine greeted the fleet of yachts as they headed to the
startline of the 63rd Brisbane to Gladstone
yacht race. Setting off from Brisbane's Rivergate at 8:00am, the maxi yacht Brindabella arrived at the line around
10:30am where officals and a mass of spectator craft were gathering.
An enthusiastic response greeted Brindabella as she raised her blue and
yellow kite with the southern cross emblazoned
across it accompanying the Save Our Seas logo on the brand new main.
Sailing for the Save Our Seas campaign, Brindabella is
using the Brisbane to Gladstone race as a final shakedown before she sets
off in early May on an attempt to break the Around Australia World Speed Record.
Save Our Seas is dedicated to ridding our oceans of damaging plastic and founder
Ian Thomson is on board Brindabella as sailing master.
Getting a good solid start, Brindabella is now dueling with light winds
across Moreton Bay keeping Lahana, Blackjack,
and Hooligan in sight. "We were pleased with the start, it was nice and
clean and that is what we wanted in these light
conditions." said Ian Thomson after the yachts settled.
Line honours Winner from the previous two races, Blackjack, is showing some
local knowledge and moving away as Lahana goes
south in a bid to get an edge. Brindabella and Hooligan are just a couple
of hundred meters apart as they tack up the bay and
the Farr 40's and the Marten 49 Ocean Affinity are holding their own in
these lighter conditions.
- Andrew Hawkins, Mainsheet Media (on board Brindabella).