Club Marine Brisbane to Keppel Tropical Yacht Race finished for 2008
Tuesday, August 5th, 2008
In 2007 there was a mixture of conditions from 25 knot south westerly to 2 knot northerly. In 2008 the warm Queensland weather provided the 23 competing yachts with light conditions through the entire race. Most of the crew never even had a spash of water come over the bow.
Peter Harburg’s Reichel Pugh 66 Black Jack crossed the finish line 33 hours 13 minutes and 13 seconds after the 1100 hour start on Saturday 2nd August from Moreton Bay. The last boat to safely finish was Rudi Weber’s Lloyds Brokers Too Impetuous finishing at 2:50:13 early Tuesday morning.
Line Honours, IRC and PHS champions Black Jack, skippered by Mark Bradford said the crew enjoyed their first race together immensely and are looking forward to racing in their home clubs Signature Yachting event in 2009.
The Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron together with the partnership of Keppel Bay Marina have already begun planning for next years race.
RQYS Vice Commodore Russell McCart said the race can only get better in the future.
“The word is well and truly out now that this race is a great event and it will be on the yachting calendar of many ocean racers in the coming years,” said McCart.
Greg Poole’s Piping Hot, Ray Sweeney’s Mondo, Kevin Horne’s Wild Spirit, Chris Morgan’s Full Bore and Geoff Anderson’s Outsider NT all decided to withdraw from the race to ensure they didn’t miss the celebrations at the end.
Outsider NT was just 2 nautical miles from the finish and had been sitting in no wind for some time before they finally decided to drop sails, power up the engine and enter the harbour.
“The outgoing tide really made the decision for us. There was no wind and we just wanted to get ashore,” said Outsider NT owner and skipper Geoff Anderson.
“We had a great race, but it was time to join the party so the engine was turned on and in we motored,” continued Anderson.
The presentation of trophies is scheduled to commence at 1100 hours this morning before crews take to the water again to travel north for both Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week and Audi Hamilton Island Race Week. Those not traveling north will be returning to their home ports before going back to work.
For more information – www.brisbanetokeppel.com