Line honours for Ichi Ban in the Brisbane to Gladstone race

Ichi Ban - two in a row

Matt Allen steered his modified Volvo Globe racer Ichi Ban to another impressive Brisbane to Gladstone line honours win earlier today.

Ich Ban which completed the 308 n/ml coastal passage race with a course time of 23 Hours 34 minutes 10 seconds mastered a mixed range of light to moderate winds to claim successive line honours titles in Queensland’s premier blue water classic.

As expected owner skipper Matt Allen was pleased with the result. “We had an enjoyable sail last night it was warm and the only water we had on the deck was from a few light showers”.

“It would have been nice to have a bit more pressure but overall I’m happy and the crew are happy,” he said.

However while Ichi Ban dominated the battle for line honours her course time will not be fast enough to feature in the contest against the smaller older and lower handicapped yachts for the fastest corrected handicap.

Quantum Racing spoilt the party for the Ichi Ban crew when owner skipper Ray Roberts completed the course in 26 hours 11 minutes 20 seconds.

Quantum Racing certainly had saved her handicap time on Ichi Ban to become the provisional leader while the remainder of the fleet enjoyed fast spinnaker sailing conditions as they tracked their course towards Gladstone.

The freshening winds favoured several yachts including the 2006 champion Michael Balkin’s sloop Corum and the Colin Kimmorley skippered cold moulded plywood sloop Argus.

Both yachts were favourably placed however race director Herb Prendergast said “There are several other yachts who have a fleet position to change the top order overnight”.

Five in a row for Riley

Victorian catamaran skipper Martyn Riley wrote another chapter in the 44 year history of Brisbane to Gladstone multihull races when he steered Raw to the Core to an impressive line honours win earlier today.

Riley looked almost certain to miss this race when his power sailing maxi-cat Raw Nerve was dismasted in the Adelaide to Port Lincoln race earlier this year.

Raw Nerve the Brisbane to Gladstone multihull class record holder which set an amazing 16.28knot average over the 308 n/ml course in 2004 remained in the Melbourne boatyard when the smaller Stuart Bloomfield designed sprint machine Raw to the Core showed her class to retain the unbroken record of five major trophy wins for her proud owner.

They were easily the star performers in yet another overnight sprint where Raw to the Core expressed her spinnaker sailing speed to improve from a poor start to take the lead from APC Max at the half way mark off Indian Head.

“It was an interesting and enjoyable race for us with no real problems apart from the start and the slow sail out of the bay”

“But that all changed when we sailed into the fresher breeze off the Sunshine Coast on Friday night”.

“The little cat proved to be a joy to sail and we held good numbers reaching a peak of 17.4 knots just prior to passing APC Max”. Stuart Bloomfield said.

Her lead was dramatically extended when APC Max capsized near Indian Head.

“We were preparing for a match race and were not sure where APC Max was because there was no sign of navigation lights”. Stuart Bloomfield added.

Fortunately the four APC Max crew members were rescued unharmed by Rob Remilton’s Wilparina II crew which continued her race to Gladstone.

Wilparina 11 completed the course in fifth place over four hours astern of Raw to the Core however they are expected to apply for a redress which will ultimately improve her chances in the corrected handicap results which will be officially confirmed tomorrow.

More information at www.brisbanetogladstone.com.au