Fleet locked in for big race

A fleet of 47 offshore racing yachts will be part of history next month when they line-up in the coastal waters off Redcliffe.

Australia’s second oldest blue water yacht race, 75th Brisbane to Gladstone (B2G) - sets sail at 11am on Good Friday (April 7).

Entries are now closed for the milestone running of this Queensland classic attracting some of Australia’s best-known racers.

They include a recently imported European yacht, the first electric yacht entry, one yacht in its 30th B2G and sailors and yachts from the 50th, 60th and 70th anniversary races.

In total, 397 sailors will race 308 nautical miles to Gladstone with crews ranging from four two-handed entrants to the largest with 30.

Yachts will head to the Shorncliffe start line from as far as The Netherlands, Sydney, Townsville, Whitsundays, Gladstone, Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.

Queensland Cruising Yacht Club (QCYC) Commodore, Ian Gidlow said: “It is anyone’s guess who will win overall and put their name on The Courier-Mail Cup.

“Skippers and crews will be hoping for Easter trade wind conditions and a spinnaker start as we saw in 2022.”

He said the overall winner of the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet will get the Peter Holm Cup and $10,000, believed to be the biggest cash prize for PHRF in Australian sailing.

2022 Rolex Sydney to Hobart winner, Celestial – owned and skippered by Dr Sam Haynes – is the early race favourite.

Celestial set a race record in last year’s B2G for a conventionally ballasted yacht completing the 308 nautical miles in 19 hours, 24 minutes 52 seconds.