Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race

The Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race is held annually, starting on Good Friday. The premier blue water classic begins from Shorncliffe in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, and finishes in Gladstone Harbour. Yachts compete for the Courier Mail Cup, one of the oldest perpetual trophies in Australia that has been competed for on a continual basis. The finish is hosted by the Port Curtis Sailing Club.

The location of each yacht can be tracked online.^[1]

In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as an "event and festival".^[2]

History

The Queensland Cruising Yacht Club was established in 1948 to organise the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race. The first race was held during Easter 1949.^[3] The first race saw seven vessels start, two of which carried radios while Brisbane’s Homing Pigeon Club supplied pigeons to the others for position reporting. Each yacht issued with birds was to release two each day.

The race record of 16 hours, 53 minutes and 57 seconds was set by Black Jack in 2018.^[4]

The 2020 race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[5]

In 2023, the race marked its 75th anniversary with a fleet of 47 vessels competing.^[1]

Course

The course leads the yachts northwards from the start line at the Shorncliffe pier to a turning mark off Redcliffe before joining the main channel out of Moreton Bay. Yachts leave Fraser Island to port before passing Breaksea spit and then leaving Lady Elliot Island to port. The final stage of the race is often the hardest as the yachts make their way up Gladstone Harbour to the finish line just outside Auckland Creek.

Winners

Key

Skandia's race record of 20 hours, 24 minutes, 50 seconds
Most Line Honors wins – Apollo
Most Courier Mail Cup wins – Saltash II
Most PHRF/THCF Handicap wins - Norseman
Most IRC Handicap wins - Saltash II
Most IOR Handicap wins - Saltash II
Most IMS Handicap wins - Saltash II
Most Arbitrary Handicap wins - Helena/Enid Tie
Most Cruising Handicap wins – Fortitude

Consecutive participation

Laurabada raced 51 Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht races, sailing 43 with her builder Ivan Holm Snr at the helm and 8 races with Ivan Holm Jnr as skipper. The majestic ketch contested her 50th race in 2002 and 51st race in 2018. Wistari has now sailed 52 Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Races as of 2022, sailing 28 with her designer and builder Noel Patrick at the helm and 24 with son Scott Patrick as skipper.^{[citation needed]}

Multiple Courier Mail Cup winners

Saltash II (Ian and Bill Wright) 1986, 1992, 1993, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007
- Fastest corrected time, 1993: 21 hours 15 minutes 54 seconds (race record)
- Average handicap rated speed: 14.48 knots
Norseman (A Wilson) 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956 (Handicap)
- Fastest corrected time 1955: 29 h 5 min 06 s
Wistari (Noel Patrick, Scott Patrick) 1971, 1976, 1977, 1982, 2021
- Fastest corrected time 1976: 26 h 01 min 24 s
Scampi A (Ross Perrins, Colin Loel) 1984, 1988, 2000
- Fastest corrected time 1988: 28 h 42 min 07 s
Solo (Vic Meyer) 1958, 1959 (Line Honours and Handicap winner)
- Fastest corrected time 1958: 27 h 48 min 37 s
Leroy Brown (Warren Wieckmann) 1989, 1991
- Fastest corrected time 1991: 40 h 07 min 24 s
Mouse Of Malham (Bill Dayan-Smith, Norman R Wright Jnr) 1960, 1963
- Fastest corrected time 1963: 29 h 31 min 24 s
Quantum Racing (Ray Roberts) 2008, 2009
- Fastest corrected time 2008: 35 h 08 min 44 s
Wedgetail (Bill Wild) 2010, 2013
- Fastest corrected time 2010: 34 h 44 min 45 s
Black Jack no.77 (Peter Harburg) 2015, 2016 Fastest corrected time 2015: 50 h 55 min 11 s

Multiple winning skippers

Jack Rooklyn (Apollo) 1973, 1974, 1978, 1979 (Ballyhoo) 1975 (Maxi Apollo) 1982, 1983, 1984
- Fastest elapsed time 1982, Maxi Apollo: 29 hours 46 minutes 56 seconds
Fred Markwell (Alvis) 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956,1957
- Fastest elapsed time 1956: 48 h 29 min 29 s
Vic Meyer (Solo)1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963
- Fastest elapsed time 1958: 34 h 52 min 50 s
Arthur Bloore (The Office) 1985, (Hammer Of Queensland) 1988, 1991, 1996, 1998
- Fastest elapsed time 1988: 29 h 53 min 47 s
Sean Langman (Grundig Xena, Grundig, AAPT - all the same boat) 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005
- Fastest elapsed time 2004: 20 h 36 min 48 s
Kerry Spencer (Bobsled) 1992, 1993, 1995
- Fastest elapsed time 1993: 21 h 59 min 43 seconds
Mark Bradford (Black Jack – two different boats with the same name) 2012, 2015, 2016
- Fastest correct time 2012: 36 h 15 min 56 s
Rupert Murdoch (Ilina) 1964, 1965
- Fastest elapsed time 1964: 33 h 23 min 54 s
Robert Bird (Bobsled) co-skipper 1993, 1995
- Fastest elapsed time 1993: 21 h 59 min 43 s
Bill Wild (Wedgetail) 2010, 2013
- Fastest correct time 2010: 34 h 44 min 45 s

Fastest time to complete the course

Black Jack 100

2018 course time: 16h 53min 57s
Average speed: 18.23 knots

References

^ a b Iorio, Kelsie (7 April 2023). "Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race to set sail in 75th year despite wild weather forecast". ABC News. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
^ Bligh, Anna (10 June 2009). "PREMIER UNVEILS QUEENSLAND'S 150 ICONS". Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 24 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
^ "Queensland Cruising Yacht Club". Queensland Cruising Yacht Club. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
^ Loftus, Tobi (14 April 2022). "Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race set to boost tourism in regional city after COVID-19 downturn". ABC News. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
^ Jurss-Lewis, Tobias; Hines, Jasmine (1 April 2021). "Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race bounces back from the brink of cancellation for second year running". ABC News. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
^ Jonathan Hair. (26 March 2016). Black Jack wins in 2016 for the third year in a row. ABC News. Retrieved 3 January 2024
^ "2017 Race Results". 71st Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
^ "2018 Race Results". 71st Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race. Retrieved 24 January 2019.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race.

Official website