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Race record safe for another year

Home 2006 Race record safe for another year

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Unless a miracle occurs, in the form of a second howling southerly front, George Snow’s Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race looks set to remain in tact for the 7th year running.

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Unless a miracle occurs, in the form of a second howling southerly front, George Snow’s Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race looks set to remain in tact for the 7th year running.

At 1330 hrs today, race leader Skandia still had 41 nautical miles to sail and was averaging close to 10 knots sailing north of Cape Byron. Based on her speed at that time, the Melbourne maxi, owned by Grant Wharington, still had 4 hours ahead of her, putting her just under two hours outside the record time of 27 hours 35 minutes 3 seconds set by Brindabella in 1997.

Her current ETA based on this speed is 5.30pm AEST this afternoon but a short time later she hit a light patch and her speed dropped to below 5 knots.

"Around 12 noon the south easter came and we lifted to almost 12 knots and that gave us some hope, but there is just not enough pressure," Wharington told Sail World this afternoon.

"It’s not going to happen," he added, referring to their attempt on the race record.

Steven David’s Wild Joe, which is yet to turn the corner at Cape Byron and sail into lighter airs, has a handy 15 mile lead over the third placed Seriously Ten (John Woodruff & Eric Robinson).

 

By 1400 hrs this afternoon, Ray Roberts’ Quantum Racing had well and truly put their late start yesterday behind them with pole position on the IRC leaderboard.

Off Coffs Harbour the fleet is bringing the pressure with them with Rob Hanna’s Shogun clocking speeds of 10 knots, twice that of Skandia.

Amongst the back markers, Mike Freebairn’s Queensland Kaufman 41 MDBS Koomooloo, built in 1968 and the oldest boat in the fleet, is making excellent progress humming along at 8 knots of boat speed.