The race to the Gold Coast is an annual pilgrimage for CYCA Immediate Past Commodore Howard Piggott and his Beneteau First 40 Flying Cloud. It is also a family affair with Piggott’s son George joining him. Flying Cloud will continue on to race weeks at Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island and Magnetic Island, as he did last year, with IRC Racing Division victory at Airlie Beach, third in IRC Passage Division 2 at Hamilton Island and third in IRC Racing at Magnetic Island, which culminated in his winning the Queensland Season of Sailing Cup.

In the light airs of last year’s Gold Coast race, Flying Cloud finished fourth in IRC Division 3 and second in IRC Division 3 in 2012, following on from winning the division the previous year.