Qld; Brisbane to Gladstone leaders on course for race record

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2001
Qld; Brisbane to Gladstone leaders on course for race record

Leaders in the 53rd Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race were on course to set a race record
early tomorrow morning.

Race spokesman IAN GRANT says a strong 20 to 25 knot south-easterly has helped the
fleet off to its fastest start ever from Bramble Bay after the starting gun fired from
Shorncliffe, north of Brisbane.

Mr GRANT says by 6pm, the leaders were off the Wide Bay bar near Fraser Island and
on track to arrive in Gladstone around 7am, two hours ahead of the 1993 race record of
21 hours and 21 minutes, set by Bobsled.

Leading the multi-hull vessels was the New Caledonian catamaran ROGNTUDJU, with Sydney
yacht GRUNDIG XENA at the front of the keel yacht fleet.

An added incentive for this year's race is the Federation Cup, a $4000 gilt cup donated
by the federal and state governments to celebrate the Centenary of Federation.

AAP RTV rad/klw

KEYWORD: YACHTING GLADSTONE (BRISBANE)

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