Dual Brisbane to Gladstone Race line honours champion Black Jack will face a supreme test to defend her title in this year’s 308n/ml Blue water classic starting on Good Friday April 22nd.
The Peter Harburg owned and Mark Bradford helmed 20.3m canting keel ocean racer rated among the fastest in her class setting race averages of 13.92 knots in 2009 followed by a super quick 14.19 knots last year will become engaged in a boat on boat match race this year.
Black Jack crewed by talented ocean racing sailors who are determined to win will have to overcome the former champion New Zealand maxi Konica Minolta now racing under the Lahana battle flag.
Lahana now owned and raced by Sydney’s Peter Millard and brother in law John Honan has a significant 10.5 metre advantage in hull length and her super size spinnakers dwarf the largest in the sail locker of the Queensland champion Black Jack.
However while the statistics stack up against Black Jack her crew have shown with their previous results that they have the proven skill endurance and tactical strategy to protect their reputation against the larger New South Wales challenger.
It has been proved before that a well sailed pocket maxi like Black Jack can produce the required boat speed to match race with the larger maxi’s including the Club Marine Brisbane to Keppel race record holder Lahana.
Selecting the pre-race line honours favourite rests with Lahana over Black Jack and the multiple ocean race record holder Brindabella and the former Sydney Hobart race record breaker the Bruce Absolon skippered Spirit of the Maid.
But all four crews are promised to endure a supreme test against their ocean racing skill over every metre of the 308 nautical miles between the start on Moreton Bay and the finish in Gladstone Harbour before claiming the prestigious Citizens of Gladstone trophy as the fastest Gladstone racer for 2011.
By Ian Grant.