Major Sponsors:
- Cr Victoria Newton (Deagon Ward Office)
- Supported by the Lord Mayor's Suburban Initiative Fund and Deagon Ward Liveability Fund
Gold Sponsors:
Sandgate
Bracken Ridge / Sandgate
Sandgate
Supporting Sponsors:
- 2nd Avenue Realty
- Jeays Mitre 10
- Ironwood Cottage
- Harvey World Travel
- Hawgoods the Jewllers
- St. Patrick's College Shorncliffe
- Absolute Picture Framing
Offical Festival Photographer Paul Copsey Photography, Phone 3269 1938
The Sandgate Bluewater Festival is proudly brought to you by...
The Sandgate & Districts Chamber of Commerce
Shop 5, 11 North Road, Brighton Qld 4017
P.O. Box 23, Sandgate Qld 4017
Ph: 07 3269 0151 Fax: 07 32699997
Email: chamber@sandgate.org.au
Web: www.sandgate.org.au
Date: March 27th to April 3rd 2010
The Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race is an Australian sporting icon. As Queensland’s premier blue water classic, its significance was recognised when this race was selected as the feature aquatic sport event for the ‘Centenary of Federation’ celebrations in 2001.
The 308 nautical mile ocean classic will run for the 61st time in 2009 and is one of Australia’s major sporting events over the Easter weekend.
This race offers a blend of old and new. The course and steady trade wind breezes provide great racing for the latest high-tech mono-hull sleds and the super fast offshore catamarans, yet there is a unique history associated with this internationally famed classic.
The inaugural race in 1949 saw a fleet of seven yachts start with only six finishing. Line honours went to Hoana (George Pickers—a familiar name to most Brisbanites). Course time was 47 hours 8 minutes 25 seconds. Overall Race Winner was Sea Prince a 28ft 3 inch gaff rigged sloop skippered by John Bourne with a corrected time of 34 hours 22 minutes 18 seconds form Sea Tang (Doug Drouyn) and Hoana despite being the last yacht to finish over 9 hours behind Hoana.
Since that first race, there has been many historic moments and spectacular records set. Among the most memorable is FASTEST YACHT Skandia – (Grant Wharrington) in 2004 - 20hours, 24minutes 50seconds with an average Speed of 15.09 knots. The SLOWEST EVER on individual elapsed time with an average Speed of 2.12knots wen to Christina (W Bill MacQueen) in 1957. Christina left Sandgate Brisbane at 1100 hrs on Good Friday arrived at Auckland Point Gladstone shortly after 1230hrs the following Thursday—taking an incredible 6days 1hr 30min 18sec to complete the course.
Laurabada holds the records of most races, with 50 consecutive races sailing 43 with her builder Ivan Holm Snr at the helm and the last 6 races with Ivan Holm Jnr as Skipper.
The Golden Anniversary Race in 1998 saw the biggest ever combined fleet of 226 keel and multi-hull yachts, creating one of the most spectacular sights ever seen off the shores of Sandgate and attracting the largest crowd to ever witness a yacht race start in Queensland.
Festival Co-Ordinator:
Warren Atkinson
Ph: 0417 990 286
Festival Markets Co-Ordinator:
Anna Pace
Ph: 07 3269 0151
Festival Entertainment Director and Stage Co-Ordinator:
Warren Atkinson
Ph: 0417 990 386