Highly talented yacht racing sailors will face another test of personal endurance when they compete for class honours in the prestigious international Audi Hamilton Island Race Week class championships in the warm Whitsunday Islands later today.

As forecast the South East trade wind continued to blow averaging 20 knots overnight which suggests the record 225 yacht fleet flying the proud 'battle flags' of American, England, New Zealand and Australian clubs will have their strong wind racing skills tested.

There is every chance that the gusty trade wind which was spiced with gusts to 27 knots and unpredictable 15-20 degree direction changes yesterday has remained to set the foundation for another exciting nip and tuck duel for line and handicap honours in the intensely competitive Grand Prix IRC division.

Bob Oatley's Rolex Sydney Hobart race champions manning the battle stations on the smaller maxi-chaser Wild Oats X will again be under the pump to control the fastest yacht of the regatta title.

Skipper Mark Richards, tactician Glenn Bourke and the experienced sail trimmers completed a determined fight back to claim a 29 second win over their equally impressive match racing rival the Mark Bradford skippered Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron sloop Black Jack.

Mark Bradford's Black Jack crew intend to engage the defending line honours champions on Wild Oats X in another mate against mate match race during the tactically demanding windward leeward races today.

They had their rivals looking over their shoulder yesterday before Wild Oats X claimed victory in the most exciting line honours battle ever staged in the 25 year history of grand prix yacht racing at Hamilton Island.

Similar interest will surround the equally intense struggle for the important corrected handicap honours after the former Hamilton Island Race Week champion Bob Steel and his principal helmsman Jamie McPhail power sailed the TP52 Quest to an impressive win over the Geoff Ross skippered Yendys and Quantum Racing (Ray Roberts) yesterday.

by Ian Grant

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