Strong breeze again on Day 3 Audi Hamilton Island
'Cougar - Audi Hamilton Island Race Week 2008'
Andrea Francolini / Audi ©
A firm ridge extending from the cold latitudes of the Tasman Sea has bent a strong South East air flow into the tropical sailing paradise of the Whitsunday Islands.
Strong gusts overnight again tormented the wind recorders on the race yachts which were safely moored in Hamilton Harbour as their crews slept to restock the energy for another testing day of fresh wind sailing in the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week series.
The record 225 yacht fleet representing English, American, New Zealand and Australian clubs experienced a demanding physical test of fresh wind sailing over short courses yesterday and they can expect to face another tough grind on the 'torture track' today.
There will be an endless stream of spray on the deck while the sails and the crew energy will experience another tension test with the breeze expected to peak around 25 knots building another white crested sea way.
As expected the high performance fresh wind sailors on Peter Harburg's Mark Braford skippered Black Jack are happy with the fresh wind forecast.
Black Jack power sailed to record two impressive wins over her match racing rival the Mark Richards skippered Wild Oats X yesterday to become the first Queensland owned yacht to challenge for the fastest time trophy.
Skipper Mark Bradford, main/trimmer Vaughan Prentice and their talented 'wind reader' New Zealand Americas Cup Sailor and Olympic Finn Bronze Medallist Craig Monk hope to repeat yesterdays impressive all angle sailing speed during the Coral Sea race involving rounding Edward and Hayman Island before finishing off the entrance beacons off Hamilton Harbour later today.
Over the three races contested so far Black Jack with her 2-1-1 score leads Bob Oatley's Rolex Sydney Hobart race champions in Wild Oats X 1-2-2 into what promises to become another intense tactical 'Dog Fight' for line honours while the heavy wind sailing specialists on the Victorian yachts Living Doll, Cougar and XLR8 continually impress in the battle for the prestigious Grand Prix Audi Hamilton Island Race Week IRC.
by Ian Grant 
Port Macquarie, NSW
