Celestial takes line honours in brutal 75th Brisbane to Gladstone race

A battered Celestial has claimed line honours in the 75th Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race, finishing at dawn after what officials are calling one of the most severe offshore contests in the event's history.

Owner and skipper Dr Sam Haynes stepped from the yacht into a dock that included an ambulance crew, their presence a testament to the brutality of conditions that saw crews battling squalls, storm cells and weather phenomena seldom witnessed on Queensland waters.

The fleet had set off late last week into an unforgiving seascape. Eight yachts were forced to withdraw on the opening night alone, battered by two violent storm cells that damaged vessels, left crews severely seasick or prompted seamanship decisions to quit. By the time Celestial crossed the finish line, a ninth yacht—Indigo II—had also retired, its mainsail torn as it neared Gladstone Harbour.

The conditions never relented. Celestial's finish time of 1 day, 19 hours, 30 minutes and 53 seconds marked more than a doubling of the vessel's time from the previous year, when it had set a race record in just over 19 hours. The slowdown reflected the severity of the offshore battle, not any shortcoming in the boat or crew.

Haynes described the offshore ordeal in vivid terms. "We were getting a lot of squalls. There was a waterspout travelling alongside us," he said, recounting a moment near Indian Head. "It was like a washing machine out there." The constant assault meant repeated sail changes and shifting tactics throughout the race, as the crew adapted to an ever-shifting seascape of violent conditions.

The damage inflicted was visible on arrival. A crew member aboard Celestial required treatment from paramedics at the dock for suspected shoulder and rib injuries sustained while working on the main halyard near the top of the mast. Another vessel, Celeste, reported having been struck by lightning on Good Friday evening, wiping out all electronics—yet the crew chose to continue, relying on VHF radio and an Iridium satellite system to press on. Hutchies Yeah Baby encountered mainsail problems at dusk but managed to recover the sail and remain in contention.

For Haynes, the victory held deeper significance. A Sydney to Hobart overall winner in 2022, the 75th B2G line honours title marked his first such accolade in a race of this stature. "I don't think I've ever had a line honours title in a significant race like this," he said on the dock. "This is really good for us. It is fantastic."

The race conditions mean the overall prize is likely to go to a smaller vessel on corrected time. Ocean Crusaders J-Bird III, crewed by female helm Annika Thomson, became the first electric boat to complete the race. Maritimo 11 currently leads on corrected time, with other finishers including Mayfair, Not a Diamond, Kerumba and Wedgetail still arriving at Gladstone Harbour.

Queensland Cruising Yacht Club Commodore Ian Gidlow called the 75th edition historic. "This year's race fleet will go down in history for having had to overcome everything from the calm to the storm," he said.