Celestial Wins Brutal 75th Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race

One of the fiercest Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Races on record handed victory to Celestial, whose owner-skipper Dr Sam Haynes piloted the vessel across the finish line at Gladstone Harbour early on Sunday morning after battling extreme weather that tested both crew and boat to their limits.

The 75th edition of the historic coastal race proved catastrophically challenging from the outset. Eight yachts were forced to abandon the competition during the opening night, stricken by storm damage, crew illness, or the seamanship decision to withdraw rather than risk treacherous conditions. By the time the final yacht crossed the line, nine vessels had retired in total—a stark reminder of how brutal the elements had proven.

The weather itself was relentless. Sailors reported dense squalls battering the fleet, with one waterspout spotted travelling alongside a yacht near Indian Head. Northerly wind conditions and violent storm cells came in waves, forcing crews to constantly adapt sail configuration and strategy. One vessel, Celeste, suffered a direct lightning strike on Good Friday evening, knocking out all electronics on board. Though the crew retained communication via VHF radio and satellite link—allowing them to continue—the damage underscored the raw power they were up against.

When Celestial finally reached Gladstone, the toll of the race was apparent. An ambulance was waiting at the dock to treat a crew member who had sustained suspected shoulder and rib injuries while working high on the main mast to repair a halyard. Haynes described his experience with gratitude and wonder, likening the chaotic conditions to being tumbled in a washing machine. Claiming line honours in a race of this magnitude represented a significant career achievement—a title he had never previously secured in an event of this stature. The yacht's time of 1 day, 19 hours, 30 minutes and 53 seconds represented more than a doubling of their pace from the previous year, when they had set the race record for conventionally ballasted yachts at just under 19.5 hours—a stark illustration of how much slower the conditions had forced them to sail.

The finishers came across in turn over subsequent hours. Ocean Crusaders J-Bird III made history as the first all-electric yacht to complete the race, skippered by Annika Thomson. Others including Maritimo 11—currently leading on corrected time—followed, along with Mayfair, Not a Diamond, Kerumba, and several others.

Queensland Cruising Yacht Club Commodore Ian Gidlow reflected on the severity of this edition, calling it among the toughest in the race's history. The fleet had been forced to overcome everything from windless stretches to overwhelming storm, he noted—a full spectrum of challenge compressed into a single ordeal.

Haynes' win adds another major title to an already decorated season. As the 2022 Rolex Sydney to Hobart overall winner, he has now claimed line honours in one of Australia's most demanding offshore races during a year that has tested his skill and determination as never before.