Record Times Double as Historic Brisbane Yacht Race Proves Brutal

Celestial crossed the Gladstone Harbour finish line before dawn on Sunday morning after 1 day and 19.5 hours at sea—more than doubling last year's race record and forcing nine yachts to abandon the 75th Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race entirely. The winner required ambulance assistance within minutes of docking, a stark indicator of the extraordinary brutality that defined this year's conditions.

Dr Sam Haynes, owner and skipper of the record-breaking yacht, stepped off Celestial onto the dock and called the race a "washing machine." The same boat that won the 2022 Sydney to Hobart Race overall and set the B2G record last year in under 20 hours spent more than 43 hours battling northerly winds and violent storm cells. The time difference—nearly 24 additional hours—reflects the scale of the challenge: squalls, heavy seas, and a waterspout that moved alongside the yacht near Indian Head.

"A lot of sail changes and a lot of different ways of coping with the weather were required," Haynes explained to officials. "I don't think I've ever had a line honours title in a significant race like this. This is really good for us. It is fantastic."

The victory came at a cost. A crew member required ambulance attention with suspected shoulder and rib injuries sustained while working on the main mast during conditions so rough that even securing the halyard became a dangerous operation. The incident underscored how unforgiving the open water proved across the entire fleet.

Eight yachts retired on the opening night after sailing through two storm cells, citing yacht damage, crew illness, or crew-safety decisions. Indigo II abandoned the race just before reaching the finish line with a torn mainsail, bringing total retirements to nine. The Celeste had been struck by lightning over the weekend and lost all onboard electronics—yet the crew chose to continue with only VHF radio and satellite connectivity for communication. Hutchies Yeah Baby confronted a mainsail problem at dusk but managed to secure it and keep racing.

Queensland Cruising Yacht Club Commodore Ian Gidlow said the 2023 fleet "will go down in history for the 75th edition of our mighty race as having had to overcome everything from the calm to the storm and everything in between."

Despite the brutal conditions, notable achievements emerged. Ocean Crusaders J-Bird III became the first electric boat to complete the race, crossing under the helm of female skipper Annika Thomson. Maritimo 11 currently leads the field on corrected time—a handicap metric accounting for boat size and design—suggesting one of the smaller vessels may claim overall honours despite finishing hours or days after Celestial.

Other finishers included Mayfair, Not a Diamond, Kerumba, Wedgetail, Hutchies Yeah Baby, LCE Old School Racing and Crankster.