The Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race is held annually, starting on Good Friday. The premier blue water classic begins from Shorncliffe in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, and finishes in Gladstone Harbour. Yachts compete for the Courier Mail Cup, one of the oldest perpetual trophies in Australia that has been competed for on a continual basis.
The Queensland Cruising Yacht Club was established in 1948 to organise the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race. The first race was held during Easter 1949. The first race saw seven vessels start, two of which carried radios while Brisbane’s Homing Pigeon Club supplied pigeons to the others for position reporting. Each yacht issued with birds was to release two each day.
The finish is hosted by the Port Curtis Sailing Club.
The course leads the yachts northwards from the start line at the Shorncliffe pier to a turning mark off Redcliffe before joining the main channel out of Moreton Bay. Yachts leave Fraser Island to port before passing Breaksea spit and then leaving Lady Elliot Island to port. The final stage of the race is often the hardest as the yachts make their way up Gladstone Harbour to the finish line just outside Auckland Creek.
Skandia's race record of 20 hours, 24 minutes, 50 seconds Most Line Honors wins – Apollo Most Courier Mail Cup wins – Saltash II Most PHRF/THCF Handicap wins - Norseman Most IRC Handicap wins - Saltash II Most IOR Handicap wins - Saltash II Most IMS Handicap wins - Saltash II Most Arbitrary Handicap wins - Helena/Enid Tie Most Cruising Handicap wins – FortitudeLaurabada raced 50 consecutive Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht races sailing 43 with her builder Ivan Holm Snr at the helm and the last 7 races with Ivan Holm Jnr as skipper. The majestic ketch contested her 50th race in 2002.
Saltash II (Ian and Bill Wright) 1986, 1992, 1993, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005Fastest corrected time, 1993: 21 hours 15 minutes 54 seconds (race record)Average handicap rated speed: 14.48 knotsNorseman (A Wilson) 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956 (Handicap)Fastest corrected time 1955: 29 h 5 min 06 sWistari (Noel Patrick) 1971, 1976, 1977, 1982Fastest corrected time 1976: 26 h 01 min 24 sScampi A (Ross Perrins, Colin Loel) 1984, 1988, 2000Fastest corrected time 1988: 28 h 42 min 07 sSolo (Vic Meyer) 1958, 1959 (Line Honours and Handicap winner)Fastest corrected time 1958: 27 h 48 min 37 sLeroy Brown (Warren Wieckmann) 1989, 1991Fastest corrected time 1991: 40 h 07 min 24 sMouse Of Malham (Bill Dayan-Smith, Norman R Wright Jnr) 1960, 1963Fastest corrected time 1963: 29 h 31 min 24 sQuantum Racing (Ray Roberts) 2008, 2009Fastest corrected time 2008: 35 h 08 min 44 sWedgetail (Bill Wild) 2010, 2013Fastest corrected time 2010: 34 h 44 min 45 sBlack Jack no.77 (Peter Harburg) 2015, 2016 Fastest corrected time 2015: 50 h 55 min 11 sJack Rooklyn (Apollo) 1973, 1974, 1978, 1979 (Ballyhoo) 1975 (Maxi Apollo) 1982, 1983, 1984Fastest elapsed time 1982, Maxi Apollo: 29 hours 46 minutes 56 secondsFred Markwell (Alvis) 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956,1957Fastest elapsed time 1956: 48 h 29 min 29 sVic Meyer (Solo)1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963Fastest elapsed time 1958: 34 h 52 min 50 sArthur Bloore (The Office) 1985, (Hammer Of Queensland) 1988, 1991, 1996, 1998Fastest elapsed time 1988: 29 h 53 min 47 sSean Langman (Grundig Xena, Grundig, AAPT - all the same boat) 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005Fastest elapsed time 2004: 20 h 36 min 48 sKerry Spencer (Bobsled) 1992, 1993, 1995Fastest elapsed time 1993: 21 h 59 min 43 secondsMark Bradford (Black Jack – two different boats with the same name) 2012, 2015, 2016Fastest correct time 2012: 36 h 15 min 56 sRupert Murdoch (Ilina) 1964, 1965Fastest elapsed time 1964: 33 h 23 min 54 sRobert Bird (Bobsled) co-skipper 1993, 1995Fastest elapsed time 1993: 21 h 59 min 43 sBill Wild (Wedgetail) 2010, 2013Fastest correct time 2010: 34 h 44 min 45 sSkandia
2004 course time: 20 h 24 min 50 sAverage speed: 15.09 knots