Black Jack skipper bracing for close finish
THE race record is blowing in the wind but supermaxi skipper Mark Bradford says another mark could fall this year – the closest finish in a Sydney to Hobart.
The skipper of Queensland supermaxi Black Jack believes yachts vying for the fastest time win could all be within cooee of each other in the finishing straight of the race on the Derwent River. Just seven seconds separated Condor and Apollo in the race for victory in the 1982 race.
“I’d be more than happy if we were all together on the river and there is potential for that,’’ Bradford said.
“We could all get there by different routes but still meet there so it could be a very different thing.”
Bradford has put together a crack crew for the Hobart with a multiple America’s Cup winning tactician bought aboard for his tactical astuteness in the race’s finish straight.
“We’ve invested heavily in knowledge for the last 50 nautical miles of the race by bringing in Brad Butterworth,’’ Bradford said.
Bradford knows Black Jack will suffer in the stronger winds expected to push Wild Oats and Comanche across Bass Strait and down the east coast of Tasmania.
But he has high hopes of making up ground on the final approach to Hobart where winds should lighten. Perpetual Loyal last year slashed five hours off Wild Oats X1’s mark for the new race record of one day 13 hours, 31 minutes and 20 seconds.
Bradford and his team are hoping to write their own piece of history by steering the first Queensland yacht to a line honours win.