Another coastal wind warning issued by the Bureau of Meteorology earlier today suggests the 49 yachts representing Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland will face a supreme test in the 61st Brisbane to Gladstone race.

The high pressure system is expected to bend gusty 25 to 30 knot South to South East winds onto the South and Central Queensland coast tomorrow afternoon and extend north to St Lawrence on Wednesday.

There is strong speculation that moderate trade winds will provide a spinnaker start at 11am on Good Friday then gradually decrease and turn into North East headwinds late on Easter Saturday.

This complex forecast suggests all of the experienced crews will face a higher sail changing workload than normal while the race record of 20 hours 24 minutes 50 seconds set by Grant Wharington’s maxi Skandia Wild Thing in 2004 is unlikely to be challenged.

Most of the high performance crews including the Peter Harburg owned Mark Bradford skippered line honours favourite Black Jack and the Ray Roberts skippered defending Courier-Mail Cup winner Quantum Racing are yet to decide which sails to pack because this will become a critical issue if the predicted forecast prevails.

Black Jack christened by World Grand Prix champion Jack Brabham is an aquatic sprint machine and enters the Gladstone Race with an undefeated line honours record in Queensland including a fastest times trophy win over the Bob Oatley owned and Mark Richards skipper Wild Oats X at the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week last August.

They also won line and handicap honours in the longer Brisbane to Keppel Race last July however the Black Jack crew face a much stronger line up of top class handicap contenders in the Brisbane to Gladstone Race.

The successful offshore sailing combination of skipper Ray Roberts, tactician Steve McConaghy and navigator Richard Hudson suggests that Quantum Racing will again be among the front runners to win on handicap.

But they too will need to constantly revise their tactical options to suit what could turn into a supreme test of ocean sailing to finish with the fastest corrected handicap time ahead of the consistent Graeme Wood skippered Wot Now and the match racing Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Farr 40’s Bribie Star, elleven, Cracklin Rosie and Night Nurse.

The recent race form combined with her speed to sail fast in light and fresh winds suggest that Black Jack will win line honours while the intense battle for outright fastest on handicap will be decided by the skipper, tactician and crew who apply the perfect strategy to best suit the angle and wind velocity that blows over the deck.

For further information including a list of yachts entered in the 2009 Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race, go to the official race site http://www.brisbanetogladstone.com.au