The legendary past generation plywood sloop Wistari and 1964 champion Pagan are poised to upstage their modern rivals in the 61st Brisbane to Gladstone race over the Easter weekend.

Wistari designed and built to a shoestring budget by the late Noel Patrick has the distinction of winning in 1971, 1976, 1977 and 1982 while Pagan sailed through a moderating gale 45 years ago to claim her win after Rupert Murdock steered Ilina to her record breaking 33 hour 23 minute 54 second line honours victory.

Both Wistari and Pagan have a history of outpacing their low handicap ratings in moderate to fresh spinnaker and two sail reaching winds and their skippers Ross Patrick and Peter Kerr remain confident with the expected trade wind forecast.

However while the ‘Golden Oldies’ have previously proved their speed in similar forecasts it will not be a case of hoisting the largest spinnaker in the sail locker and surfing down the face of the ocean swells on another fast and thrilling ride to Gladstone.

Their crews will certainly be deprived of sleep spending most of the race on the spray drenched deck to remain in handicap contact with the super fast modern generation yachts including Graeme Wood’s Wot Now, 2008 champion Quantum Racing (Ray Roberts) and the impressive Rob Hanna owned and skippered Royal Geelong Yacht Club sloop Shogun.

Quantum Racing has set the bench mark by winning last year with an impressive 35 hour 8 minute 44 second corrected time.

But they are certain to face a much stronger challenge to beat the race clock when Gladstone Race veteran and Queensland Cruising Yacht Club life member Clarrie Noble fires the start signal at 11 am on Good Friday.

Generally the initial 42 nautical miles including safely clearing the busy commercial shipping traffic in the North West Channel and beating the tide gate out of Moreton Bay holds a strong bearing on sorting the best from the rest.

However the remaining 266 nautical miles promises to stretch the strategy to the extreme particularly during the hours between dusk and dawn when the breeze is expected to bend and become tricky.

The Gladstone Race is well known for its tactical challenges and the expected forecast suggests this year’s classic will be spiced with some ’hidden hurdles’ which should not prevent Peter Harburg’s Black Jack from winning the line honours trophy while the final 10n/mls from Gatcombe Head to the finish line off Auckland Creek could decide the overall winner between Quantum Racing, Wot Now, Shogun and the veterans Wistari and Pagan.

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