Peter Harburg’s exciting Reichel Pugh designed custom 66 Black Jack powered to an impressive line honours win in the Brisbane to Gladstone Race earlier today.

The Mark Bradford skippered Black Jack expressed her exceptional two sail reaching and spinnaker sailing speed to complete the 308 nautical mile course with the fifth fastest time ever recorded in the 61 year history of the classic coastal passage race.

"We never had a spinnaker on for any length of time until we rounded Breaksea Spit Light," said Bradford.

At that stage Black Jack held some chance of outpacing her high IRC rating when she completed the first 223 n/ml with the impressive 14.86knot average.

They added further value to their chances when the downwind flyer peaked 22 knots on the approach to Gladstone Harbour.

Black Jack appeared to have saved her time but that was challenged when the crew on the defending champion Quantum Racing completed the course 4 hours 14 minutes later.

Skipper Ray Roberts remained confident this afternoon. "We hung tough and expect to face a long night, but provisionally we are in the box seat," Roberts said.

Late this afternoon the time and weather slowed the yachts at sea while Quantum Racing improved her chance to successfully defend her trophy with the impressive 35 hour 42 minute 46 second corrected course time.

Ray Roberts had taken total advantage of his 308 nautical mile match race with Bill Sykes (Wot Yot) and the Graeme Wood skippered Wot Now to claim a strong chance to be officially presented with the historic 61 year old Courier-Mail Cup tomorrow.

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