Whitsunday Yacht Breaks Records

Whitsunday-based yacht Rex has set a new race record in the 57th Brisbane to Gladstone Multihull Yacht Race over the easter weekend.

Seven multihull vessels departed Brisbane on Friday morning, with Rex completing the course to Gladstone in 14 hours, 16 minutes, and 28 seconds.

Rex was the first to cross the finish line and won in OMR and PCF divisions.

Rex’s skipper Dale Mitchell says he’s still riding the high of the weekend.

“It’s still sort of sinking in,” he said.

“We knew the record was a chance…but didn’t want to put too much emphasis in that, more just wanted to go out, have a good hit out with the guys, and keep working into this boat,”

Dale was raised on sailing in the Whitsundays and met many of his crewmembers through competition.

He says six of the eight crew grew up sailing with and against each other in north Queensland.

“These days we all have such a common mindset and have sailed with each other so much that we keep finding ourselves on the same boats.”

Rex also finished with line honours in last year’s Brisbane to Gladstone race, completing the course in 16 hours, 47 minutes, and 25 seconds; more than two hours longer than this year’s efforts.

“We’ve been competing for a number of years on the owners’ previous boat,” Dale said.

Dale is now setting his sights on the Brisbane to Hamilton Island Yacht Race in August.

He says that scheduling conflicts won’t allow Rex and her crew to partake in Airlie Beach Race Week but he looks forward to Hamilton Island Race Week instead.

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