10:10 PM Mon 28 Dec 2009 GMT
Brisbane Yacht Broker Mike Freebairn entered a bold challenge to secure a career best result in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race when dawn broke over the Tasman Sea this morning.
He and his crew of Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron sailors were searching for some favours from the rolling clouds above to provide the required favourable reaching and spinnaker sailing winds to lift their chances of securing a top three result in the 628 n/ml international blue water classic.
At 5am this morning their vintage class IRC racer the 41 year old timber sloop Ray White Spirit of Koomooloo (previously called Margaret Rintoul II) was well in the mix with her plotted position 51n/mls east of Flinders Island with 257 n/mls to sail.
They certainly deserve some luck with the wind to complete unfinished business after their timber sloop Koomooloo sank when leading the 2006 race on corrected handicap.
The challenge rests with the wind and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology is expecting a spinnaker sailing 20-30knot sea breeze to blow over the east coast of Tasmania later today.
Meanwhile skipper Mike Freebairn and the Spirit of Koomooloo crew who have dedicated the race to Mike's long term sailing friend and father Don who sadly passed away recently need to cross the Battery Point finish line before 10-27pm tomorrow (Thursday) for the grand old lady of the sea to upstage her more modern rivals for the honour of winning the toughest race on the International ocean sailing calendar.
To achieve this Ray White Spirit of Koomooloo will need to have the white water streaming from her bow in a her 41.5 hour race against the clock.
They will need to log an average speed of at least 6.2 knots to claim a place in Sydney Hobart Race history.
The yacht has already set a precedent when Syd Fischer steered her to a faster average speed to win the 1971 Fastnet Race in England.
Ray White Spirit of Koomooloo has the proven potential to make a late charge but her result rests entirely with the wind angle and velocity that blows over her hopefully spray drenched deck over the 41.5 hours between 5 am today (December 29) and 10-27pm on Thursday (December 30).
by Ian Grant
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