Gladstone race on hold for Spirit of Koomooloo

5:29 AM Tue 31 Mar 2009 GMT

'MDBS Spirit of Koomooloo' (Hamilton island Race Week 2008)' Jack Atley&copy Click Here to view large photo

The expense of representing Queensland in the Rolex Sydney Hobart race will almost certainly prevent battling skipper Mike Freebairn's Ray White Spirit of Koomooloo from competing in the Brisbane to Gladstone classic.

Mike Freebairn respected in the top echelon of the sport as the 'Aussie Battler' has accepted the Notice of Race documents but has placed the official entry on hold.

'My instincts are nagging at me to race but the racing budget has gone overboard in fact it's deep in the red' he said.

Last weekend the 41 year old sloop, which won the 1971 Fastnet Race in England as Ragamuffin, clearly showed that age was no barrier when skipper Mike Freebain and crew outclassed the strong fleet to win the Queensland IRC championship on Moreton Bay.

This was a remarkable result achieved against some of Australia's best including the power sailing Brisbane to Gladstone Race line honours favourite the Peter Harburg owned Black Jack skippered by America's Cup sailor Mark Bradford.

Spirit of Koomooloo noted as a strong performer when the wind gusts over 20 knots bumped and bashed her way through 1.5m waves to win three of the five race series indicating that a new headsail has become a secret weapon.

Her new found speed particularly in slogging against wind and wave upwind combined with clever tactical strategy and dedicated attention to detail from her crew allowed the Golden Oldie to outsail her more modern rivals.

The result was a reward for her skipper and crew but the new Queensland IRC champion Spirit of Koomooloo seems destined to spend Easter moored in her pen at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron marina unless Mike Freebairn secures a sponsor before the 61st Brisbane to Gladstone race starts off Shorncliffe at 11am on Good Friday.

by Ian Grant

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