2nd GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race 2025 kicks off as planned
by Adrian Bold 1 Aug 2025 08:57 PDT
1 August 2025
Against the dramatic beachfront skyline of Surfer's Paradise, a fleet of 27 yachts competing in the 2nd GCCM Gold Coast to Mackay Yacht Race got off to a spectacular start.
With a fair southerly breeze and a gentle offshore swell, the start line was considerably more congested than last year, with cannon fire from the start boat firing as planned at 1 pm.
Starting tactics were varied throughout the fleet, with NZ entry V5 holding behind the fleet in the final minutes to then launch their kite and punch the start line. Grant Wharington's 100-footer Wild Thing 100 ran along the line to the final moment before a quick gybe, accelerating quickly to lead the fleet downwind under spinnakers from the start line off Cavill Avenue.
The Start drew well over 2000 unique viewers and was commented by Jordan Spencer, Danielle Hutcheson and Hayden Bradley, which is available here.
The fleet heads north in a strengthening breeze for the rest of the day, with the wind easing and backing gradually southeast.
Track the fleet