Jessica Watson spreads her wings

Globe-circling teenage sailor Jessica Watson is to contest the Cruising Yacht Club’s Audi Sydney to Gold Coast Yacht Race next month as part of her preparation to lead the youngest crew to ever contest the annual 628nm Sydney to Hobart race.

Jessica and four other young crew will join skipper Chris Lewin aboard the Sydney 38 Another Challenge for the 384nm trip to Queensland.

Having turned 18 last month Jessica is now eligible to compete in the Hobart Race and plans to be in the fleet that lines up for the start in Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day.

Jessica says she is more than happy to be taking direction from Lewin in the Gold Coast race as she thinks it will be a great chance to watch and learn. “I’ve still got so much to learn about sailing and skippering Another Challenge,” she said, “I’m really looking forward to racing with some of our Hobart crew. We have done a little sailing together now but this will be a great chance to put a little more pressure on us all.”

At the pointy end of the fleet, three supermaxis – Anthony Bell’s Investec Loyal, Peter Millard and John Honan’s Lahana and Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats XI (skippered by Mark Richards) -- will be attempting to break the race record of just over 27 hours that was set by the conventionally-ballasted maxi Brindabella 12 years ago.