First, First, First

First race, first to finish, first corrected time for the new R/P maxi Alfa Romeo. Not bad. Here's the spin from the AR PR machine (For a little fun, the italicized words in parentheses are The Ed's interpretation of what they really mean):

The world's newest super maxi yacht, New Zealander Neville Crichton's Alfa Romeo, today made a stunning (to be expected) race debut in equally stunning (average) sailing conditions - the opening race of the Hahn Premium Race Week at Hamilton Island in the tropical Whitsunday Islands of Far North Queensland (just another regatta).

New Zealand super maxi Alfa Romeo, launched in Sydney only four weeks ago (we are hard working), swept away from the fleet (jesus let's hope so) which included several smaller, but proven grand prix racing yachts (easy pickings). To the surprise (to no surprise of no one) of owner/skipper Crichton, she was also declared handicap winner of the IRC division (lucky).

At the same time, her nearest opposition (no opposition at all), the already internationally proven (outdated) 66-footer Wild Oats was dropping astern (as expected), along with the rest of the 28 boat fleet.

Alfa Romeo is a Reichel/Pugh design, built totally of carbon fibre (we spent lots of money) in Sydney by McConaghy Boats, featuring a canting keel and twin rudders fore and aft of the keel (we're very high tech). Jim Pugh from the US design office was aboard the yacht for today's 30 nautical mile Lindeman Island Race (for someone to blame if things went wrong).

"It was a fantastic way to start our campaign by taking out the double," a
delighted Crichton told a press conference back at Hamilton Island Harbour. (we're good and I hope you are all taking note)."We have had little time to optimize the boat to its rating, so it was quite a surprise to hear that we have also won on handicap." (I expect to win every time, this time included).

Crichton steered (he pays the bills, after all) Alfa Romeo around the 30 mile course in just under two hours and on corrected time won convincingly from three other Reichel/Pugh designs - Stephen Ainsworth's newly launched 66-footer Loki, Steven David's 60-footer Wild Joe and Bob Oatley's 66-footer Wild Oats.

Around the course, the silver-hulled 30-metre super maxi beat Wild Oats by 18 minutes (that's all?), quickly taking the lead in the 10-13 knot breeze after a conservative start (we blew the start) to her maiden race.

"We are really using this regatta as a training event, getting used to
complex systems and trying out various configurations," (damn this thing is complicated) Crichton added, referring to the canting keel, hydraulic winch systems and twin rudders. "We did have a few problems with the computer systems, but that was after the race but otherwise everything went extremely well. (It better have with the dough that I've spent.)

"Upwind we logged up to 11.7 knots in the 10-13 knot breeze and flat water and reached 15.5 knots off the winds.(couldn't hit our targets).

"We were certainly sailing right up to the numbers (but not at them) and pointing (we were pinching) higher than Wild Oats which she was in line astern but clear of our wind and she is a proven boat with an excellent crew," (we'd better sail away from that thing) Crichton added. "The new boat is good but we still be learning to sail her at her best two months hence."

Good although Alfa Romeo is, Crichton does not believe (yes he does) this makes her the natural favourite for this year's Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race in December, with the new Wild Oats, a 30-metre Reichel/Pugh design currently being built in Sydney for Bob Oatley, the owner of Hamilton Island Resort.

"I don't think we really know how good she is really is until we line up
against Bob Oatley's new Wild Oats in December in the lead-up to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race," (we can't wait to kick their ass) Crichton concluded.

08/20/05