NEWS RELEASE
ALFA ROMEO BEATS THE WORLD’S BEST IN THE SUPER YACHT REGATTA
Neville Crichton, the Kiwi owner and skipper of Alfa Romeo, has notched up three wins at the Boat International Super Yacht this week in Sardinia (24-26 June 2008), taking both the overall classification and the title open only to the fastest super maxis in the world, the Performance Division.
The races held in Porto Cervo have involved twenty one powerful craft measuring 25 to 50 metres. This supermaxi fleet was in action around the Maddalena Archipelago, unfurling thousands of square metres of hi-tech sails.
In the final race Alfa Romeo added another Line Honours to her tally of 135, placing herself at the top of the overall standings for the event with today's win. Winds were light but steady and certainly sufficient to fill Alfa Romeo's 1100 sq. m. of sail area, borne by a 44 metre mast, driving her along a route around the Caprera and Mortorio islands.
"Both the boat and crew are keeping me very happy,” says Neville Crichton, owner and skipper of Auckland-registered super maxi. “Alfa Romeo 2 has been notching up wins since 2005, showing that she was perfectly planned from a technical point of view and that she still provides a cutting-edge sailing solution capable of top speeds, thanks to the performance of her very skilful crew. I'll be coming back to Porto Cervo at the beginning of September for another Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. Some new and very fast yachts will be taking part, and so this promises to be a fantastic event with the highest level of competition.”
The win enables Alfa Romeo to add another victory to her list of successes in 2008, following wins at the Regate Pirelli, Rolex Capri Sailing Week, Trofeo Loro Piana and Giraglia Rolex Cup, at which her time over the 243 mile course slashed four hours off the previous record.
This year the Swiss Alinghi team have joined forces with Neville Crichton, adding their expertise to his crew and in turn enjoying the chance to race on this serial winner and experiencing the cutting edge technology of the fastest maxi yacht in the world. Crichton's craft boasts hi-tech solutions including a canting keel which can tilt 40° to either side and shift from one side of the craft to the other in 7 seconds flat, moving an 8-ton keel-bulb.
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ALFA ROMEO II RESULTS
Skipper: Neville Crichton
June 2008 Boat International SuperYacht Regatta 3 x Line Honours, class & event wins
June 2008 Rolex Giraglia Race Line Honours, new race record
June 2008 Rolex Giraglia Cup 3 x Line Honours, 2 x Handicap win
May 2008 Rolex Capri Race Week Maxi Class Event Win, 2 x Line Honours
May 2008 Pirelli Cup Maxi Class Event Win, 4 x Line Honours
Oct 2007 Barcolana Line Honours, race record
Sept 2007 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 5 x Line Hons, 1 x Handicap
August 2007 Rolex Fastnet Retired
August 2007 RYS Trophy, Scandia Race Week Line Honours, Class win
June 2007 Superyacht Cup 1 Line Honours Win
June 2007 Rolex Giraglia Cup Offshore Race Line Honours
June 2007 Rolex Giraglia Cup Regatta 2 x Line Honours to take event
April 2007 Hublot Palmavela Regatta 5 x Line Honours to take event
October 2006 Rolex Middle Sea Race – offshore race Line Honours
October 2006 Barcolana Race Line Honours
Sept 2006 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 4 Line Honours, event win
June 2006 Rolex Giraglia Cup Offshore Race Line Honours
June 2006 Rolex Giraglia Cup Regatta 2 Line Honours, 1 Handicap win
April 2006 Hublot Palmavela 4 x Line Honours wins
Dec 2005 Rolex Sydney to Hobart 2nd Overall
Dec 2005 Rolex Trophy Regatta Win
Dec 2005 CYCA Big Boat Trophy Line Honours
Dec 2005 Savills Short Ocean Championship Line Honours/Handicap win
Nov 2005 Cabbage Tree Island Race Line Honours
August 2005 South Molle/Daydream Islands Race Line Honours/Handicap win
August 2005 Edward Island Race Line Honours
August 2005 Lindeman Island Race Line Honours/Handicap win
Editor’s Note: Picture credits are contained in the file names for each picture.
For further information
Text and high resolution pictures: www.alfaromeo.com.au/maxiyacht
Neville Crichton Edward Rowe
Tel: +61 (02) 9701 8000 Tel: +61 (02) 9701 8015
Fax: +61 (02) 9701 3555 Fax: +61 (02) 9701 3555
Mob: +61 (0)409 166 166 Mobile: +61 407 913 244
E-mail:
EJR/ejr/2-78
27-Jun-08