Chartered by Niklas Zennström’s Team Rán, Mike Slade’s charter yacht ICAP Leopard 3 has recently reached the course record for the 2,800 nautical mile IMA Transatlantic Race, smashing the record set in 2011 by the 66-metre megayacht Hetairos by over 25 hours. Leopard superyacht maintained an average boat speed of 19 knots, taking line honors in a time of 7 days, 8 hours, 59 minutes and 12 seconds.
Mike will be back on board ICAP Leopard yacht in the RORC Caribbean 600 in February and should have a great battle with Hetairos for Line Honours.
In Europe this year the McConaghy built 100 ft Reichel Pugh designed sailing yacht Esimit Europa (previously Alfa Romeo) has dominated the Rolex offshore races setting a new course record in the Rolex Giraglia race, winning the Maxi Yacht Rolex cup, and winning line honors in the Rolex Middle Sea race. Igor Simčič and his crew also added the Wally record from Monaco to Porto Cervo, the Barcolana in Trieste, and the Trieste to Malta record to his list of successes for 2012.
Superyacht Esimit Europa 2 - Photo by Rolex/Kurt Arrigo
Back in Australia, Bob Oatley’s Reichel Pugh designed luxury yachts Wild Oats X & XI this week dominated the big boat race on Sydney Harbour. The sprint around the harbour is a high profile build up to the Rolex Sydney Hobart race which starts on December 26. The 100 ft Wild Oats XI yacht took line honors by a huge margin over Lahana yacht, while the 66ft Wild Oats X yacht won on IRC with the McConaghy built Reichel Pugh 60 yacht Loki coming second.
Wild Oats XI yacht and crew have almost completed their warm up for this years Hobart race, smashing last months Cabbage Tree Island race record in the process. McConaghy Boats have assisted the Wild Oats crew with modifications and a new dagger board this year which has so far proved to be very successful.
Wild Oats XI superyacht - Photo credit: Andrea Francolini
Stephen Ainsworth’s yacht Loki was the IRC overall winner in last years Rolex Sydney Hobart race, Stephen and his crew are well prepared for another crack at the trophy with a very successful season and a string of IRC victories behind them this year.
Other McConaghy Boats to watch in this years Rolex Sydney to Hobart race are the Ker 40 AFR Midnight Rambler, campaigned competitively by Ed Psaltis, Bob Thomas, Michael Bencsik, and Merlin a Kaiko designed 52 owned by Olympic Gold medalist David Forbes.
