Bigger and better

The new maxi yacht Alfa Romeo 2 set to make debut in Europe at the Zegna Tropfy

The new maxi yacht Alfa Romeo 2 is making its debut in Europe at the next Zegna Trophy in Portofino (12-14th of May) aiming to renew and improve the long streak of victories that fascinated both yacht racing fans and lovers of records, speed and technological innovations.

At the 25th anniversary of the Zegna Trophy, Alfa Romeo will show its full potential of advanced technology and an international sailing crew headed by shipowner and skipper Neville Crichton. The aim is always the same: crossing the winning posts before any other yacht in order to prove it is still the fastest boat in the world, the one everybody wants to beat.

The new Alfa Romeo features a 44 metre mast, a 30% increase in the area of sails, a canting keel and hydraulic winches.

The crew will have to master the power generated by a 30-metre yacht (three metres longer that the previous Alfa Romeo), with a 44-metre mast (+ 7,5 m) that will bear the enormous push of gigantic sails: a 314-square-metre spanker (+ 70 m2); a 208-square-metre genoa (+ 40 m2) and an 805-square-metre spinnaker (+ 130 m2).

Alfa Romeo 2, although it started sailing only a few months ago, has already reaped many successes in Australia's and New Zealand's waters gaining 12 Line Honours, seven Handicap Wins, the Rolex Trophy, the Canon Big Boat Challenge, the Hamilton Island Hahn Premium Race Week and a second position at the Rolex Sydney to Hobart, which Alfa Romeo 1 had won in 2002.

Alfa Romeo is competing in the main European racing events from May until the beginning of November.

After more then three years, the partnership between Alfa Romeo and Neville Crichton is starting again from Portofino. The new maxi yacht will race against other boats but also against itself, in order to improve its previous records. Even if he does not want to underestimate the potential of the new Alfa RomeoNeville Crichton, shipowner and skipper, said: " Alfa Romeo could be the fastest and most technologically advanced boat ever competing in a racing contest, but technology will be of no use if the crew does not do its job well or if we are not accurate in our weather and navigation analysis. Racing with Alfa Romeo will be a great challenge also because of the sailing abilities it requires, we will cruise at a much higher speed than many other yachts'. We will have less time to think and less time to plan. If we make a mistake the consequences will have a greater impact on our total performance, our speed and the equipment of the boat itself. This means that what is going to make the difference in the end will be the ability of the crews competing in the event".

Cruising at speeds which are 10-20% higher than Alfa Romeo 1, Alfa Romeo 2 is a maxi yacht capable of any exploit and embodies at its best the world and values of Alfa Romeo. Maurizio Melzi, Alfa Romeo Communication - BLT Manager, commented: "Neville Crichton's maxi yacht expresses the best values of our brand. Alfa Romeo represents an almost mythical inheritance, founded on sporting spirit, passion and Italian style. In the DNA of Alfa Romeo there have always been passion, commitment and a scrupulous attention to technological solutions enabling to get the best possible performance. Besides motor sports and track races, we have discovered in sailing, and in particular in the maxi yacht Alfa Romeo, a new universe of values made of emotions, performances, team-working, competitiveness and reliability. A world that is firmly consistent with the spirit animating Alfa Romeo brand and cars. Today, together with Neville Crichton and his team, a new challenge is starting again, built on the skills of the best designers, technicians and yachtsmen in the world and the enthusiasm of all the fans of sailing and motor sports Alfa Romeo has already conquered."