Alfa Romeo Far too slick

Points are getting close at the top of the leader board at Hamilton Island Race Week

Neville Crichton’s Alfa Romeo crew handed the strong Hahn Premium Race Week fleet another lesson with unmatched all angle sailing speed off Hamilton Island today.

The new Reichel and Pugh designed super maxi claimed her first short course race win in convincing style completing the 12 nauticle mile windward leeward course in 60 minutes which is super fast considering half the race was a tactical slog upwind into a variable 12-14 knot wind.

Tactician Michael Coxon wisely started in clear air from the middle of the line while there was a traffic jam at the pin end between Wild Oats (Bob Oatley), Wild Joe (Steven David) and Brindabella (George Snow).

Irish skipper Gerard O’Rourke showed he wanted a share of space on the front line by snatching a clear start to momentarily lead the race before the sun and wind was blocked out when Alfa Romeo powered past.

The super maxi had super speed to have another fastest course time packed away before she broke tack to lay the windward mark.

She completed the three nauticle mile beat in less than 13 minutes leaving Wild Oats, Wild Joe, and Loki to fight out the minor places.

All three crews sailed their yachts with mistake free tactics and technique but still could do very little to prevent Alfa Romeo from powering ahead extending her lead on every leg of the course.

There was no rest for the Alfa Romeo crew who executed a slick spinnaker set on the final run where they again increased their lead to finally take line honours by over nine minutes from Wild Oats with another four minutes 25 seconds to Wild Joe.

This winning margin also allowed Alfa Romeo to out sail her high 1.738 IRC class rating and claim her second line and handicap win in three races.

Wild Oats - racing with most of Bob Oatley’s 2003 Admirals Cup winning crew - protected her 1.530 rating in the second race of the day when they held the line honours beating Alfa Romeo by a seven minute 19 second margin.

When handicaps were calculated Wild Oats proved the faster by one minute 59 seconds denying skipper Neville Crichton the chance to finish the two races with a perfect score.

However the results have squeezed the top end of the scoreboard with the match racing 18m Reichel and Pugh designed and Azzura built Loki (Stephen Ainsworth) on 14 points leading from Wild Joe (Steven David) on 15 points.