25 Oct 2009

Superyacht Alfa Romeo claims record in Coastal Classic

1:45 pm on 25 October 2009

Supermaxi yacht Alfa Romeo has smashed a 13-year-old record in winning the Coastal Classic race from Auckland to the Bay of Islands.

The 30-metre boat set a new race record of six hours, 43 minutes 32 seconds.

It wiped more than 36 minutes off the record set by multihull Split Enz in 1996.

The 28-year-old event begins at Devonport Wharf in Auckland and finishes at Russell Wharf in Northland, making it the biggest coastal yacht race in New Zealand and among the world's largest.

Apart from an early challenge from 9m trimaran Timberwolf, Alfa Romeo was untroubled in victory, and utilised ideal conditions to storm up the Northland coast.

Taeping was the second boat to Russell, fighting off X-Factor and going under the 1996 record as well.

The fleet was made up of more than 200 boats.