Aussie Sailors Open Their 2004 Account with a Triple Win in Europe!

NEWS RELEASE

AUSSIE SAILORS OPEN THEIR 2004 ACCOUNT WITH A TRIPLE WIN IN EUROPE!

Australian super maxi, Alfa Romeo, has opened her 2004 Account the way she finished her 2003 season with another round of line honors wins by crossing the finish line firstin the prestigious Zegna Trophy three times in Italy at the weekend (14-16 May 2004).

The victory means that Alfa Romeo and skipper Neville Crichton have collected 66 wins including the 2003 Sydney to Hobart Race.

“I could not have asked for a better start to the season,” said Neville Crichton at the finish of the race meeting. “What is particularly gratifying is that this is the one event in which we didn’t take line honours last year, so coming back here and winning this year is particularly pleasing. It also shows that the changes we have made to Alfa Romeo over the northern winter have been successful, as our aim was to be more competitive in light winds such as here in Portofino.”

From Portofino, Alfa Romeo moves along the coast to St Tropez for the Giraglia Cup, in which Alfa Romeo not only took line honours but set a new race record in 2003.

“I am certain we can set a new race record in 2004,” says Neville Crichton. “We have fine tuned Alfa Romeo and given even slight better conditions than last year, smashing the race record again looks achievable.”

With so many wins, Alfa Romeo, which was built in Sydney, remains the yacht to beat around the world. After the Giraglia Cup, the action moves to the SpanishIsland of Majorca for the Copa del Rey. The Rolex Maxi World Cup takes place in Sardinia in September, with the season finishing in Malta for the Rolex Middle of the Sea race, a long event that circumnavigates the Italian island of Sicily.

Alfa Romeo 2004 Programme

Trofeo ZegnaPortofino14 - 16 May

Giraglia Rolex CupSt Tropez 13 - 19 June

Copa del RayMajorca1-8 August

Rolex Maxi Yacht WorldsPorto Cervo 4 - 14 September

RolexMiddleSea RaceMalta20 - 30 October

Alfa Romeo Technical Description

Club:Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron

Sail Number:NZL 80

Designers:Reichel/Pugh - USA

Builders:McConaghy Boats, Sydney, Australia

Construction: Hull - Carbon Fibre Composite, Keel - Steel,

Rudder and Mast - Carbon Fibre, Sails - 3DL Carbon/Mylar

Mast:Southern Spars, Auckland, New Zealand

Sails:North Sails , Sydney, Australia

LOA:27.43 m (90 ft)

Beam:5.6 m (18.3 ft)

Draft:4.0 m (13.1 ft)

For further information

Neville Crichton Edward Rowe

Tel: +61 (02) 9558 7111 Tel: +61 (02) 9558 7111

Fax: +61 (02) 9558 7722 Fax: +61 (02) 9558 7722

Mob: +61 (0)409 166 166Mobile: +61 407 913 244

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