NEWS RELEASE
WILD OATS GETS HER REVENGE ON ALFA ROMEO!
Following Neville Crichton’s victory with ‘Alfa Romeo’ over Australian arch-rival Bob Oatley and Wild Oats in the Giraglia Rolex Cup, the tables have turned in the SuperYacht Cup in Palma, with the Australian team beating the Kiwis for line honours in the first two races of three.
In race one on Sunday (17 June 2007) Wild Oats IX and Alfa Romeo were, as the fast yachts, the last to start in the handicap event some 55 minutes after Maltese Falcon and soon made rapid progress through the fleet by tacking up the middle of the Bay. Wild Oats was second round the windward mark with a comfortable nine minute lead over Alfa Romeo and sprinted through the fleet to take line honours overall and a win in Division 2. Alfa Romeo closed to less than a minute at the finish to take second place in Division 2 with the 36.5m (120ft) Wally Y3K third place.
On Monday (18 June 2007) in the second race, Alfa Romeo quickly took the lead over Wild Oats, until the wind faded to almost nothing. Neville Crichton decided to go in search of new winds while Wild Oats held her nerve and her course. Alfa Romeo ground to windless halt and Wild Oats found enough wind to ease into the lead and win the race, but not before a scare right at the finish when the wind suddenly rose to almost 20 knots, ripping apart their light wind sails.
The final race in the regatta is the Millennium Cup on Tuesday 19 June.
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For further information
Text and high resolution pictures:
Neville Crichton Edward Rowe
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EJR/ejr/2-57
14-Sep-18