New breed of super maxis to tackle Rolex Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race

"Alfa Romeo may be the fastest, most technically advanced yacht ever to bid for a race win, but the technology will be worth nothing if the crew don't do their jobs right or if we are not spot on with our navigation and analysis of the weather," says the winner of the 2002 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race. "In fact sailing 'Alfa Romeo' is an even greater test of traditional sailing skills simply because we will be going so much faster than other yachts. There is less time to think, less time to plan and if we do make a mistake the effects of that mistake can have a much greater effect on our overall performance, whether it is being miles of course or breaking something that would not be a worry in a normal yacht."

"This means that, while a new race record may be set, what will separate the line honours winner from the rest of the field will not be the technology, it will be what it has always been, the winner will be the best sailor," says Crichton.

The races held before the Sydney to Hobart have shown that the newest yacht does not always take line honours. Indeed, the most consistent winner has been the yacht - Alfa Romeo - that has put the most time into training and honing sailing skills.

Neville Crichton has been training his crew hard for nearly six months prior to the race, learning how to handle the new yacht, how to maximize its technical advantages, such as the light weight, the canting keel and the twin rudders.

"The technology means 'Alfa Romeo' can do much more than just go more quickly," explains Crichton. "The twin rudders mean more maneuverability and the ability, for example, to follow a track through lines of waves that is simply not possible with a conventional yacht. We have had to learn about these new techniques, to learn how 'Alfa Romeo' reacts to inputs from the crew and, of course, know what to do if something goes wrong."

"Anyone who thinks that our crew will have any easy run down to Hobart because of the technology in Alfa Romeo simply does not understand how hard we will be working for the entire race or the pressure that the technology puts on the crew," adds Crichton. "It would be like saying that Michael Schumacher has an easier time driving his Ferrari Formula One car than someone in a Formula Three car, because the F1 car has more power and that he is, somehow, a lesser driver because he is in a more powerful car."

The days of setting off on the Sydney to Hobart by sailing out through the Sydney Heads, turning right and cruising south are long gone. Alfa Romeo will racing at the limit from start to finish and her 21-strong crew will all be working hard throughout the race.

"We have already seen this in the races in and around the harbour," says Crichton. "The crew worked flat out all time, whether they were putting sails back into the chutes, navigating or helming. We also had to plan our actions much more intensely and accurately as we were not only arriving at decision points in the race much more quickly, the speed meant that once committed to a decision, we had to stick to it. The run to Hobart will be no different."

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