TeamVodafoneSailing in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf. Image copyright Chris Lewis.
by Zoe Hawkins
The HSBC Premier Coastal Classic is the 2010 summer season premiere for the 60 foot trimaran, TeamVodafoneSailing.
The boat has competed extensively in Auckland waters, but the 119nm classic from Auckland to Russell is its first major event racing under the Vodafone banner.
While speculation is high around broken records, it will be the luck of the draw whether the conditions make for that kind of racing.
Skipper Simon Hull says, “There is a lot of anticipation about broken records, but it all comes down to the weather. If it’s 10 knots we haven’t got a hope, if it’s 20 knots we’ve got a reasonable chance. Plus we need the wind from the right direction.”
Simon cites the Tauranga race earlier in the year as an example. Despite TeamVodafoneSailing finishing 7.5 hours ahead of the Open 50 O Canada, she was still two hours outside the record.
The boat’s highest recorded speed in New Zealand is 39.6 knots, but it will have to average 17.8 knots in a straight line to beat the overall race record set in 2009 by Alfa Romeo of 6 hours and 43 minutes, and the multihull record of 7 hours and 20 minutes set by Split Enz in 2996.
So far this season, TeamVodafoneSailing has had six line honours wins – a clean sweep.
“The forecast at this stage looks light and from the aft quarter,” says Simon. “If it’s going to be light it would be better if it was forward of the beam, but that is one of the great things about yacht racing, it is what it is, and you deal with what you get.”
TeamVodafoneSailing will be maintaining contact with Race Headquarters and its own Facebook and Twitter accounts using Vodafone’s Extended 3G coverage throughout the race.
TeamVodafoneSailing is also supported by Line 7, Seatrade, Fusion, Harken, Safety at Sea, Fineline, B&G, Steinlager and Wilde Media.
TeamVodafoneSailing
