Whitbread skippers plan N.Z. series

Press, 15 January 1986, Page 26

Whitbread skippers plan N.Z. series

PA Auckland Skippers of the Whitbread yachts are planning to stage New Zealand’s first maxi racing series in Auckland. Sponsorship money worth $lOO,OOO is mooted and an announcement is expected this week. Pierre Fehlmann, of ÜBS Switzerland, the leading maxi in the round-the-world race so far, and a member of the Drum England entourage are organising the event. Seven maxi yachts are in the world fleet, the greatest number yet to congregate at one time in this country. Three of them, ÜBS Switzerland, Atlantic Privateer and NZI

Enterprise, are all from the design stable of Bruce Farr and can be expected to race in close contact. The NZI Enterprise watch captain Murray Ross said yesterday that he would like to know where it was planned to sail the race. “The harbour is not big enough or deep enough really. The Whitbread administration chief Peter Johnson said an official announcement would be made soon and that the date discussed was February 6. So far, six of the seven maxi yachts have arrived in Auckland and crews are working on the boats assessing the damage

from the 7101 mile Southern Ocean leg. Cote d’Or, ÜBS Switzerland and Lion New Zealand all have damaged masts. Cote d’Or’s has buckled where it passed through the deck. ÜBS’ is cracked and may have to be replaced. Lion’s is also cracked. Cote d’Or has now been surveyed and will continue the race. The hull delamination will be repaired and four extra frames will be inserted. The seventh maxi in the Whitbread, SAS Baia Viking, was not due in Auckland until Friday and Shadow of Switzerland, the only other yacht still to finish, was expected in Auckland this morning.