Alfa Romeo breaks Costal Classic mark

Supermaxi yacht Alfa Romeo smashed a 13-year-old record in winning the Coastal Classic race from Auckland to the Bay of Islands today.

Alfa Romeo, the 30m boat owned by veteran New Zealand sailor Neville Crichton, set a new race record of six hours, 43 minutes 32 seconds.

It wiped more than 36min off the record set by multihill Split Enz in 1996, achieving an average speed of 17.9 knots.

The 28-year-old event starts at Devonport Wharf in Auckland and finishes at Russell Wharf, making it the biggest coastal yacht race in New Zealand and among the world's largest.

Apart from an early challenge from 9m trimaran Timberwolf, Alfa Romeo was untroubled in victory, taking advantage of the strong south-west wind direction to power up the Northland coast.

Taeping was the second boat to Russell, fighting off X-Factor and pushing hard to nearly go under the 1996 record as well.

The fleet comprised more than 200 boats, most of which will finish overnight, when the handicap winners will be determined.

- NZPA