Kiwi sailor Tony Mutter leads record-breaking tran-Atlantic crossing

Kiwi sailor Tony Mutter has helped lead an international crew in a record-breaking trans-Atlantic crossing. Photo / Thinkstock.

Kiwi sailor Tony Mutter has helped lead an international crew in a record-breaking trans-Atlantic crossing.

Mutter served as co-leader and trimmer aboard the 30.5-metre Comanche, owned by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Jim Clark and his wife Kristy, in their successful record attempt.

Comanche passed Lizard Point on the English coast in the early hours of Friday morning NZT to eclipse the previous record by more than a day.

Sailing at an average speed of 21.44 knots during the record attempt, Comanche covered the 2880 nautical miles from New York to England in five days, 14 hours, 21 minutes and 25 seconds.

The previous record had been held by Mari Cha IV since 2003.

Comanche had been on standby for a number of weeks waiting for optimum conditions to slingshot across the Atlantic, managing a fluid rota of over 30 world class sailors on standby over a three month period, primed to be ready at a moment's notice. Last Thursday the team were moved to a 'green' as world class navigator Stan Honey alongside skipper Ken Read, agreed that this was the time to go.

But with Read committed to commentating the latest round of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series in England, the world class crew was led by team leaders Mutter, Casey Smith, Richard Clarke and Honey.

Mutter said Comanche was built to break ocean records and he was pleased they could deliver."To achieve something like that, it is important to be fast and reliable. I am happy for all the people involved in this project from the very beginning up to now."