Yachting: NZ supermaxi smashes race record

New Zealand supermaxi Konica Minolta has smashed the Auckland-Fiji race record by more than a day after clinching line honours in Suva early today.

Owned by Wellington businessman Stewart Thwaites, the 30m vessel completed the 1100 nautical mile (2037km) journey from Waitemata Harbour in three days, 10 hours, 47 minutes and 40 seconds.

Konica Minolta eclipsed the 16-year-old record held by Future Shock by 27 hours and 55 minutes.

The strong south westerly air flow that battered New Zealand last week gave the fleet a turbocharged launching pad which Konica Minolta (formerly known as Zana) halfway to Fiji.

Ideal starting conditions were enhanced when the supermaxi latched on to south easterly trade winds which allowed it to clock up a boat speed record of 34 knots on the first night out of Auckland.

"I think we averaged about 13 or 14 knots," navigator Ross Field said after the crew disembarked in the wet Fijian capital.

"It's the first time I've done a race like this on a boat this size, it's a fantastic boat, very impressive."

Always an overwhelming line honours favourite in the 38-strong fleet, Konica Minolta's victory followed it slashing one hour 38 minutes off the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania's 90 nautical mile Hobart-Bruny Island race in February.

The Auckland-Suva race marked the beginning of Thwaites' build-up to a third tilt at the Sydney-to-Hobart on Boxing Day, a blue water classic that has eluded him on two previous attempts.

He was pipped for line honours by 14 minutes in 2003 and was forced to retire with structural damage off the northern top of Tasmania while leading last year.

Thwaites now holds both the Auckland to Noumea and Auckland to Suva records.

Meanwhile, the chasing fleet is expected to start arriving in Suva tomorrow morning.

- NZPA