Viva La Vita wins Audi A4 Avant

by Rob Kothe on 28 Aug 2007 The 2007 Driver’s Challenger winner at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week was announced at last night’s Presentation Dinner at Hamilton Island by Audi Australia’s Managing director, Joerg Hofmann.

Tony Bates, owner skipper of the Northshore 370 Viva la Vita and Chairman of the Board of Middle Harbour Yacht Club last night received the keys to a red Audi A4 Avant.

The Audi Driving Challenge conducted on the Tuesday lay day at Hamilton Island airport. Regular Viva la Vita crewman and Middle Harbour member Alistair Copley scored highest in consistency and accuracy on the two runs over the same course.

Viva la Vita is known as a noisy crew, they ‘Live the Life' and last night more than most. This morning the MHYC Chairman was blaming the champagne for his croaky voice.

‘In our first major regatta series, we contenders to win an Audi, at the Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta held in March 2006 where we won PHS division.

'It was an absolute shock and delight to win last night. We enjoyed the regatta hugely. We had Heath Walters from Northshore on the boat for the first race and we had a win and that built our confidence for the rest of the series.'

The 2005 built Viva la Vita was the first of the re styled Northshore 370's. She competed in the 2006 Race Week series and was a convincing winner in the Cruising Divison 2 this year, scoring three wins a third and a fourth,

Viva la Vita follows on from Tony's earlier Northshore 370 Una Vita.