Victorian launch for Skandia - Australia’s largest Super-Maxi

by Bindy Lockhart on 31 Oct 2003 Australia’s biggest-ever ocean racing yacht was launched today by John Bertrand AM at the Mornington Yacht Club in Victoria.

The new super-maxi is owned and skippered by renowned Victorian yachtsman, Grant Wharington of Wild Thing Yachting. At 30 metres in length (98 feet), it lays claim to being the largest yacht permitted under the CYCA’s regulations for the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race.

‘After much discussion and research, we decided to go with an all Victorian team. We appointed Don Jones as our chief designer and he worked with our boat builder, Mal Hart. These two have previously worked together on many successful projects and their being just minutes away from each other in Mornington has really facilitated our design and building process. Today, I am absolutely delighted with the results,’ explained Wharington.

A veteran of 15 Sydney to Hobart races, Wharington is seeking line honours in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race this year, building on his previous campaigns in 2002 (4th); 2000 (2nd) and 1999 (3rd).

Today’s launch coincides with the announcement of the super-maxi’s principal sponsor, Skandia – a leading international long-term savings company, and for next season the super-maxi will be known as ‘Skandia’.

‘Skandia is delighted to confirm we are supporting Grant and his campaign for another great season of competitive sailing. For the past two years, we have supported his Sydney to Hobart campaigns with ‘Skandia Wild Thing’ and during this time, both our organisations have grown and continued to build their brand by focussing on teamwork and developing cutting-edge technology,’ said Ross Laidlaw, CEO, Australian Skandia Limited.

‘Skandia has a long history of ocean yacht racing and sponsorship in a number of its markets. We formalised this in March 2003 by introducing a global sailing sponsorship program known as ‘Set Sail’. The Skandia super-maxi campaign is now part of this program as we take our relationship with Wild Thing Yachting to the next level,’ said Laidlaw.

Wharington enthused ‘Skandia has been extremely supportive of my goals for some years now and I am extremely pleased that we are continuing to further our relationship. I am proud to be associated with such a prestigious sponsor, and have been very impressed with their commitment to yachting both in Australia and overseas. To be part of the ‘Set Sail’ program is fantastic’

According to Laidlaw, ‘Skandia looks to support initiatives that reflect our corporate values of courage, commitment, passion, creativity and contribution and the Skandia Wild Thing campaign is a tangible example of these qualities. In essence, we are both challenger brands to our respective industries.’

The new ‘Skandia’ super-maxi will compete in a number of races including: the Canon Big Boat Challenge; British Trophy Series, Skandia Geelong Week, Adelaide to Port Lincoln and Sydney to Mooloolaba, as well as the highly prized Rolex Sydney to Hobart.