Zana smashes Auckland to Noumea record

by Tanya Balasingam on 8 Jun 2004 The 98 footer Zana was in no mood to leisurely cruise to Noumea as she sprinted all the way from start to finish in record time in a total of 70 hours 9 minutes and 50 seconds. The current record holder, Hydroflow, completed the race in 111hours 59:17 in 2002.

For Stewart Thwaites and his crew, this race to Noumea was a sneak preview on what’s to come in a few months with the Sydney Gold Coast Race as well as the Hahn Hamilton Island Race as she builds up for the 2004 60th Anniversary Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Zana’s main rival in the West Island (A fond Kiwi name for Australia) is Grant Wharington’s Skandia, who beat them by a whisker in the 2003 Rolex Sydney to Hobart. This year’s meetings between the two yachts will be even more intense then their previous outing as both teams are determined to beat each other at every opportunity.

This Auckland to Noumea race has been a race of all sorts with wet and wild weather on the first day and lighter winds on the second as she eased her way toward Noumea. A couple of sea sick yachties and losing a spinnaker on the second night of racing did not put a dampener on the crew as they braved the weather conditions in stalwart determination to break the record.

With winds up to 20 knots south easterly in the last day of sailing to Noumea, Zana not only broke the record to reach Noumea but also broke a spinnaker pole, spinnaker and jockey pole on her way to success.

The owner, helmsman, Stewart Thwaites and the crew are ecstatic with the result and even more so for reaching Noumea in record time. The crew is made up of both men and women who are rookie and experienced yachties.

When interviewed, Stewart Thwaites said 'I am looking forward to the Sydney Gold Coast, the Hahn Hamilton Island races. Sydney Hobart is still the race to win. We are very happy with the win and very happy with the new record.'

So the Bledisloe Cup on water, with fierce New Zealand versus Australia rivalry will continue when the two yachts meet on the Sydney Harbour startline for the 19th Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race at 1300 hours on 31 July 2004.