Super maxis up for Skandia Cowes Week challenge

by Peta Stuart-Hunt on 15 Jun 2005 At least two of the World’s major players in the competitive big boat arena have confirmed their intention to race at this year’s Skandia Cowes Week.

Australian owner/skipper Grant Wharington is shipping in his newly repaired 98ft super maxi Skandia Wild Thing next month, whilst the latest generation super maxi, the New Zealand-built 100ft Maximus has already arrived in Cowes, amidst a flurry of excitement at having recently enjoyed a record-breaking race across the Atlantic Ocean.

Maximus took handicap honours after finishing five hours behind the giant schooner Mari-Cha IV. Her owners are successful NZ businessmen Charles St C Brown and Bill Buckley.

George Hendy, Project Manager for Maximus, has already told Skandia Cowes Week’s Regatta Director Stuart Quarrie that he wants the 22-strong crew to race for two to three days towards the end of the Week and both Hendy and Quarrie hope that there will be enough maxis entered to ensure they can race for their own trophies.

There is clearly more than a little antipodean rivalry going on here.

The gauntlet has been thrown down. Anyone else out there with a seriously big boat wanting to race at Cowes this year, get your entry in now – online – at www.skandiacowesweek.co.uk