Konica Minolta Zana races Round Ireland before Med

by Ruan O’Tiarnaigh on 1 Jul 2006 ‘Konica Minolta Zana’, the 30m Brett Bakewell-White designed, super maxi yacht is set to compete in this years BMW Round Ireland Yacht Race.

Owned by Stewart Thwaites, the record breaking yacht is in Dublin with the intention of adding the Round Ireland Race record to an already formidable list of record times which she holds. The current record of 76hrs, 23 minutes and 57 seconds was set by Jeep Cherokee in 1998.

This will be the only competitive racing that the New Zealand yacht will participate in before heading down to the Mediterranean to compete in a number of events that include the Middle Sea race as well as the Maxi World Cup. It was hoped that she could compete in Cork Week also, but this plan was scuppered by time constraints.

Konica Minolta Zana currently holds race records for the HSBC Coastal Classic Race, the Auckland to Suva race and the Auckland to Noumea race, as well as a string of top finishing positions in Sydney Hobart and other races.

Aboard Konica Minolta Zana will be a plethora of top class international sailors including Gavin Brady (watch captain), multiple world champion, Americas Cup and Volvo sailor, Steve Hayles, (navigator) ex, Oracle and with 4 Whitbread/Volvo races under his belt, Rodney Keenan (watch captain) ex Volvo etc, Kip Stone, 1st in Open 50’s Single handed yachts. Amongst her crew will be Martin Hannon, originally from Newtownards who now lives in New Zealand. Adding some local knowledge to the team will be Ruan O’Tiarnaigh