Shockwave shows she is Sydney to Hobart favourite

by News Editor on 13 Sep 2000 Sydney saw its first sight of the Supermaxi Shockwave, the world's newest and probably fastest maxi yacht in Sydney Superyacht Regatta 2000.

Shockwave, a Reich/Pugh-designed 80-footer owned by Sydney-based New Zealand yachtsman Neville Crichton, was first raced at the Hamilton Island Race Week in north Queensland two weeks ago.

An early line honours favourite in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Shockwave lined up today with the WildThing, Brindabella, Marchioness, Spirit of Australia and the Sydney 60.

Two minutes before the start, on a line between Shark Island and Taylor's Bay., these top 4 maxis were circling at the pin end of the line, in close proximity to a flock of Olympic dingys, power boats and police ribs.

It was a spectacular start as Brindabella and Shockwave jostled for position. In North Easterly sea breeze of around 10 knots Shockwave chose to tack behind WildThing and Marchioness for clear air.

However Shockwave was first to the windward mark at the North Harbour Manly buoy
with Spirit some 15 seconds ahead of Brindabella with WildThing another 15 second behind.

Brindabella, in a daring maneuver, tried to luff up Spirit, but her enormous kite blew under the pressure.

During the second spinnaker hoist, WildThing slipped past the depowered Brindabella who fell in behind Spirit.

The silver hulled Shockwave, was first around Fort Denison and hardened up on the breeze, towards Manly.

WildThing was next, with Brindabella heading Sydney and Spirit.

Shockwave was first around the top mark again and hoisted her very large white kite, she proved unstoppable, with WildThing with her signature purple spinnaker following. Surprising the old America's Cup boat Spirit of Australia was close behind, Brindabella was some 40 seconds back. The Sydney 60 was next and the big maxi Marchioness suffering in the light airs was tail end Charlie.

That was the finishing sequence so Shockwave, with its fully professional Team New Zealand, flow into Sydney for this race made a strong statement.

She will be the force to be reckoned with in the Southern Ocean Classic, the Sydney to Hobart 2000.

However some followers of the Australian bluewater racing believe that while the sharp bowed Shockwave, similar in design to Roy Disney's down-wind flier Pyewacket, is fast in flat water she will suffer in the heavy seaways across Bass Strait, where Brindabella thrives.