Polish maxi to start in Sydney Hobart Race

by Peter Campbell on 23 Dec 2001 The first Polish maxi yacht to enter the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Lodka Bols, arrived at the CYCA in Sydney this weekend after her crew sailed the 80-footer from Melbourne where she had undergone a major refit for the race after being shipped to Australia.

Lodka Bols, a Frers-designed 80-footer, is the former Martela, a two-times competitor in the Whitbread Race around the world and, more recently, a regular competitor on the European circuit.

Although the yacht is skippered is by New Zealand-based Englishman Gordon Kay, 60% of the crew are from the Baltic seafaring nation, including the first Polish woman to sail in a Sydney Hobart Race, sailing journalist Alina Kukla.

Lodka Bols participation in the 57th CYCA Sydney Hobart Race has created remarkable interest in Poland with a contingent of 11 Polish media flying in to cover the event, including some of the nation's most bestknown sports reporters from the country's largest circulation newspaper, popular television and radio programs, magazines and a Polish press agency.

The yacht's participation in the Sydney Hobart has already seen extensive previews in the Polish media, covering in particular the rugged reputation of the blue water classic.

Michal Sagatowski of Questia, the PR agency representing Lodka Bols, said at the CYCA today that 'with the events and accidents happening in the world these days plus the fact that the Sydney to Hobart starts in the middle of Christmas… the most important time in Poland…', organising a large media contingent to go to Australia has been difficult.

Lodka Bols, a conventional maxi yacht, will contest the IRC handicap division of the 57th CYCA Sydney Hobart Race against the modern state of the art, water-ballasted maxis Nicorette, Australian Skandia Wild Thing and Grundig in the same division.

Designed by Brazilian naval architect German Frers 14 years ago, Lodka Bols is not expected to be a front runner for line honours in the 630 nautical mile race, but will be at her best in strong headwinds.

'The boat is a heavyweight former IOR-designed maxi; it's a 30 tonne boat compared with Nicorette which weighs 16 tonnes, or thereabouts,' skipper Gordon Kay said today.

'We are very realistic as to where we stand in line honours contention; they would all have basically lose rigs for us to be up there,' he added.

Gordon Kay, a professional yacht skipper with vast experience, has a special incentive to finish the race as fast as he can - his wife is due to give to birth to their first child in New Zealand within the next seven days.