Bumblebee 5 to contest Rolex IMS Offshore Worlds in Italy
by Peter Campbell on 16 May 2002
Sydney Custom 62 Bumblebee V Sydney Yachts .
http://www.sydneyyachts.com
Bumblebee 5, the IMS Overall Winner of last year's 57th Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, will represent Australia and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in the Rolex IMS Offshore World Championship 2002 off the Mediterannean Isle of Capri next week.
America's Cup yachtsman Iain Murray, whose company, Murray Burns Dovell, designed Sydney Custom yachts built, Bumblebee 5, will again skipper the 62-footer for owner John Kahlbetzer, with most of the crew who sailed her to victory in the Sydney Hobart Race last December again on board.
The Rolex IMS Worlds have attracted a record of more tjhan 80 entrants from 15 nations, with racing under the IMS (International Measurement System) handicap category starting on the Bay of Naples next Monday, May 20
In an outstanding season last summer, Bumblebee 5 won the British Trophy Regatta in December and followed her Sydney Hobart Yacht Race win later that month win by taking out the inaugural Sailing South Race Week Regatta in Hobart in January.
The design team of Murray Burns Dovell reconfigured Bumblebee 5 with a new keel for her Australian campaign last summer, with Iain Murray and his crew driving the boat hard in yet another tough Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. However, conditions are expected to be mostly light for the IMS Worlds, racing on the relatively calm waters of the Mediterranean near the Isle of Capri.
Among the prominent competitors will be King Harald of Norway aboard Fram XV and ISAF Vice President George Andreadis with his brand new Greek yacht Atalanti XIV.
John Kahlbetzer, with Bumblebee 5, is the only Australian competitor, while other noted owners will be the President of the International Maxi Association, Alberto Roemmers, aboard Alexia, Arien Van Vende from Holland with his new Sotto Voce, and, from USA, Jorge Serpa aboard Cintra.
Among the many Italian teams, Pasquale Landolfi, aboard Brava Q8, and Massimo Violati with OPS Competition, are defending Italian tradition with the burgee of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.
The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in collaboration with the Associazione Circoli Velici del Golfo di Napoli (ACVN) and the Yacht Club Capri (YCC) is conducting the Rolex IMS Offshore World Championship. Rolex will sponsor the 2002 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Further information:
Peter Campbell - 0419 385 028 or email - peter_campbell@bigpond.com
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