Kokomo puts the ‘big’ into the Canon Big Boat Challenge

by Lisa Ratcliff on 5 Dec 2002 Sydney-based property developer and keen sailor Lang Walker has put the ‘big’ into this year’s Canon Big Boat Challenge by entering his 135-foot super yacht Kokomo, the largest entry ever received in the event’s nine-year history.

“Entering a boat of this size in the Canon Big Boat Challenge will provide its own challenge for the crew when it comes to manoeuvrability around the harbour marks of the course, but it should make for spectacular viewing for on-lookers,” said owner Lang Walker.

“We have done big boat regattas in other parts of the world and have an experienced crew on board, including a number of borrowed Farr 40 sailors and talented local yachtsmen such as Roger Hickman, who will make up the 20 crew,” he added.

Kokomo is only two and half years old but has already circumnavigated the globe, won the Palma Big Boat Cup two years in a row, broken the race record in the Guadeloupe to Antigua Yacht Race and placed 2nd in the Millennium Cup in Auckland. With a full-time crew of six aboard, the state-of-the-art super yacht has just arrived in Sydney after cruising the Pacific Ocean for the past 12 months.

The giant 50-metre mast clears the Sydney Harbour Bridge by only two metres and while most of the sail handling is looked after by automatic and hydraulic equipment, the 14,000 square foot spinnaker will require a large crew effort for the spectacular spinnaker race on Friday December 13, 2002.

So far the CYCA has received 11 entries for the pre-Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race maxi showdown including last year’s line honours winner Nicorette (Ludde Ingvall), Melbourne maxi Australian Skandia Wild Thing (Grant Wharington) and the brand new 90-foot super maxi Alfa Romeo (Neville Crichton), which is yet to square off against these two.

In the 60-foot class, the newly renovated round-the-world yacht Broomstick (Michael Cranitch and Ray Wallace), Ian Treleaven’s Volvo 60 Merit, Martin James’ Farr 65 Infinity III and the two Sydney 60s Sydney (Charles Curran) and Eureka II (Bob Robertson) have all entered.

For the first time, the invitation list also included high rating IRC grand prix racers such as the two Farr 52s, Ray Robert’s Hollywood Boulevard and Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban, Syd Fischer’s champion Farr 50 Ragamuffin and Terry Mullens’ Farr 50 Sting.

Invitations were also sent to the five-time line honours winner in this event, George Snow’s Brindabella, Mike Slade’s 97-foot Leopard of London, Sean Langman’s radical 66-foot skiff Grundig, former America’s Cup yacht Spirit and the two Volvo 60s Magnavox (Hodder/Gray/Zemanek/Sorensen) and Kookaburra Challenge’s VO60 currently sailing on Sydney Harbour.

“We are looking at a record fleet of up to 20 of the largest and most spectacular maxi boats and grand prix racers that will be based in Sydney in December as most prepare for the Boxing Day start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race,” said CEO Joe Goddard.

“Canon has once again put its name to this clash of the titans and can expect another hard-fought battle amongst those at the big end of town,” he added.

The multi-million dollar fleet will go head-to-head on Sydney Harbour for the 14 nautical mile Canon Big Boat Challenge, which starts north of Shark Island at 12.30pm on Friday December 13 and takes the fleet twice around the harbour before finishing at the Opera House.

Spectators are encouraged to view the action from the water or the many foreshore vantage points including Bradleys Head, Darling Point, Lady Macquarie’s Chair and the Opera House.


Further information:
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Media Centre

Ph. 02 9327 5867

Lisa Ratcliff 0418 428 511 or
lisaratcliff@bigpond.com
Peter Campbell 0419 385 028 or peter_campbell@bigpond.com