Yachting-Live

Clash of the Titans: ICAP Leopard Vs. Rambler
English Harbour, Antigua: In the highly competitive world of Grand Prix yacht racing, they are currently two of the best-sailed, highest profile offshore maxis in the game. In the last year alone, they have earned headlines around the world with top-notch performances in such classic events as the Rolex Fastnet Race, the Rolex Middle Sea Race, and the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race. In fact, their epic duel in last summer’s Fastnet was a match for the ages, as the two giants were separated by a mere three seconds as they rounded the famous landmark known as Fastnet Rock.

Now, Mike Slade’s 100-foot ICAP Leopard, and George David’s 90-foot Rambler, are preparing for a rematch in the fresh tradewinds of the Caribbean. For the two state-of-the-art race boats are among the early entrants for the upcoming 41st edition of Stanford Antigua Sailing Week, scheduled from April 27-May 3.

Seventy-two boats have already registered for the 2008 running of Sailing Week, but none are larger or more impressive than ICAP Leopard, which was built Down Under at Australia’s McConaghy Boats in June 2007, and almost immediately made a mark on the sailing world. The canting keel, 40-ton ICAP Leopard may have trailed Rambler by seconds at the halfway mark of the heavy-weather 2007 Fastnet, but the 100-footer staged an impressive comeback by overtaking her rival and, in the process, smashing the race record by eight hours to take line honors after a blistering voyage of 1 d, 20h, 18m, 53s. Rambler finished some 45 minutes in arrears but exacted some revenge by winning the prestigious IRC Super Zero Class on corrected time.

For the Bruce Farr-designed ICAP Leopard, the next stage of her world tour was the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race, where she finished a close second on line honors to the celebrated Australian maxi, Wild Oats XI.

In the mean time, the Reichel/Pugh-designed Rambler moved forward from the Fastnet Race to record a series of strong performances in its first year under George David’s stewardship. With U.S. skipper Ken Read commanding an all-star crew of sailors who will also form the nucleus of Read’s PUMA Racing team for the upcoming Volvo Ocean Race, Rambler registered a rare set of “trebles” - a record-setting time, line honors, and corrected time victory - in last fall’s Rolex Middle Sea Race in the Mediterranean, and the Offshore Race Rolex Buenos Aires-Rio de Janeiro Race in the South Atlantic last February.

Rambler was originally built in 2002 for Aussie sailor Neville Crichton.

www.sailingweek.com

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