ICAP Leopard takes monohull line honours at JP Morgan Round the Island Race
June 25, 2007 0 comments
Mike Slade’s new supermaxi yacht, ICAP Leopard, this morning took monohull line honours in the JP Morgan Round the Island Race. Completing the 55 mile course in just 4 hours 23 minutes and 5 seconds, ICAP Leopard was only a matter of minutes from breaking the Round the Island Race record, held by Slade’s previous boat, Leopard of London in 2001.
Mike Slade’s new supermaxi yacht, ICAP Leopard, this morning took monohull line honours in the JP Morgan Round the Island Race. Completing the 55 mile course in just 4 hours 23 minutes and 5 seconds, ICAP Leopard was only a matter of minutes from breaking the Round the Island Race record, held by Slade’s previous boat, Leopard of London in 2001.
Credit Catrine Gapper
Starting the annual dash around the island just after dawn, ICAP Leopard’s crew of America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race legends sailed an almost faultless race. First boat to the Needles, she blasted round the south side of the island to St Catherine’s point before beating back upwind through the Solent to the finish line off Cowes. Having recently arrived in the UK after being built at McConaghy Boats, Australia, the crew of 28 plus eight guests pushed the boat hard in around 14 knots of breeze, amongst a fleet of 1,799 boats.
Credit Catrine Gapper
Owner Mike Slade commented: “We are absolutely thrilled the with the new ICAP Leopard. She feels fantastic, really well balanced, and for a brand new boat straight out of the box, she performed absolutely superbly today. St Catherine’s point is always tricky, but we had a cracking sail round the back of the island to Bembridge with the kite up all the way from the Needles. With today’s wind direction we had a lot of tacking up the Solent to do which slows you down, so sadly we didn’t quite beat the record, but we’re not disappointed at all – and there’s always next year!”
Credit Catrine Gapper
Like her predecessors the Farr-designed super maxi is aimed towards the charter market as well as winning races and making record attempts. With her removable interior, she can be transformed from racing machine to the ultimate in luxury sailing yachts. ICAP Leopard is set to compete in a number of high-profile races and regattas all over the world this year. These will include Skandia Cowes Week, the Rolex Fastnet Race, the Middle Sea Race and the infamous Rolex Sydney Hobart Race which starts on Boxing Day.
