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Alfa Romeo wins Sydney-to-Hobart
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) -- Australian maxi Alfa Romeo claimed line honours in the 630 nautical mile Sydney-Hobart race, surfing across the finish line under spinnaker about 30 kilometres (20 miles) ahead of its nearest challengers. Sydney-based New Zealand businessman Neville Crichton's carbon fibre boat took about two days and five hours to complete the race down Australia's east coast to the island state of Tasmania. The sleek gray carbon fibre boat surfed under spinnaker at speeds of up to 18 knots in favourable conditions over the closing stages but still finished well outside the race record of one day 19 hours 48 minutes and two seconds set by Danish flyer Nokia in 1999. Alfa Romeo, the pre-race favourite, led the fleet of 55 yachts out of Sydney Harbour on Thursday and crossed the finish line in the Derwent River at about 6 p.m. (0700 GMT) surrounded by spectator craft. Australian downwind flyer Grundig was in second place about 30 kilometres astern as Alfa Romeo reached Storm Bay before the entrance to the Derwent River leading to Hobart. Sean Langman's Open 66-class boat Grundig and its crew of experienced skiff sailors passed British super maxi Canon Leopard late on Friday as they crossed the notoriously rough Bass Strait between the Australian mainland and Tasmania. Canon Leopard, which at 29.5 metres (97 feet) is the biggest boat in the fleet, was further back among a group of boats which included maxi Australian Skandia Wild Thing, Swedish maxi Nicorette and Australian workhorse Brindabella. British businessman Mike Slade's Canon Leopard had hit a whale some time on Friday, Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) radio said. A race official told ABC that Slade had described the incident as "just a lovebite." Boats in three of the last four Sydney-Hobart races were hit by appalling weather conditions, with strong winds whipping up huge seas in Bass Strait. Six sailors died in the 1998 Sydney-Hobart, prompting a raft of stringent new safety regulations. Ludde Ingvall's Nicorette won the 2000 race but was flattened by a water spout, or sea tornado, last year. But the 2002 race has been unusual for the relatively calm conditions experienced since Thursday's chaotic start in rain, mist and poor visibility in Sydney Harbour. Copyright 2002 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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