LEOPARD KNOCKS SPOTS OFF COMPETITION

By Martin Neville - Saturday, August 4, 2007
MIKE Slade’s ICAP Leopard was runaway winner in the IRC Class Zero Big Boat Series race after a stately performance around the cans on the opening day of Skandia Cowes Week yesterday (Friday).
Slade, with a 30-strong crew, completed it in three hours and 14 minutes.
“It was sensibly set because it is not easy for a super fast yacht like ours to turn corners and we are deep so can’t just go anywhere but they did a good job,” he said.
“We were a little overcautious but we just wanted to enjoy ourselves.”
The other contender in the class, the Open 60 Mirabaud, retired from racing after the eight out of 12-strong crew, decided to return home when the tide turned and they ran out of time.
Designed for single-handed long distance racing Mirabaud, which draws 4.5m, was not best suited to racing round the cans in the Solent but according to Slade, the conditions suited his brand new canted keel Farr 30m nicely.

LEOPARD KNOCKS SPOTS OFF COMPETITION

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