Neville Crichton showed himself once again to be the fastest skipper at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, winning the Mini Maxi Racing event aboard Alfa Romeo 3. Hap Fauth was second on Bella Mente and Peter Ogden's Jethou third. Crichton kept a constant eye on the progress of the US team's Bella Mente during today's race to maintain the advantage gained over a week of intense and windy competition. Alfa Romeo 3 approached this windward-leeward race as if it were a match race.

The success of Neville Crichton individually and of Alfa Romeo 3 as a craft confirm that the radical changes wrought - she is now longer by almost 60 cm and about a tonne heavier - have borne fruit. But even back in Palma de Mallorca, where she won the Copa del Rey, it was obvious that this was a yacht with something special.

As usual Neville Crichton isn't going about to rest on his laurels: he's already planning new challenges aboard a new mini maxi which might be ready for the end of the 2010 season. After all, he has greeted each successive season recently with either a new or a completely redesigned craft.

Neville Crichton had this to say "This boat is really fast and fully lives up to our expectations. She's quick and agile as befits mini maxi racing, and I'm just going to enjoy this moment before preparing for the 600 mile Rolex Sydney to Hobart race which starts, on St Stephen's day, December 26. The fleet for that event will include the 6 fastest super maxis in the world. I've already won that race and I'd like to repeat the performance aboard Alfa Romeo 2, which won this year's Transpac and took about 26 hours off the existing speed record in the process".

Sergio Cravero, CEO of Alfa Romeo Automobiles, said that "We have a lot in common with Crichton: he manages to capture wind energy for greater speed, while we try our best with our engines to leave their primary source of energy, the air itself, unaltered. At the end of 2008 we were really enthusiastic about Crichton's new idea: to perfect a 2009 version of Alfa Romeo 3 with just 8 months to work in on a project developed in no less than 7 different countries. This project was born of passion, courage, and competitive drive for ever better and more cutting-edge results, both in terms of technology and design. It's the kind of challenge that we're familiar with because it's always been part of the inspiration of our brand's history and still guides us. With Crichton and his Alfa Romeo yachts we have already written new pages of ocean-going success, further strengthening our brand image, creating excitement and helping us approach an ever-growing audience of sailing enthusiasts".

Photo credits: G. Luzzatto/Alfa Romeo