Maiden II attempt to become World's Fastest Yacht

by Sally Belwood on 12 Jun 2002 Tomorrow at around midday UTC, Maiden II will attempt to
break the 24 hour distance record. Tracy Edwards' crew are determined to
beat the record of 687.17 nautical miles that is currently held by Steve
Fossett on board Playstation, thereby wresting back the title of 'worlds
fastest ocean racing yacht' that was formerly held by Grant Dalton when
Maiden II was named Club Med.

Tonight, the 110 ft maxi-catamaran will depart Newport, to sail
approximately 250 nautical miles South-South East to a point that has been
identified by navigator Adrienne Cahalan as the possible starting point
for the record. There the team hope to pick up a weather system that will
help them maintain an average speed in excess of the 28.63 knot target
speed for 24 hours.

Sailing Director Tracy Edwards has no illusion that the record will be
tough to beat. 'Steve Fossett has set a tough target to beat and
effectively become the fastest yacht in the world. In addition to having
the perfect wind angle and strength, you need to have a relatively flat
sea.'

'If we get these conditions, then we have the crew that can take advantage
of them and break the record.

'Since we put the campaign together, the team has come within a few hours
of breaking the transatlantic record and has set a tough new record time
for the Antigua to Newport run. If we were to break the 24 hour run, that
would put us ahead of our expectations for this stage of the programme.'

After attempting the record, the crew cross the Atlantic on a training
run, returning to the new UK base in Ocean Village, Southampton.

The crew is as follows:

Brian Thompson GBR - Watch Captain
Adrienne Cahalan AUS - Navigator
Helena Darvelid SWE - Watch Captain
Rodney Keenan NZL
Paul Larsen AUS
Sam Davies GBR
Sharon Ferris NZL
Fraser Brown NZL
Greg Homann AUS
Anne Monmousseau FRA
Christine Haffi FRA
Ben Wood GBR
Stan Delbarre FRA
Lanee Butler USA

Maiden II will be skippered by the rearguard, which consists of Brian
Thompson, Adrienne Cahalan and Helena Darvelid.


Current records:

By any yacht, any number of crew
PlayStation Steve Fossett and crew (USA, catamaran 125ft 38.1m,
North Atlantic, 7 October 2001
687.17 nautical miles, 28.63 knots
By any yacht, sailed single-handed
Primagaz Laurent Bourgnon (FRA), trimaran 60ft 18.29m, North
Atlantic, 28-29 June 1994
540.0 nautical miles, 22.50 knots
By monohull, any number of crew
VOR 60 illbruck, John Kostecki and crew (GER), Atlantic Ocean, 29 -
30 April 2002, 484 nautical miles, 20.16 knots.
By monohull, single-handed
Union Bancaire Privee Dominique Wavre (FRA), Open 60, 60ft 18.29m,
Southern Ocean, 8-9 December 2000
430.70 nautical miles, 17.94 knot