Neville Crichton’s 27m Reichel/Pugh-designed Alfa Romeo, the carbonfibre maxi that won the 2002 Sydney-Hobart race, has just arrived in England in preparation for Cowes Week and the Fastnet race.

Having won the Sydney-Hobart race at the end of last year, Alfa Romeo headed to the Mediterranean and notched up some respectable results in the Med regatta series as well as the recent Giraglia regatta (St Tropez, Giraglia, Genoa) where the she broke the record on the 243 miles route.

She will spend two days competing at Cowes Week (6-7 August) before heading for the start line of the Fastnet race on 10 August where she aims to break her next speed record.