Yachting: Time to reflect on ocean win

Round-the-world yacht race winner Mike Sanderson was relaxing on his new boat Windward in Westhaven Marina yesterday.

With a two-week holiday in New Zealand coming to an end he was preparing to head for Waiheke Island for a quiet night with a book and a glass of wine.

A vastly different scenario from the last nine months, where he banged and crashed his way around the world on a 21m yacht living on freeze-dried food.

Sitting in his striking Southstar 37, the ABN Amro One skipper admits he has had little time to reflect on his victory.

Since the win ABN Amro have announced they will continue for another 18 months. The syndicate's two boats will compete in various regattas.

ABN Amro Two is in Chicago for a regatta next weekend while ABN Amro One is being prepared for Cowes Week and the Rolex Maxi Worlds.

Sanderson has signed with the team for that time. However, the Dutch Bank has yet to signal whether they will compete in the 2008 race.

Sanderson is keen to do the race again but also wouldn't mind working for an America's Cup syndicate in a role such as design co-ordinator.

"I would like to get my foot in the door with this cup. Maybe with one of the smaller teams but only with someone who is going to go on to the next one in a bigger way."

He is already in discussions with a few teams, but with so many friends at Emirates Team New Zealand he isn't too sure about "working against all my mates".

"The only reason I would like to do it is not to miss out on a whole generation of boats and a whole cup."

Looking back on the round-the-world race, Sanderson said the highlight for him was winning the first leg.

"For me the first leg is about overall boat speed and preparation. It is no coincidence that the boat that has won the first leg has gone on to win the race, in every race since 1974 or something."

Just where that first leg will be in the next race is uncertain. Organisers have announced a series of changes to the race, which is likely to include lucrative stopovers in Asia and the Middle East. Sanderson said the changes had to happen.

"It is all very well the purists saying we want the Southern Ocean, it is no longer the Whitbread Race of 1974 - well in 1974 they didn't have to find 20 million bucks.

"I think they have done the right thing in keeping the boats at the cutting edge of ocean racing and going to meet the market."

Before he tackles another campaign, Sanderson will dabble in a number of regattas.

Aside from the events the ABN Amro boats will do, he will join the crew of super-maxi Mari-Cha IV who are planning to attack the 24-hour record later this year and will compete in his first multihull regatta.

However, from October through to February it's "New Zealand summer here we come" for him and new wife Emma Richards.