Yachting: Sailors on epic trip up coast to Russell

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Aaron McIntosh knows it is dangerous, that he is even a little crazy.

But the Olympic bronze medallist is still heading off to speed non-stop from Auckland to Russell on his windsurfer.

On Friday, the boardsailing whiz plans to fulfil a four-year dream to sail the 120 nautical miles up the east coast, twice as far as he has ever sailed before.

Olympic 49er sailors Dan Slater and Nathan Handley yesterday challenged McIntosh to a duel.

They will do it on an 18ft skiff, a little bigger but no more robust.

They have hauled in another boardie, Olympic gold medallist Bruce Kendall, for their wild ride.

The speed freaks are not officially part of the Lindauer Coastal Classic, the annual Auckland-Russell race that starts inside the Waitemata Harbour at 10 am on Friday.

They will sneak off five minutes before the big boats, which will start when New Zealand's other boardsailing bronze medallist, Barbara Kendall, fires the cannon off Devonport wharf.

Both McIntosh and Slater realise they will be shattered when - or more appropriately, if - they reach Russell.

"It's going to be very taxing physically," McIntosh said. "It will get to the stage where after six or seven hours you're drawing on adrenalin and the thought of finishing just to keep going," he said.

"But it's not as hard as an Olympic race. You can relax on the board - just trim the sails, eat and drink."

McIntosh will wear a special jacket with pockets big enough to hoard snacks, power bars and gels and bottles of water.

"Hopefully my support boat will pass over a few sammies to keep me going," he said.

And there is also room to hold a VHF radio and a flare in case he gets into trouble.

"It's dangerous. A lot can happen out there.

"But you've got to have respect for the ocean and I think Dan and I have that," he said.

They will have their own support craft alongside for the entire race. McIntosh is aiming to break the Auckland-Russell windsurfing record of 11h 45m, set by Luke Wigglesworth three years ago.

Wigglesworth, who has made three attempts over the distance, plans to have another go on Friday as well.

McIntosh reckons if the conditions are right, they could even break the yacht record of 7h 20m set by the catamaran Split Enz in 1996.

And then there is the battle between board and skiff, the fastest single-hulled classes on water.

"In tight reaching, the boards will be fastest, but broad reaching and upwind it should be us," said Slater.

The winner will collect $5000, put up by Auckland restauranter Dick Jones.

He has also offered $2000 if the board record is broken.

Slater and McIntosh say they will give the prizemoney to youth yachting.

Slater and Handley will be sailing the 18ft skiff they raced in Australia two years ago.

"It's the longest distance this boat has ever sailed. Usually these things don't hold together that long, but she'll be right," said Slater, who has signed up to sail with Team New Zealand for the next America's Cup.

The Coastal Classic will be a battle of the monohulls with the star of the fleet, Ross Field's round-the-world race boat News Corporation.

A fleet of 230 boats are expected to line up under the shadow of North Head for the start, up on last year's numbers.