Big or small, Alfa Romeo just keeps on winning with Kiwi yachtsman Neville Crichton at the helm, with the new small 71 foot Mini Maxi ‘Alfa Romeo’ winning its two first ever races just weeks after the big 100 foot maxi ‘Alfa Romeo’ won the TransPac race en route to the 2009 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race in December.

Competing in the 2009 Copa del Rey in Majorca, Neville Crichton and the new ‘Alfa Romeo’ fulfilled expectations by winning the first two races yesterday (3 August 2009) in the ten race/six day event and, like her big brother, has established itself as the yacht to beat.

The start of the first race for the IRC class was postponed by one hour and twenty minutes, until the sea breeze built in the Bravo sailing area, the most central of the three courses for the windward-leeward races.

Alfa Romeo took no risks and started to the left-hand side of the area, and was able to round the first top mark at the head of the group, maintaining this position till the end of the race. Bellamente was second and Container was third. A 17 knot wind, known locally as the Embat Wind, provided a fantastic show of Mini Maxis on the water during the second race, which was much tighter. Alfa Romeo was first again, followed by Bellamente just 17 seconds behind, and Container, again, was third. Overall Neville Crichton’s Alfa Romeo leads the event, with Hap Fauth's American Bellamente second in the overall classification, and Udo Schuetz's Container remains third, confirming the leadership of the Mini Maxis in the group. CAM with H.R.H The Prince of Asturias Don Felipe de Borbón as helmsman is fourth.

Last year's winner Aifos with Jaime Rodríguez Toubes at the helm could only manage an eighth, demonstrating Alfa Romeo’s dominance of the event. “With the new Alfa Romeo just in the water weeks before the Copa del Rey, we are treating this event as a training event and an opportunity to get to know the new yacht,” said Neville Crichton, Skipper and owner of Alfa Romeo, after the races. “So to score two wins straight out of the box is a very welcome result and points to good results for this yacht in coming events. It also means that the third generation of yachts top wear the Alfa Romeo name can also lay claim to the titles of proven winner and the yacht to beat!”