Pyewacket 70 & Kialoa III: Comparing two legends
by Antigua Sailing Week 11 May 05:00 NZST
26 April - 2 May 2025
Roy P Disney's Volvo 70 Pyewacket 70 win CSA Racing 1 - Antigua Sailing Week © Paul Wyeth / pwpictures.com
Antigua Sailing Week 2025 was attended by two top-end offshore racing yachts from very different times.
Launched in 1974, the 79 foot Kialoa III was all conquering on the world stage for many years. Today Pyewacket 70, a modified Volvo 70, is one of the fastest 70 footers around. In this film we compare these two legends from different times.
In an ironic twist, Ben Mitchell who currently races onboard Pyewacket 70, also used to race on Kialoa III, 50 years ago - including during the 1975 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race where Kialoa III set a record that stood for 21 years! We talk with Ben and with new Kialoa III owner Lennart Davidson about the technical evolution in offshore racing yachts during the decades that separate them and about the custom courses provided by the Antigua Sailing Week race committee to ensure great races for the big boat class this year.
Archive footage thanks to Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.
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