At the time of going to press, Lion New Zealand had not been launched. She has been built specifically for the 1985/86 Whitbread Round the World Race, as was skipper Peter Blake's previous charge, Ceramco New Zealand, which won the 1980 Hobart line honours/handicap double. She will carry a very experienced crew which will include many of the 1980 Whitbread crew. Provided she is ready on time and tuned for the occasion, she should be a threat for line honours.