Avalanche

Brand new Avalanche was launched in the first week of November for Victorians Hugh Ellis and Gary Caulfied, who campaigned the Beneteau First 44.7, Twitch, in last year’s Hobart race. On the crew was Avalanche’s designer and brains trust, Robert Hick. They finished 37^th overall and 14^th in Division 3. The two launched their new Rob Hick designed Avalanche in November and Hick joins them for the race. “He’s a great designer, builder and yachtie,” Ellis says. Built for all-round performance in Williamstown, and probably the only racing yacht built in Australia in the last handful of years, Avalanche’s owners plan starting with a couple of CYCA races. Next is the Rolex Sydney Hobart, Festival of Sails, Port Lincoln Race Week, Sydney Gold Coast race and Airlie and Hamilton Island Race Weeks. One of the dark horses in the fleet, keeping in mind it was a Hick design that won the 1998 Hobart.

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