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Rothmans 558 |
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It is late
summer 1981 and the Cowes Classic is experiencing one of the
lowest entries on record, the race that August Bank Holiday
had attracted an entry of just 12 craft comprising 6 OP1 and
6 OP2, although there was no denying the entries were top
quality. Entrants were from Italy, the USA and Germany plus
the Brits led by Ted Tolman and Mike Doxford, the promised
good weather turned sour and within the first ten minutes
half the fleet had been knocked out including Ego the entry
of Italian Renato della Valle a 38ft Don Shead designed CUV
powered by 2, 650hp Mercruiser’s, with a damaged drive
shaft. |
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Rothmans Ego
1982 Photo courtesy Graham Stevens |
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Not to be
discouraged della Valle returned in 1982 to compete in the
Peter Styvesant Classic which was based on Solent courses
and totally cut out Torquay, even so another poor OP1 fleet
was again decimated by sea conditions which included 6 foot
waves at Christchurch ledge. His craft, again EGO but
renamed ROTHMANS EGO after its sponsor the tobacco company
is still powered by Mercruiser’s, of the 14 starters in the
179 mile race only 3 finished led by Rothmans Ego at a speed
of 65.7 mph. |
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No longer
resplendent in her Rothmans colours EGO returned to Cowes in
1983 to defend her title and although listed as Rothmans EGO
was also known as EGO NOOXY her hull painted white, again
still powered by Mercruiser’s, this time with an output of
1400 hp. The race once again returned to the old format down
to Torquay and back, a total of 192 miles and of the 12
starters only 2 OP1 entrants and 2 OP2’s finished, led again
by della Valle this time proving his worth over the full
original course, he was closely followed by previous winner
Alberto Smania in the similar boat Marlboro. |
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The weather
for the CTC in 1984 was superb and the conditions on the
course the smoothest ever and EGO is back for more, not only
more but sporting a new sponsor, CINZANO and is again
resplendant in a similar red white and blue livery to the
Rothmans years. Another bonus for the Bank Holiday crowds is
an upturn in both the number and quality of the entrants,
although there were only 3 from outside Britain but the
slightly shorter course of 165 miles still takes in the
Torquay turn. It was a day waiting for records to be broken
and as Cinzano swept back into Cowes they were, first the
speed 76 mph then the equalling by della Valle of Tommy
Sopwith’s record 3 wins, it seemed the Cowes Torquay was
back on its pinnacle again and that was good news. |
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Race boats as
you know change hands frequently and are often renamed this
may be the case with EGO/CINZANO as her return to Cowes that
year may have been as a new craft, she certainly had new
engines, a pair of 800 hp Lamborghini’s. |
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Cinzano 1985
Photo courtesy Graham Stevens |
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The reason
that this may be a new craft for della Valle was firstly the
new power house and secondly the appearance on the race
scene of the Spelta family with an identical CUV called
NOOXY which was Ego’s name in ’83, although the Spelta’s
boat is powered by the soon to be dominant Isotta Fraschini
diesels. As for the race there was a new format, it would be
run in 2 stages the first down to Torquay where entrants
would be refuelled then were flagged off for the race back
to Cowes after a compulsory 1hr stop. The new format helped
the race regain its prestige and a fine entry of 26 starters
we flagged off on the combined 203 mile trip. For della
Valle the competition was stiff, comprising the massive
Stain mono Outsider with 3 IF diesels totalling 2250hp,the
Spelta’s, Len Bylocks giant Buzzi NITRO and Ken Cassir
driving the leased CUV Ideal Standard. |
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It was NITRO
that sped into Torquay first, hotly pursued by NOOXY and
CINZANO, the return trip left behind NITRO sinking at the
dockside and NOOXY with flat batteries and although
conditions were not perfect CINZANO stamped her authority on
the return to Cowes leaving Outsider trailing in her wake
and slowly sinking, the Spelta’s after finding some new
batteries were playing catch up. Although the winners speed
was down on the previous years, the winner of the 25th
anniversary of the race was once again Mr Renato della Valle
completing the first ever back to back of 3 consecutive wins
in the CT and 4 overall victories ‘82,’83,’84 and’85. Would
it last? |
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The Cowes
Classic had once again been firmly established as the race
to win even though the new format with the 1 hr stopover
treated it as 2 separate races, the 1986 entry list saw
another leap in the quality and quantity of the field with
entries from Monaco, Sweden, Italy and France plus genuine
British contenders after years in the wilderness. |
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Oh yes, that
man was back again this time EGO is called after her
sponsors EBERHARD & CO, maybe you do change your luck when
you change a boats name, the Spelta’s NOOXY /FRESH & CLEAN
took the big prize and Eberhard retired. |
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Renato
returned in 87 with a new 42 CUV, PINOT de PINOT and EGO was
traded between various owners all hoping for the magic of
the 80’s to rub off on them, but it was not to be. |
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It was
arrivederci no 558, so long Ego, we’ll meet again one
day………. |
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