This year's Rolex Fastnet Race will have yet another supermaxi in town turning heads.

Aside from the refitted Leopard of London, the 90ft razor sharp Shockwave, owned by New Zealand entrepreneur Neville Crichton, will be shipped halfway round the world to compete in the prestigious event.

The boats competed against one another at last December's Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race.

The biennial Rolex Fastnet Race is considered one of the world's classic ocean races, the 608-mile course always a test for skippers and crews with its tricky tidal currents and changeable weather conditions.

The race, organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, with the Royal Yacht Squadron and the Royal Western Yacht Club, Plymouth will start at 10am on August 10, off Cowes.

Shockwave, sporting the livery of Alfa Romeo, achieved the significant line honours victory at the recent Rolex Sydney Hobart Race after being launched in August 2002. No doubt she will be calling in some Solent crew for local expertise.

For the Fastnet, free of any rating restriction, she will be configured with water ballast and a lighter keel, and is expected to rate 1.708 (from the 1.600 cap in Australia). Designed as an all-around performer, able to reach high speeds to windward and capable in all conditions, Shockwave is a serious rival to Leopard for line honours and the race record.

The record for water-ballasted monohulls would require an average speed of more than 11.48 knots.

At the other end of the size spectrum, the first boat to enter was Magnum II, a brand-new IMX 40 owned by Andrew Pearce.

With an ambition to achieve selection for the Rolex Commodores' Cup in 2004, Pearce knows he and his crew will have to raise their game considerably over the coming months. "The Rolex Fastnet is very much the focus of our 2003 season. We may be an amateur crew in some respects, but our preparation will be as complete and professional as possible. We will do our best to leave nothing to chance," he promised.