History

Owner Mike Slade has a long  history when it comes to racing Super Maxis and is no stranger when it comes to  the international race circuit.

Past Press Releases

“Mike Slade steered Leopard into Plymouth at 0517 this morning, less  than two minutes in front of Bouwe Bekking’s professional team. While Bekking’s  men were operating in full ocean racing mode, working constantly to trim the  boat in between indigestible meals of freeze-dried food, Slade’s team were  living like kings.”
Yachting World, Rolex Fastnet,  August 11 2005

“Property developer Mike Slade has held the Round the Island Race monohull race record since 1991 in three  different boats. The record was established in 2001 by “Skandia Life  Leopard” at 4 hours 5 minutes and 40 seconds. He will be defending his  title again this year in “Leopard of London”,  following completion of the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge.”
Flavia Bateson, Island Sailing Club, 30 May 2005

“The tensest start was between the giants in Performance  Cruising class 2. Mike Slade’s Leopard of London hit the line perfectly at the  Ambrose Light end, while there was near contact at the committee boat  end.”
Regatta News, Rolex Transatlantic Race, May 22 2005

“Leopard of London crossed the  ARC 2004 finish line in the shadow of Pigeon Island  to be the first boat to complete the ARC route. Leopard rounding the headland  and going hard on the wind in a north easterly 3, was an awesome and beautiful  sight. She powered over the finish line at 15 knots with all the crew cheering  at their achievement.”
Caribbean Racing.com, 19 December 2004

“Mike Slade on Leopard won Best Overall under IRM for the  Fastnet Rock Trophy. Both winners will be awarded a Rolex Yachtmaster Rolesium  for their efforts.”
Rolex Regatta News, August 15  2003

“Mike Slade’s Leopard will receive the prestigious Fastnet Rock  Trophy for best overall in class as well as the Erivale Trophy for first yacht  home. A special trophy will also be awarded this evening when Hugh Agnew of  Leopard, wins the Keith Ludlow Trophy for Navigator of the best yacht  overall.”
RORC, August 2003

“There was no doubt that Leopard was in front of the class, and  a few minutes later ahead of all the sports boats and day-boats that had  started 10 minutes in front. Leopard was the first monohull to finish the Round  the Island Race 2003.”
Bob  Fisher, Yachts and Yachting, July 2003

“Dolphins led the huge British Leopard across the Bass Strait yesterday, close to the front of the fleet of  the Sydney Hobart Race. A 15 knot north-easterly allowed the 29.5m maxi to leap  across the unusually placid strait”
Bruce  Montgomery, The Weekend Australian, Dec 2002

“We expected Leopard to be very competitive, she was very close to our  speed all the way around the course, Shockwave’s Crichton said.”
Jessica Halloran, The Sydney  Herald, Dec 2002

“It has been more than a year now since London property magnate  Mike Slade let his sleek new Leopard loose on the Solent but in that time no  one has come up with anything to match her for speed, size and sheer  beauty”
Kate  Laven, Southern Daily Echo, August 2001

“The Round the Island monohull record previously held by Mike  Slade’s old maxi, Longobarda, was beaten by Slade himself on board his new  giant ‘super-sloop’, Skandia Leopard”
Edward Gorman, Times, June 2001

“The 92 ft Skandia Leopard set a new mark of 4hr 5min 40sec in  this years Round the Island Race, lopping 65min off Slade’s 1996 time”
Tim  Jeffery, Daily Telegraph, June 2001

“For some  months, Mike Slade has been insistent that his new boat would lower the  monohull record for the Hoya Round the Island  Race. Yesterday, his hopes were realised, and in a manner in which even he was  left surprised”
Bob Fisher, Observer, June  2001