Veteran joins Sydney-Hobart race

Charisma, a Sparkman and Stephens 57 that was built in 1970, has arrived in Sydney for this years Rolex Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race. The yacht is now owned by Spanish banker Alejandro Perez Calzada and sails out of the Royal Nautical Club of Barcelona.

Built by the leading US yard Palmer and Johnson, Charisma gained selection in the United States' 1973 Admiral's Cup team and has since had a long and successful racing career in America.

Calzada bought the yacht in 2006 and has since sailed and raced her around the world. She started her epic trip in the 2007 Fastnet Race and then across the Atlantic to the US where she competed in the 2008 Newport to Bermuda race.

This year she left Los Angeles as part of the fleet in the Transpac race to Hawaii and came first in Division 7. After the Sydney-Hobart race she will return to the Med for the 2010 Rolex Middle Sea Race.

Calzada thinks the almost 40-year-old yacht will give a sailing lesson to many newer boats in the rugged 628 nautical mile race to Hobart. He says the boat is built to take tough conditions and shouldn't be fazed by the savage conditions the Hobart racers often face.

Charisma is only the second Spanish registered yacht to sail in the Sydney-Hobart race. Organisers are expecting a record number of overseas entrants in this year's race.

Check out the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race website for more details on the event, which begins on Boxing day (December 26th).