Comanche team denies Russian ownership

Recent seizures of Russian-owned superyachts, following sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine, have raised debate on how shell companies and foreign vessel registration can make it hard to determine the ownership of such yachts.

Comanche, the 100ft recordbreaking yacht launched in 2014, was widely reported to have been sold to a Russian owner in 2019. In January 2022 skipper Mitch Booth was quoted in the RORC Transatlantic Race report saying: “Comanche is Russian owned and the ethos is to bring on Russian sailors.” The yacht has a Cayman Island sail number.

However, on 21 April the

Comanche team issued a statement denying that the yacht was Russian owned. The statement to Antipodean site livesaildie.com says: “Comanche is not owned (beneficially or otherwise) or effectively controlled or managed by a Russian or Belarusian individual or entity. Comanche supports the recent announcements made by World Sailing.”

World Sailing has doubled down on its commitment to ban Russian and Belarusian sailors and yachts from international competition.

On 4 April it reported that the organisation “intends to clarify that its position in relation to the participation of athletes from Russia and Belarus also excludes the participation of any boat owned or effectively controlled or managed by a Russian or Belarusian individual or entity.”

Comanche is currently entered in this August’s Hamilton Island Race Week as Andoo Comanche, to be skippered by John Winning Jr – a well known Sydney 18ft Skiff sailor and home appliances company

CEO – adding to speculation that the 100-footer will be returning to the Australian big boat scene.

Comanche was built for American Jim Clark, later sold to Australian Jim Cooney, and has taken line honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race three times. Former skipper Ken Read nominated the design as his ‘Coolest Yacht' – see page 98.