Wally 100 finishes Transatlantic Race

(December 6, 2019; Day 15) – The French Wally 100 Dark Shadow today finished the 2019 RORC Transatlantic Race in an elapsed time of 13 days 9 hours 11 mins and 3 secs. Dark Shadow was sailed by Andre Auberton-Herve (FRA) and skippered by Yerin Hobson (AUS).

“I did the transat almost 12 years ago with the almost the same team. This time it was great, but we had tricky winds and still enjoyed it,” commented Andre Auberton-Herve. “Racing with the RORC means great organization at the departure and a great reception here. The transat was perfect, we loved it – Dark Shadow was flying! We reached 25 knots finally and that was very nice. It was great to put the team back together.”

The next yacht expected to finish the RORC Transatlantic Race is Giles Redpath’s British Lombard 46 Pata Negra, skippered by Andy Lis with a young team. After almost exactly two weeks into the race, Pata Negra is 400nm from the finish having logged 3,000nm, Pata Negra is expected to finish the race on December 8.

“Last night and today’s sailing has been littered with cloud activity and therefore a lot of quick gybes,” reports the Pata Negra crew. “We’re pretty confident we can maximize potential of each and have managed to be on the headed gybe most of the time.

“This is particularly tough as shifts can last from anywhere between 10 seconds to an hour. Squalls blow through with some clouds, hitting 37 knots at one point. Will capitalized on that and set a new speed record of 20.9 knots, verified by the shrill scream of Cat who previously held it!”

“We’re constantly trying to aim as close to Grenada as possible, while still making good speed. With the first finisher of the race, Childhood 1, pulling in just before midnight on December 4, the math is soon to start as to what exactly we need to do to secure each position.

“These are only estimations and everything is still to play for, especially with these squalls and clouds. For now we will continue to look up at clouds, duck from flying fish trying to attack us, and dream of the rum cocktails. Roll on Grenada!”

More than 200 miles astern of Pata Negra is Richard Palmer’s British JPK 10.10 Jangada, which Richard is racing Two-Handed with Jeremy Waitt. Jangada is estimated to be leading the race overall after IRC time correction, but still has approximately three days at sea at their current speed.

Event details – Entry list – Tracker

The 6th edition of the RORC Transatlantic Race got underway November 23 from outside Marina Lanzarote for the 3,000nm race across the Atlantic Ocean to Grenada in the West Indies.The largest yacht competing in the 2019 RORC Transatlantic Race is the Wally 100 Dark Shadow and the smallest yacht is the JPK 10.10 Jangada.

Source: RORC