Clean start for RORC Transatlantic

(January 8, 2022) – The 2022 RORC Transatlantic Race started on time in glorious conditions for 256 sailors from 27 different countries. The record fleet of 30 boats set off at blistering pace downwind leaving Lanzarote behind, taking a course through the Canary Islands before sailing into the open waters of the Atlantic and tackling a complex weather system en route to Grenada.

MOCRA
At speeds of over 30 knots, the powerful multihulls in the MOCRA class were first away. Jason Carroll’s MOD70 Argo (USA) won the pin end with Giovanni Soldini’s Multi70 Maserati (ITA) first to cross the line to leeward. The Italian team was the first to gybe inshore and to the turning mark at Puerto Calero.

However, Peter Cunningham’s MOD70 PowerPlay (CAY) ripped out in front hitting a speed of 33 knots. PowerPlay was first to clear the passage between Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Argo and Maserati gybed south of the rhumb line, but PowerPlay continued to head to the north. Less than three hours into the race, the trio had travelled over 70 miles.

IRC SUPER ZERO
L4 Trifork got the best start of the big boat class, with Joern Larsen at the helm and Bouwe Bekking calling the shots. L4 Trifork started to leeward and got into clean air to hoist their massive spinnaker. L4 Trifork was originally the VO70 Ericsson 4 but now has DSS foils and a longer bowsprit – turbo charged would be an understatement.

However, the 100ft canting keel maxi Comanche, skippered by Mitch Booth also got away well, passing L4 Trifork to windward in a show of power. L4 Trifork gybed on their line and might have even got a tow in their quarter wave. It was an aggressive start by both teams.

Three hours into the race Comanche leads by five miles. Behind the leaders on the water HYPR (NED), sailed by Jens Lindner, has taken a northerly position. The Polish National Foundation’s VO70 I Love Poland and The Austrian Ocean Racing’s VO65 Sisi are further to the south.

IRC ZERO
The super-fight between the offshore fifty-footers got off to a cracking start. Max Klink’s Botin 52 Caro (CH) nailed the pin end of the line like the team were starting an inshore race. David Collins Botin 52 Tala (GBR) was hardly shy of the line either. The Botin 56 Black Pearl (GER), helmed by Stefan Jentsch was also in the mix. Three hours into the race the trio were screeching along, three-abreast, at close to 20 knots of boat speed.

IRC ONE
Andrew Hall’s Lombard 46 Pata Negra (GBR) pulled away from the class at the start to lead on the water. Boat Captain Chris Jackson called in just after the start: “It’s great to get going and we are doing very nicely, touching 12 knots and it is great to be first on the water in our class.”

Ross Applebey’s Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster (GBR) had a great tactical start, hugging the coast of Lanzarote to record a velocity made good of over 10 knots. Christopher Daniel’s J/122 Juno (GBR) is racing across the Atlantic for the first time and contacted the race team after the start.

“Glamour conditions for the start!” said Daniel. “We managed to recover quickly from a blown fitting on the tack line and are now enjoying a VMG run downwind past the amazing Lanzarote coastline. Having passed the turning point off Puerto Calero we will make our way through The Canary Islands; next stop Grenada!”

Without doubt IRC One has the biggest variety of yachts in the RORC Transatlantic Race. Three classic yachts are racing under IRC, including Remy Gerin’s Faiaoahe (FRA) who is a larger-than-life character and racing his 65ft cutter-rigged sloop Two-Handed with Bernard Jeanne-Beylot.

Racing a traditionally built boat with just two people requires all-round skill, but the pair are not short on humor either, besides an exercise bike below deck, Remy admits to having a huge quantity of broccoli on board. “I love it but my children don’t, so this is one of my big treats on board. I don’t get enough at home!”

Royal Ocean Racing Club CEO Jeremy Wilton reflects on the role of host. “It takes a lot of resources from the whole RORC team and from our partners both here in Lanzarote and across the ocean in Grenada. But ocean racing is part of our name, it is in our DNA and the majority of our members around the world are ocean racers. To provide great offshore races is what we strive to deliver and these also become bucket-list events.”

Race details – Entry list – Tracker