Leg 1 complete for Atlantic Cup

Newport, RI (May 28, 2024) – After eight Class40 teams representing four countries started the first stage of the 2024 Atlantic Cup on May 25, the Italian/ French duo of Alberto Riva and Jean Mare on Acrobatica captured line honors with their finish line today at 07:46:16 a.m. EDT in heavy fog.

Their cumulative time for the 704 nm leg from Charleston, SC of 67:46:16 (2 days, 19 hours, 46 minutes, 16 seconds) set a new course record, surpassing the previous best time set in 2012 of 78:55:13.

Finishing second, 10 minutes and 27 seconds after Acrobatica, was the French duo Erwan Le Draoulec and Tanguy Leglatin on Everial while the youngest team in the fleet, Germans Melwin Fink and Lennart Burke on Sign for Com, rounded out the podium when they finished just over two hours off the lead.

The race provided all types of weather including a tumultuous 48-plus hours of thunderstorms and high winds, Gulf Stream conditions, Sargasso seaweed, and fast, downwind sailing.

“This race was the very first time I have seen these waters and it was an adventure,” said Riva. “It was the very first time I had been so close to a competitor [Everial] for such a large part of the race. For me, discovering we were able to match them and those conditions – it was a great discovery. I learned lots of things about Acrobatica.”

Seven of the eight teams finished today while Scowling Dragon (USA) with Mike Hennessy and Roger Junet suffered damage earlier this morning and are making their way toward Newport with an expected arrival late tomorrow.

Race details – Tracking – Facebook

The seventh edition of the Atlantic Cup is the only dedicated Class40 race in the United States and the longest offshore race in the Western Atlantic.

2024 schedule:
May 25 – Leg 1 Start: Charleston, SC to Newport, RI (708nm)
June 1 – Leg 2 Start: Newport, RI to Portland, ME (249nm)
June 5-6 – Leg 3 – Coastal series: Portland, ME