New York Times: Matt Cassidy, an America’s Cup Pro, Returns to St. Barths
By John Clarke
- April 12, 2019
The American sailor Matt Cassidy, 40, generally works at the pointy end of the boat as a bowman. At this year’s Les Voiles de St. Barth, he helps with midship duties on board the owner and skipper Hap Fauth’s fourth edition of Bella Mente, a 72-foot Maxi yacht. Cassidy, who sailed in the 2017 America’s Cup and could be on the United States team again in 2021 in New Zealand, returns to Les Voiles de St. Barth for his second tour.
The following interview has been edited and condensed.
You raced in Les Voiles de St. Barth before. What brings you back?
I sailed the race in 2013 on a J class. But St. Barths is St. Barths. It speaks for itself. It’s a great location, awesome weather and awesome racing. It just gives us a chance to get a regatta in on Bella Mente. Our goal is to get a Maxi win in Sardinia [the Rolex Maxi 72 World Championship]. Any chance we get to race against boats similar to us or as a team is a step forward to getting better for that event. St. Barths is one of those.
How’s your crew looking this year?
We have 18 guys on the team. Owner and skipper Hap Fauth drives, Terry Hutchinson is on tactics and Ian Moore navigating. There are so many talented guys in every position. From bow to stern, these guys are just a bunch of rock stars. It’s a really cool boat. It’s one of those things where you don’t worry about the other guys on your team and just take care of your job, and the other guys are doing theirs. It makes for fun racing.
You and other members of the Bella Mente crew are involved in the American effort to win back the America’s Cup in New Zealand in 2021 on the boat American Magic.
We have quite a few guys who will be on American Magic. It’s another opportunity to sail together. And it’s another opportunity to get Hap out racing, and we’re here for him. This boat is brand-new, and we want to see what she can do. Of course, any chance we get racing with the guys on American Magic is great. The more time together we get, the better off we will be once we start racing.“You’re constantly moving and anticipating what the next sail change will be,” said Matt Cassidy, who is working midship.CreditOracle Team USA
What have you learned working with Fauth?
He’s a great guy. You get that when he sits down, starts talking to you and lights up a cigar. He’s one of the boys. He loves the racing but also just loves hanging out with the guys. He’s obviously a very successful businessman and takes that same approach to his racing team. Everything is done first class. We have a job to do and set goals for each day and have a plan. We go out and enact that. The main thing is to do the simple things right and not make any major mistakes. From there, we slowly fine tune. Each day, the goal is to get better. He reiterates that every day and tells us to go out and do the basics right, and the rest will come. And he’s right — it does.
What’s your job like on Bella Mente?
I’m midbow, the guy second to Doogie [Sean Couvreux]. We work together. It’s a 72-foot boat, so the sails are big and heavy. You’re moving the sails around the boat and race the boat hard. There’s a lot of pressure to get things done quick. You’re constantly moving and anticipating what the next sail change will be and need to be ready. You talk with the navigator and strategists and discuss what sail to use next. Down below, I just make sure the next sail is ready and not buried beneath the other ones. Our goal is to be invisible. If the guys in the back call for a sail to go up, it should go up without issues. A good day on the water for us is when the guys on the back never know we’re there. That’s what we want.
Communication plays an integral part.
Yes, you have to be clear. Any minor miscommunication is a major problem on a bigger boat. Things are much more loaded, and mistakes can cause damage. You can make a mistake on a smaller boat and kind of manhandle her a bit. But you can’t just get by on these big boats. We had a 10-day training session on this boat in Fort Lauderdale, where we talked about that and what it takes to make all the different sail changes and maneuvers on this boat. We’ve refined that, learning things like needing 45 seconds instead of a minute for a setup so the guys in the back can push it closer. The clearer the communication is, the better the boat goes around the tracks.
You’re used to professional, high-stakes sailing. Is it hard to adjust to the fun and social aspect of regattas?
We’re here to win it, but we are also here to have fun and make sure Hap has fun. Hap has fun when he’s winning. You have to go out and hit the beach bars. The Caribbean is a beautiful spot. We’re here for the racing but have to embrace the local culture, too. Hap likes to go down to one of the bars and let loose on the day we have off. But the next day, it’s all about racing again.
Bella Mente withdraws from Les Voiles de St. Barth but wishes all competitors a great race week!
Les Voiles de St. Barth Richard Mille: Racing starts Monday
by Laura Muma 14 Apr 18:44 PDT14-20 April 2019
Les Voiles de St. Barth Richard Mille 2019 © Christophe Jouany
After two days of registration, practice and final preparations, the 1,000 sailors in the 10th edition of Les Voiles de St. Barth Richard Mille are now ready for racing, which begins tomorrow, Monday, April 15 at 12 pm EST.
The signature eastern trade winds are solidly established, promising to deliver 15 – 20 knot winds for a spectacular week of racing. Even before the first warning signal sounds tomorrow, some great on-water battles are shaping up across all nine classes: Maxi 1, Maxi 2, CSA 1, CSA 2, CSA 3, CSA 4 and CSA 5 (Caribbean Sailing Association), ORCmh (Offshore Multihull Association) and IMHRR (International Multihull Rating Rule).
“The week should be perfect,” said Pierre Casiraghi, this year’s ambassador who will also be at the helm of the Maxi 72 Sorcha, a boat he knows well from racing on her previously in Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. “This is my first time on the island. The place is amazing and I cannot wait to start racing tomorrow, even though we unfortunately lost a big competitor yesterday, Bella Mente.”
Bella Mente was forced to withdraw from racing after the top two meters of its mast broke during practice on Friday. For Casiraghi, it’s a big loss. “I would have loved to measure myself against them and see how it turns out. But regardless, the fight in the Maxi 1 class promises to be very competitive!”
Another major competitor missing in action this year from the Maxi class is Proteus, the winner of the last two editions of the event. Unfortunately, they dismasted earlier this year in the Caribbean 600 RORC.
Defenders Return to Les Voiles
Across the other classes, four other defending champions return to fight for the 2019 crown: Christian Guyader’s Guyader Gastronomie; Stephen Cucchiaro’s Flow; Nelson Moore’s Windfall; and Claude Granel and Marc Emig’s Crédit Mutuel – SGS; in IMHRR, ORCmh, Maxi 2 and CSA, respectively.
“Having won in our class in 2018, we felt obliged to return to defend our title!” laughed Guyader. “We know, however, that it will not be easy because the bar is very high in multihulls, including many competitors having, like me, participated in the Route du Rhum.”
In fact, many of his former opponents of the famous transatlantic race will be at Les Voiles de St. Barth Richard Mille such as Olmix, the winning boat at the Rhum Multi, who will have on board the very experienced Charlie Capelle; Jean-François Lilti’s L’Avocet; and Alain Delhumeau’s Rayon Vert.
“It’s going to be quite a fight,” promises Guyader. And this should be true in all classes: Raphael Magras’s Maëlia Caisse d’Epargne Cepac Antilles; Raymond Magras’s Speedy Nemo; Sergio Sagramoso’s Lazy Dog; Sir Peter Harrison’s Sojana, which is the largest yacht in the 10th edition at 115′; or Frits Bus’s Team Island Water World, which conversely is the smallest boat in the fleet at 24′.
There are also a multitude of “newcomers,” determined to upset the regulars, so it is anyone’s guess who may top the leaderboard next Saturday. No doubt the competition will be close, much to the delight of sailing fans and sailors who relish the perfect blend of tight racing around the beautiful backdrop of St. Barth, and the friendly camaraderie on shore, a signature blend from Les Voiles de St. Barth Richard Mille’s beginning 10 years ago.
Les Voiles de St. Barth Richard Mille 2019 – photo © Christophe Jouany
In brief:
Five days of competition begins tomorrow, Monday, and continues Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Thursday is the team favorite “Day Off”.
There will be six starts that include the nine classes, with the smaller boats beginning first.
CSA 5 will be the first start, followed by CSA 3 and 4; then CSA 1 and 2. Next up are Maxi 1 and Maxi 2; and finally the multihulls — ORCmh; and then IMHRR Multihulls.
For this 10th edition of Les Voiles de St. Barth Richard Mille, Race Director Luc Poupon and Race Committee Chairman Jean Coadou have developed 26 possible courses for competitors (between 10 and 47 miles).
“For the first time we will be offering two start zones and two possible finish lines, in Gustavia and Saint-Jean, which will allow us to launch for some classes up to two races per day,” said Coadou.
Sixteen nationalities are represented in 2019 from Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Poland, Puerto Rico, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom. The two most represented nations are France and the United States with 14 and 12 boats, respectively.
Quotes:
François Tolède, Director of the Organization:
“We are very proud to organize the 10th edition of the event. It has grown from year to year and is now fully established in the international landscape, known for the great sailing conditions. For this edition, we have once again have created an incredible benchmark to rise up to, and are looking forward to hosting an incredible event. Unfortunately, we have lost a few competitors due to technical issues, such as the Maxi 72 Bella Mente, but as we all know, that is sailboat racing. The 60 teams competing this week are extremely high quality and we are honored they will join us for this very special anniversary edition.”
Caroline Desrivas, Communication Manager for Richard Mille:
“We have been in the adventure for 10 years now, when we joined forces with François Tolède and Luc Poupon from the beginning. We are obviously delighted. The setting is extraordinary, and more and more boats come to participate in the event. It is always a very wonderful time to share with all the teams at each edition. At Richard Mille, we are partners of many very specialized events and we like to be at the beginning of a project, build it and see it grow. It’s really our logic of work within the brand and it’s clearly what we managed to do with Les Voiles organization. In addition, we are pleased that Pierre Casiraghi, one of our partners at Richard Mille, has agreed to be the sponsor of the competition. He is a very passionate sailor who is very involved in the world of offshore racing. It made sense for us to be able to link our partnership with Pierre with that of Les Voiles de St. Barth, an event that delivers the perfect blend of a very relaxed atmosphere on shore and great competition on the water.”
For more information visit www.lesvoilesdesaintbarth.com/us
Bella Mente Racing withdraws from Les Voiles de Saint Barth 2019
An unfortunate circumstance today occurred while practicing on Bella Mente where the top 2 meters of the spar broke, forcing us to withdraw from Les Voiles de Saint Barth. We are taking the appropriate measures to learn why this happened. The crew are all safe. We look forward to sailing this summer in Europe.
RORC Caribbean 600 Race Results: Top of the Class
Bella Mente Racing congratulates all of the competitors of the RORC Caribbean 600! We were disappointed to retire from the race, but we plan to be back racing in Saint Barth very soon! Congratulations to Wizard Racing!
22 Feb2019
Posted in News 2019
The 2019 RORC Caribbean 600 Prize Giving will be held tonight, Friday 22nd February and it is a special evening celebrating a premier race in the world yacht racing calendar. Hundreds of passionate corinthian sailors and the world’s top professionals will rub shoulders at Antigua Yacht Club. Victorious teams will take to the stage to receive acclaim for their efforts and to be presented with personalised souvenir decanters of English Harbour Rum!
David and Peter Askew’s Volvo 70 Wizard (USA) will pick up the overall winners trophy at tonight’s prizegiving © Arthur Daniel
The biggest cheer of the night will go to the overall winners, when David and Peter Askew’s Volvo 70 team racing Wizard (USA) will lift the RORC Caribbean 600 Trophy for the best corrected time under IRC. John Gallagher’s Gunboat 62 team racing Chim Chim (USA) will receive the Multihull Prize for the best corrected time under MOCRA. Catherine Pourre’s Class40 Team racing Eärendil (FRA) will raise the Class40 Rum Barrel for the second time, winning the Class40 division which this year had a record entry.
John Gallagher’s Gunboat 62 team racing Chim Chim (USA) will receive the Multihull Prize for the best corrected time under MOCRA © RORC/Photoaction.com
IRC Zero accounted for the top three yachts overall under IRC. Wizard was first, with two British-based yachts filling the podium. Botin 52 Tala was second, with Ker 46 Lady Mariposa skippered by Nigel King, in third. Superyacht Nikata was the winner of the Superyacht Class, Will Apold (CAN) racing Southern Wind 96 Sorceress was runner up. In the IRC Two Handed division, Jeremi Jablonski, sailing with Marek Mirota on the Hanse 430 Avanti (USA) was the winner, with James Heald and Peter Doggart on the Swan 45 Nemesis (GBR) in second place.
Catherine Pourre’s Class40 Team racing Eärendil (FRA) will raise the Class40 Rum Barrel for the second time, winning the Class40 division © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
Gibb Kane’s Swan 66 Bounty (USA), was victorious in IRC One, with Andrew Berdon’s Marten 49 Summer Storm (USA) in second and Pata Negra, chartered by Daniel Heine and skippered by Andy Liss (GBR) was third with a crew from Lake Constance, Germany.
IRC One winner – Gibb Kane’s Swan 66 Bounty (USA) © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
“We are competing for the second time and in the last race we were leading overall going into Guadeloupe when the breeze shut down. This year it was the complete opposite; it was full-on beating into big waves and 25 knots,” commented Bounty’s Gibb Kane, winner of IRC One. “The crew work was spectacular; Pete Todd did a great job putting a skilled Bounty crew together and a special mention should go to our crew boss Mike Joubert and navigator Mark Wheeler. We did blow out two kites inside 15 minutes off St Barths, so for a while, the only soft sail we had was our Code Zero, but we were lucky that the angle was suitable for that. The guys were very ingenious, working round the clock. We used our Bounty belts to sew the head back onto the A3, but after a big puff it only lasted 12 minutes! The conditions were really good for Bounty and she is a very comfortable boat, but you still get some aches and pains when you are over 70! It was a fun race. We have sailed a lot together and we have had a lot of experiences where we didn’t quite win, so this race is very special.”
Ross Applebey’s Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
IRC Two was won by Scarlet Oyster; this is the sixth class win for the Oyster 48 and the seventh for the Oyster 48’s skipper Ross Applebey (GBR). Scarlet Oyster was also the winner of CSA 2. Performance Yacht Racing’s Beneteau First 47.7 EH01 skippered by Andy Middleton was a close second. The battle for the class podium was won by Pamala Baldwin’s J/122 Liquid (ANT), skippered by Julian White (GBR), holding off a strong challenge from another Performance Yacht Racing entry, GS43 Quokka, skippered by Christian Reynolds (GBR).
“We had a pretty good tussle with Andy Middleton the whole way round and he has certainly raised his game. We have never sailed harder. I have been in my foul weather gear for most of the race. It is a tough race which is hard on the boat and crew. It was like we were tied together with a bit of bungee cord,” commented Ross Applebey, referring to second place EH01. “We were together right up until Guadeloupe and we both hit the beach. It was a bit frustrating getting becalmed for an hour or so; just 100 meters apart – it was very close. It was a rough big beat back from Redonda and the main split, so we put the trysail up and we were still surprisingly quick. We went inside Cades Reef at the end and I’m not sure if it was faster, but we did it anyway! It’s flatter water and it’s pretty, but I wouldn’t do it in the dark!”
IRC Three was won by Vicki and Jonty Layfield’s S&S Swan 48 Sleeper X (GBR/ANT). Trevor Middleton’s Sun Fast 3600 Black Sheep (GBR), skippered by Jake Carter (GBR) was second, and Constantin Claviez’s Swan 441 Charisma (GBR) was third.
British couple Jonty and Vicki Layfield are residents in Antigua and their crew is made up of friends and family who live and work in Antigua. This is the second time that the Layfields have won their class.
Jonty Layfield commented: “The crew were superb, a credit to themselves. It’s hard work on a boat like this; 16 tons and 50 years old – it’s not easy. We are a crew of friends and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The atmosphere on board is just fantastic and when you have problems, which you will get with a boat like this, you need people around you that will find the solutions. Our son Jack was lowered over the side with his lifejacket on to bung a leak coming from the anchor locker. We were pumping out the boat manually for the entire race! This was a tough one.”
“Every time I do this race, I say it will not happen again and whoever dreamt up the beat to the finish in 30 knots of wind, needs a good talking to!” smiled Vicki Layfield.
After CSA time correction, the overall winner of the CSA Division was Wizard, Franco Niggeler’s Cookson 50 Kuka 3 (SUI), skippered by Chuny Bermudez (ESP) second, and Todd Stuart’s Carkeek 47 White Rhino 2 (USA) was third.
RORC Racing Manager, Chris Stone confirmed that all of the 75 participating teams are accounted for: “Safety is the primary concern of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the RORC Race Team has been monitoring the race 24 hours a day, and although we have reports of damage to yachts, we have received no reports of any serious injuries to any of 763 sailors during the race. The RORC recognise the time and effort put in by all of the teams in the RORC Caribbean 600 and look forward to welcoming them all to race with the Club again in the future. Also huge thanks to the huge number of volunteers who help with every aspect of the race finish here in Antigua.”
The 12th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 will start from Fort Charlotte on February 24, 2020.
Full Results
How to Follow Bella Mente Racing LIVE in thethe 11th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600
15 Feb2019
How to follow the 11th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600
Posted in News 2019
On Monday 18th February, all eyes will be on Antigua as around 80 boats from over 20 countries will start the challenging and tactical 600 nautical mile race around 11 Caribbean islands in the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s RORC Caribbean 600.
There are plenty of ways to follow the progress of the fleet and to keep up to date with all the news:-
The new LIVE page will be updated throughout the race with blogs from competitors, photos, video, audio and much more http://caribbean600.rorc.org/Live/2019-rorc-caribbean-600-race-live.html
WATCH THE START- LIVE ON FACEBOOK: We plan to go Live on Monday 18 February 10.50 local time (14.50 UTC). Coverage with commentary from Fort Charlotte, Antigua will be streamed from the official website and the RORC Facebook Page.
https://www.facebook.com/RoyalOceanRacingClub
SOCIAL MEDIA: Keep in touch via RORC social media channels: #Caribbean600
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rorcracing/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoyalOceanRacingClub
RORC YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RORCRacing – videos: Preview, start, first arrivals, winners & wrap-up + VNR available to broadcasters on request.
Twitter: Follow @rorcracing
TRACK THE FLEET: All yachts will carry a tracker so you can follow the progress of the whole fleet, particular class or individual boat: http://caribbean600.rorc.org/Race-Information/Tracking/
Plus, you can download the YB Races App.
PLAY THE VIRTUAL GAME:
If you’re not on the start line in Antigua, join the virtual race. Be prepared for some sleepless nights – it’s addictive! http://click.virtualregatta.com/?li=4865
IMAGES: Facebook albums will show a selection of images and you can also go to the RORC Photo Gallery to view folders.
Gallery: http://gallery.rorc.org/v/2019/
SPECTATORS – WHERE TO WATCH THE START:
The start sequence begins at 1050. Note: A Warning Signal will be given 10 minutes before the Starting Signal
CLASS START TIMES:
1100 IRC 2, IRC 3, CSA
1110 IRC 1 & Class40
1120 IRC Zero & Superyacht
1130 Multihull
FROM ASHORE:
Yachts will be starting south of Fort Charlotte, Antigua on Monday 18 February. You can get a wonderful view from Fort Charlotte or Shirley Heights. The starting line is formed between an orange triangle on Fort Charlotte and an orange cylindrical Outer Distance Mark approximately 0.50nm south of Fort Charlotte. The Race Committee may adjust this position with reference to the wind direction on the day of the start. Fort Charlotte is at the eastern entrance to English Harbour above the Pillars of Hercules and below Shirley Heights. There’s also a chance to catch a glimpse of the boats leaving Falmouth Harbour from Pigeon Beach and the boats leaving English Harbour from Galleon Beach from 0930 onwards. Boats will be gathering in the start area from around 1000, so get there early to get the best view.
FROM THE WATER:
For those wishing to watch the race from the water, please note that there will be an Exclusion Zone around the starting area effective from 1030 to 1200 on Monday 18 February 2019.
The safety of spectator vessels and competitors is paramount and therefore Marshal Boats displaying a white flag with a red “M” will be policing the exclusion zone as per the diagram below.
Tags: Press Release, Race Updates
RORC Caribbean 600: Get Set for a Cracker + Preview Video
Battle lines for the RORC Caribbean 600
Posted in News 2019
Seventy-eight yachts have entered the eleventh edition of the RORC Caribbean 600, where in excess of 700 sailors from six continents and yachts from over 20 nations will compete in the thrilling race around 11 Caribbean islands starting on Monday 18th February.
Winners from the Olympic Games, America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race and multiple world champions have gathered in Antigua and will be competing alongside passionate corinthian sailors, both young and old.
Ten multihulls will be racing, boasting phenomenal talent among the crews. Jason Carroll (USA) will be racing MOD70 Argo with Francois Gabart, winner of the 2012-13 Vendée Globe, and Jules Verne winner Brian Thompson (GBR). Giovanni Soldini’s (ITA) Multi70 Maserati has been in fine form taking line honours in the Rolex Middle Sea Race and the RORC Transatlantic Race. The 2019 RORC Caribbean 600 is the first time that Maserati and Argo have lined up. If the conditions are right, both teams are capable of eclipsing the Multihull Race Record set by Lloyd Thornburg’s Phaedo3 in 2016 (31 hours, 59 minutes, 04 seconds).
Shannon Falcone (ANT), a two-time winner of the America’s Cup is racing his foiling F4 catamaran Falcon, and back after last year’s capsize is Greg Synstad’s Fujin (USA) with America’s Cup winner Peter Isler and Olympic Gold medallist Jonathan McKee on board. Two American Gunboats are likely to have a close battle; John Gallagher’s Gunboat 62 Chim Chim and the Gunboat 60 Arethusa of Phil Lotz; the latter having the combined talents of Paul Larsen (AUS) and Jeff Mearing (GBR) on board.
IRC Zero is the largest class competing this year with 15 teams. The quest for Monohull Line Honours is wide open. A trio of Maxi72s are likely contenders to be first home and to win the race overall. Hap Fauth, two-time winner of the RORC Caribbean 600 (2015 and 2017) is racing the brand new Bella Mente (USA) with a stellar crew including; Terry Hutchinson (USA) skipper for American Magic in the 36th America’s Cup. The formidable afterguard includes two-time Volvo Ocean Race winning skipper, Mike Sanderson (NZL), three-time round the world winner Brad Jackson, and Adrian Stead (GBR) who has been on winning teams for the ‘600 more than any other sailor.
George Sakellaris (USA) racing Maxi 72 Proteus in his fifth RORC Caribbean 600 has also won overall on two previous occasions (2014 and 2016). Proteus’ crew includes Curtis Blewett (CAN) an America’s Cup and round the world race winner, plus multiple Star Sailors League winner Mark Mendelblatt (USA), Volvo Ocean Race winner Dirk De Ridder (NED), and multiple world champion Andy Hemmings (GBR).
Peter Harrison’s British Maxi 72 Sorcha will be lining up for the first time this season against the other Maxis and it will also be their first time in the race. The crew includes numerous past winners of the RORC Caribbean 600: Willy Beavis (GBR), Mo Gray (GBR), Steve Hayles (GBR), Andy Meiklejohn (NZL), Tim Powell (GBR), Freddy Shanks (GBR) and Niklas Zennstrom (SWE).
David and Peter Askew (USA) racing Volvo 70 Wizard will be skippered by Charlie Enright (USA) and three past winners of the Volvo Ocean Race: Simon Fisher (GBR), Phil Harmer (AUS) and Daryl Wislang (NZL).
The two largest yachts in the race; JV 115 Nikata and Will Apold’s Canadian Southern Wind 96 Sorceress will be hoping for full-on conditions. Nikata and Sorceress are expected to have a magnificent superyacht battle around the 600-mile course.
Shannon Falconne’s F4 Falcon is one of 10 multihulls in the race © Amory Ross
A trio of Maxis includes Peter Harrison’s British Maxi 72 Sorcha © https://www.facebook.com/sorchatp52/
JV115 Nikata is the largest yacht in the fleet © Rolex/Kurt Arrigo
Franco Niggeler’s Kuka3 won the 2018 RORC Transatlantic Race © Arthur Daniel
British yacht Tala is vying to be the first TP52 to win the RORC Caribbean 600 Trophy. The relative minnows of IRC Zero include several yachts 50ft or less. Cookson 50s have won the race overall on two occasions and this year two will be battling for glory: Joseph Mele’s American Triple Lindy and Franco Niggeler’s Swiss Kuka 3, skippered by Volvo Ocean Race winner Chuny Bermudez (ESP). Carkeek 47 White Rhino 2, owned by Stuart Todd (USA) and British-based Ker 46 Lady Mariposa, sailed by Nigel King (GBR) are the smallest yachts in the big boat class.
The RORC Caribbean 600 is part of the Class40 2019 Championship and a record 10 pocket rockets will be on the start line. Catherine Pourre’s Eärendil set the race record last year (2 days 13 hours and 15 seconds) and Louis Burton’s BHB was runner-up in 2018. Three stand-out new French entrants are: Luke Berry’s Lamotte – Module Création, third in the 2018 Class40 Championship, Aïna Enfance Et Avenir, skippered by Aymeric Chappellier who was runner-up in the 2017 Transat Jacques Vabre and 2018 Route du Rhum. Kito de Pavant, skipper of Made in Midi is a former Figaro winner and Vendée Globe competitor.
IRC One has entries from seven different nations; Gibb Kane’s Swan 66 Bounty (USA) is the largest yacht in the class and the crew includes round the world sailor Mike Joubert (RSA). The fastest team on IRC rating is Godspeed 52 owned by Christian Kargl (SUI). Marten 49 Summer Storm, owned by Andrew Berdon (USA) includes Stu Bannatyne (NZL) who is the only sailor to have won the Whitbread and Volvo Ocean Race four times. Two Antiguan boats will also be competing in this class: Bernie Evan-Wong will be taking charge of his RP37 Taz and competing in his 11th edition of the race as skipper, and OnDeck’s Farr 65 Spirit of Juno, skippered by Paul Jackson. Finnish hopes lie with the Swan 57 Lintu owned by Jyrki Maeki and Xp44 Xtra Staerk owned by Arto Linnervuo. Second in class last year, Giles Redpath’s Lombard 46 Pata Negra will be raced by a team from Lake Constance, Germany.
Catherine Pourre’s Eärendil set the Class40 race record in the 2018 race of 2 days 13 hours and 15 seconds © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
Gibb Kane’s Swan 66 Bounty © Studio Borlenghi
IRC Two could be described as the clash of the British-based charter boats. Ross Applebey’s Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster will be taking part in their 7th race, winning class on six occasions. Performance Yacht Racing based in Cowes, Isle of Wight has three entries; Grand Soleil 43s Quokka and Jua Kali, plus Beneteau First 47.7 EH01. Two Beneteau First 40s from Hamble, Hampshire will have their own private battle: Yuri Fadeev’s Optimus Prime and Sailing Logic’s Rocket Dog 2, and Pamala Baldwin (USA) racing the Antiguan-based J/122 Liquid is back in action after completing last year’s exceptionally windy race.
Three vintage Swans will be racing in IRC Three: Swan 441 Charisma will be sailed by Constantin Claviez (GER) who will be taking on two S&S Swan 48s; Isbjorn, skippered by Andy Schell (USA) and Sleeper X owned by Antiguan residents Jonty and Vicki Layfield (GBR). Also in class is Richard Oswald’s British Elan 450 Emily of Cowes and Trevor Middleton’s Sun Fast 3600 Black Sheep (GBR) who was overall runner-up in the 2018 RORC Transatlantic Race.
Miramar Sailing’s Grand Soleil 46.3 Phoenix, skippered by Antiguan-resident Pippa Turton (GBR) will be racing with an all-women crew from five different nations.
Three teams will be racing in the Two Handed class; Hanse 430 Avanti skippered by Jeremi Jablonski (USA) will race with Marek Mirota (POL). Swan 45 Nemesis skippered by James Heald (GBR) will race with Peter Doggart (USA). The smallest yacht in the race, Olson 35 Cabbyl Vane will be crewed by two brothers from the Netherlands, Johannes and Jankorf Gerssen.
For more information and to follow the race go to: RORC Caribbean 600 minisite: http://caribbean600.rorc.org
Ross Applebey’s Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster © Paul Wyeth
Trevor Middleton’s Sun Fast 3600 Black Sheep © Arthur Daniel
Jonty and Vicki Layland’s Swan 48 Sleeper X © Paul Wyeth
WATCH THE START ON FACEBOOK LIVE!
Live on Monday 18 February 10.50 local time (14.50 UTC)
Live coverage with commentary from Fort Charlotte, Antigua will be streamed from the official website and the Royal Ocean Racing Club Facebook Page.
https://www.facebook.com/RoyalOceanRacingClub/
#Caribbean600
PLAY THE GAME – VIRTUAL RACE:
If you’re not on the startline in Antigua, join the virtual race. Be prepared for some sleepless nights – it’s addictive!
http://click.virtualregatta.com/?li=4865
FOLLOW THE RACE VIA FLEET TRACKING:
http://caribbean600.rorc.org/Race-Information/Tracking/
Bella Mente departs for Caribbean Racing Season
Bella Mente heads south this weekend to Antigua for the start of winter racing in the Caribbean! Bella was loaded via ocean shipping and is being transported this week to Antigua. The first race of the 2019 season is the RORC Caribbean 600 starting on Monday, February 18th, 2019 in Antigua. Race details can be found at the Royal Ocean Racing Club link: http://caribbean600.rorc.org
Follow Bella Mente Racing in 2019 online: www.facebook.com/BellaMenteRacing
Photo Credit: Bella Mente Racing/ Peter C. Henderson – January 19th, 2019)
Bella Mente arrives in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua
Happy Monday from Antigua! Bella Mente has had a busy weekend arriving in our Caribbean home! Bella arrived via ship on Friday to St. John’s Antigua and was delivered via Bella Shore Crew to Falmouth Harbour Marina on Saturday! Falmouth Harbour Marina is the home of Bella Mente Racing through April 2019! We now are preparing for the RORC Caribbean 600 Race in February 2019!
Photo Credit: Bella Mente Racing/Peter Henderson 2019
#bellamenteracing #US45 #hapbackatthehelm #designedbybotin #Antigua #FalmouthHarbour #RORCCaribbean600
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- …
- 56
- Next Page »