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Organised by The Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with Antigua Yacht Club
Start: Antigua, West Indies – Monday 20 February 2017
Course: 600nm non-stop around 11 Caribbean Islands
Day 5: AM Race Report
Friday 24 February 2017, Antigua
More Winners Announced in RORC Caribbean 600
As dawn broke on Day 5 of the RORC Caribbean 600, crews who had finished the race were beginning to arrive back in Antigua. Every boat, regardless of where they were moored, was met by the RORC Caribbean 600 volunteers, armed with a celebration banner and cold beer. The restaurants and coffee shops around Falmouth Harbour were filling up with sailors, hungry for a square meal full of stories about their RORC Caribbean 600.
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| Class40 winner by just 33 minutes, Peter Harding’s Ph-orty © RORC/Ted Martin |
At Dawn on the fifth day, the leading Class40s were approaching the finish. Throughout the race, the battle in the class had been intense, with three yachts taking the lead at various points along the course. Peter Harding’s Ph-orty was leading at Redonda, just ahead of Catherine Pourre’s Eärendil and Halvard Mabire’s Campagne de France was in third. All three yachts started the beat to finish with a chance of victory. However, Eärendil’s main halyard broke as the team hardened up for the beat and they were forced to reef and re-hoist. Ph-orty extended on the beat to take the gun and the class win by just 33 minutes. With Eärendil under-powered, Campagne de France closed the gap and overtook them, just before the finish line, to snatch second place by just under two minutes.
In IRC One, Antigua’s Bernie Evan Wong was tired but overjoyed to win the class racing his Antiguan RP37, Taz. Bernie has competed in all nine editions of the race and is proud to represent Antigua & Barbuda.
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| An emotional win in IRC One for Antigua’s Bernie Evan Wong and his crew on the RP37, Taz © RORC/Ted Martin |
“Unbelievable, just amazing,” smiled Bernie, full of emotion. “The team worked so hard, but was also a really happy bunch. I remember trying to take a rest but I couldn’t sleep because there was so much laughter on the boat. We are the smallest boat in the race and to beat all of the big boats in our class is like a dream come true.”
James Heald’s British Swan 45, Nemesis, racing Two Handed with Ben Harris is the runner up in IRC Two, a monumental effort for the short-handed team. Giles Redpath’s British Lombard 46, Pata Negra is third.
In IRC Two, Ed Fishwick’s J/122 Redshift on El Ocaso is the winner.
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Ed Fishwick’s J/122 Redshift on El Ocaso secure overall win in IRC Two. Crew for the RORC Caribbean 600: Nick Cherry, Robert Hillier, James Holmes, Ed Males, Luke Patience, Alan Roberts, Nick Bubb and Tom Whicher © RORC
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“We have competed in this race with classic trade wind conditions, but this year we had a massive variety in weather on the course from big breeze in squalls, to fickle light winds. The guys did a fantastic job and we all agreed that this was the best 600 we have ever done. The whole crew was sensational,” commented skipper, Ed Fishwick.
“I couldn’t have picked a better offshore race than the RORC Caribbean 600. It was a really cool experience, a great bunch of guys and my first offshore race,” exclaimed Olympic 470 Silver medallist, Luke Patience.
“Day one we saw a water spout, hump back whales; it was all kicking off, just epic! It was wonderful steering a boat at night, sailing by feeling the flow underneath you. The watches just flew by, I really enjoyed the race and it was very inspiring. The difference between offshore and Olympic sailing is that this is relentless, you are at it day and night. Where the two are wildly different is that with offshore sailing you are not in control all the time, you have to give a good handover to the next watch. However both disciplines require that you never take your foot of the gas.”
While Redshift on El Ocaso is the provisional winner for IRC Two, a battle is raging for the remaining podium places between three British yachts. Ross Applebey’s Oyster 48, Scarlet Oyster is currently estimated to be in second place. Dominic Hurndall’s British Grand Soleil 43, Jua Kali in third. Andy Middleton’s First 47.7, EH01 is in fourth.
Hap Fauth’s Maxi72, Bella Mente declared overall winner
2017 RORC Caribbean 600
Hap Fauth’s American Maxi72, Bella Mente has been declared the overall winner of the RORC Caribbean 600 Trophy. Whilst yachts are still racing, none of the fleet can beat Bella Mente’s corrected time under IRC. This is the second time Bella Mente has won the race overall and was a sweet victory after retiring last year with keel problems.
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Latest Video: Early finishers:
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To keep up to date with all the news and to follow the race. www.caribbean600.rorc.
ENDS/……. Louay Habib
How to follow the race:
Blogs from the boats, daily race reports, images, videos and news. Follow the action as it unfolds on the RORC Caribbean 600 website.
Fleet Tracking: http://caribbean600.
Join the Virtual Regatta: http://click.
Social Media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
#rorcrc600 @rorcracing
Instagram: https://www.
NOTES TO EDITORS
PRESS ENQUIRIES:
Trish Jenkins
RORC Press Officer
Local Cellphone: +1 268 725 4367
Skype: trish jenkins
Race/Press office opens at Antigua Yacht Club on Tuesday 14th Feb
RORC Race Enquiries:
Nick Elliott, Racing Manager
Royal Ocean Racing Club
Royal Ocean Racing Club:
20 St James’s Place
London SW1A 1NN
Tel: 020 7493 2248
Fax: 020 7493 2470
THE RORC CARIBBEAN 600:
- RORC Caribbean 600 minisite: http://caribbean600.
rorc.org - The 9th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 starts from Antigua on Monday 20th February 2017
- The 600nm course circumnavigates 11 Caribbean Islands starting from Fort Charlotte, English Harbour, Antigua and heads north as far as St Martin and south to Guadeloupe taking in Barbuda, Nevis, St Kitts, Saba and St Barth’s
- 73 yachts have entered the race to date and a record number of boats from around the world is expected to take part
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Twitter: #rorcrc600 @rorcracingFacebook: www.facebook.com/
royaloceanracingclub Instagram: instagram.com/rorcracing
PAST RESULTS: RORC CARIBBEAN 600 TROPHY – IRC OVERALL
(Best best corrected time under IRC)
(Best best corrected time under IRC)
2016 – George Sakellaris, Maxi 72, Proteus (USA)
2015 – Hap Fauth, JV72, Bella Mente (USA)
2014 – George Sakellaris, RP72, Shockwave (USA)
2013 – Ron O’Hanley, Privateer, Cookson 50 (USA)
2012 – Niklas Zennström’s JV72, Rán (GBR)
2011 – George David, Rambler 100, JK 100 (USA)
2010 – Karl C L Kwok, Beau Geste, Farr 80 (HKG)
2009 – Adrian Lee, Lee Overlay Partners, Cookson 50 (IRL)
THE ROYAL OCEAN RACING CLUB:
- Established in 1925, The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) became famous for the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race and the international team event, the Admiral’s Cup. It organises an annual series of domestic offshore races from its base in Cowes as well as inshore regattas such as the RORC Easter Challenge and IRC National Championships in the Solent
- The RORC works with other yacht clubs to promote their offshore races and provides marketing and organisational support. The RORC Caribbean 600 based in Antigua and the first offshore race in the Caribbean, has been an instant success and in 2014 the RORC extended its organisational expertise by creating the RORC Transatlantic Race from Lanzarote to Grenada in November
- The club is based in St James’ Place, London and Cowes, Isle of Wight
- In co-operation with the French offshore racing club, UNCL, RORC is responsible for IRC, the principal international handicap system for yacht racing worldwide.The Spinlock IRC rating rule is administered jointly by the RORC Rating Office in Lymington, UK and UNCL Centre de Calcul in Paris, France
- The RORC Rating Office is the technical hub of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and recognised globally as a centre of excellence for measurement. For Spinlock IRC rating information in the UK please see: www.rorcrating.com
RACE PARTNERS:
The Royal Ocean Racing Club has partnered with Rolex SA, adding the RORC Caribbean 600 to the leading Swiss watchmaker’s prestigious roster of yachting events around the world. www.rolex.com
Sevenstar Yacht Transport – Official Logistics Partner to the RORC Caribbean 600.Sevenstar Yacht Transport is the world’s leading provider of yacht shipping services. A global network of destinations, ranging from the familiar to the exotic, and our own fleet of more than 100 independent carriers have propelled Sevenstar to the peak of its sector for more than 25 years. For race yachts, Sevenstar offers a unique package to the teams which includes all logistics of boat and spares. http://www.sevenstar-
Sevenstar Yacht Transport Enquiries:
Wouter Verbraak – Direct: +44 238 021 5063, Mb: +44 755 752 6451
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