RORC Caribbean 600 - Sailing in paradise
Beautiful surroundings, clear skies and crystal blue waters, the competitors in the RORC Caribbean 600 were treated to some superb champagne sailing conditions, as they started the only offshore race in these waters. There wasn’t a weather jacket in sight as the fleet sailed upwind into a warm easterly breeze of 12-15 knots at the start.
Photography: Royal Ocean Racing Club - RORC ©
| A huge crowd gathered on Shirley Heights and Fort Charlotte to witness the start of the RORC Caribbean 600. The first boats crossed the start line for the 605 mile race at 12:30 local time. To start an adventure that will take them around 14 Caribbean islands, in what is regarded as probably the best sailor’s |
play ground in the world. The RORC Racing Manager, Ian Loffhagen got all classes away without incident and the big boat start was extremely competitive with several boats timing their approach, close to perfection. |
| In the first start for the smaller boats, Marck Glimcher’s J 122, Catapult lived up to its name with the American boat nailing the line with great pace. Local Antigua boat and current class champion, Café Americano High | Tension, skippered by Bernie Evan-Wong had a conservative start but this is a marathon not a sprint and several days of tactical snakes and ladders are expected for the smaller boats. |
Photography: Royal Ocean Racing Club - RORC ©
| The second start saw a line up of expensive hi-tech racing machines hit the line in unison. American Cookson 50, Privateer, skippered by Ron O’Hanley was the first across the line to leeward, looking for more breeze under the Pillars of Hercules. | She was soon overtaken by much larger yachts and Danilo Salsi’s Italian Swan 90, DSK Pioneer and Karl Kwok’s Farr 80, Beau Geste from Hong Kong were soon stretching their legs and overtaking the fleet that started 10 minutes earlier. |
Photography: Royal Ocean Racing Club - RORC ©
| Last away was John Burnie’s and Claude Thelier’s ORMA 60, Region Guadeloupe accelerating off the line on port tack. John Bernie’s aim is to beat the record he set last year and they are most likely |
to be the first boat home. Currently Beau Geste leads the fleet on the water and is 27 miles from the North Sails Mark at Barbuda and only 200 metres ahead of Region Guadeloupe. |
Photography: Royal Ocean Racing Club - RORC ©
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As the sunsets over the Caribbean, the competitors in the RORC Caribbean 600 are preparing for their first night at sea. At 1700 local time, the leading boats had rounded the North Sails mark off Barbuda and were power reaching west towards the sunset under spinnaker. It doesn't get a lot better than that! Setting an incredible pace are John Burnie and his crew on ORMA 60, Region Guadeloupe. "We are around the North Sails mark power reaching to Nevis, the speedo has barely dropped below 22 knots since we left Barbuda," explained navigator, Nick Lykiardopulo. In IRC Class Super Zero, Karl Kwok's Beau Geste is setting the pace, well clear of the North Sails mark and heading to Nevis at a cracking pace. Richard Oland's Southern Cross 52, Vela Veloce is second in class, on handicap but on the water the Canadian boat is having a close battle with Danilo Salsi's Swan 90, DSK Pioneer Investments. The two yachts were literally bow-to-bow at the North Sails mark. Third on handicap is James Grundy's Tripp 75, Bella Pita. In IRC Class Zero, Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy's Swan 56, Noonmark VI is the early class leader. Behind them, Ondeck's Farr 65, Spirit of Minerva is second in class but winning the private battle with two other Farr 65s. Spirit of Isis, crewed by Lloyds Yacht Club are in third and the BLESMA crew are not far behind. IRC Class One has a clear leader, after a cracking start Marc Glimcher's J 122, Catapult is in command. Just ten miles from the North Sails mark they are well ahead of the other Class One boats and at this very early stage are third on handicap for the entire fleet. As the crews get ready for the nightwatch, there will be no need to reach for the wet weather gear, the air temperature is still in the high twenties, they will be hoping that the wind keeps up as well. As dawn broke on the second day of the RORC Caribbean 600, ORMA 60 Region Guadeloupe had just rounded St. Maarten, the most northerly part of the course. Wind speed at St. Maarten is expected to be in the high teens for some time but the direction may well be southerly and on the nose for the long leg to Guadeloupe. |
Spirits on board are good, as John Burnie explains: "Excellent tea and garibaldi biscuits are supplementing the pot noodle fayre." Only an hour behind the giant trimaran is Karl Kwok's Beau Geste. The Farr 80 has a stellar crew on board including round the world bowmen, Juggy Clougher and Andy Meiklejohn. The two of them will have had no sleep last night. Manoeuvring through the top half the course at night would have meant all of the crew on deck for a myriad of sail changes, especially in the wind shadow of various islands. DSK Pioneer Investments are second on the water but Richard Oland's Vela Veloce had a good night and are second in class and 34 miles astern of Beau Geste. Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy's Swan 56, Noonmark VI, is leading IRC One, however two of the Farr 65s are only 5 miles behind. Spirit of Minerva is having a battle royale with Spirit of Isis and they have been barely a boat length apart for much of the night. Marc Glimcher's J 122 Catapult continues to impress in a competitive class. The American yacht will be rounding St. Maarten during day time making it easier to spot the breeze or better still to avoid a wind shadow created by the island. Richard Bamford's Swan 38, Dolfijn is having a great race and is currently lying sixth overall. They are to leeward of St. Kitts and seem to be heading further offshore, presumably looking for more breeze. The six crew include Richard's wife, Dawn from New Zealand. Clarke Simmons reports that the crew on Sun Odyssey 52, Great Escape of Southampton, are in great shape and had an eventful first leg. A Humpback whale came right up to the boat, breaching within just a few metres. The ten crew also enjoyed a pasta dinner and a magical night under a carpet of stars. The three Class 40s in the RORC Caribbean 600 are rounding Saba. Leading on the course is 40 Degrees with Ocean Warrior 1.5 miles behind. Tradition Guadeloupe are sailing two handed and are ahead on handicap. |
Source: RORC Caribbean 600 and Sail-World
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