The Oman Air MOD70. Skippered by Sidney Gavignet (FRA) with team mates Thomas LeBreton (FRA), Fahad Al Hasni (OMA), Neal McDonald (GBR),Damian Foxall (IRL), Mohsin Al Busaidi (OMA), Ahmed Al Hassani (OMA) and Giles Favennec (FRA) (Photo by by Jean-Marie Liot / Lloyd Images)
Oman Air-Musandam stepped up her speeds at the Grand Prix Guyader this week edging the team closer towards training targets in their preparations for the Route des Princes 2013 around Europe next month.
Oman Air-Musandam stepped up her speeds at the Grand Prix Guyader this week edging the team closer towards training targets in their preparations for the Route des Princes 2013 around Europe next month.
Over a challenging four day programme of coastal races and timed runs across Douarnenez Bay in Northern France, French skipper Sidney Gavignet and his Oman-backed MOD70 crew which includes four new faces, identified and achieved a range of training objectives ahead of the Ar men Race later this week and the round Europe event for the Multi One Design boats starting in Valencia in June.
Oman Air-Musandam was one of a fleet of high-speed multihulls racing at the annual regatta. Another MOD70 Virbac-Paprec campaigned by Jean-Pierre Dick and Armel Le Cleach’s Banque Populaire, the largest racing trimaran in the world, were also gunning for Maxi class honours along with Lionel Lemonchois’ Prince de Bretagne.
“We won the last coastal race by a long way and although it wasn’t enough to beat Virbac-Paprec overall which was a shame, it was all very positive mainly because it was a light wind race and as a team, we have had no light wind sailing so far in 2013,” Gavignet said.
“This was more about integrating the crew than getting results and our crew work improved a lot during the week. Overall it was very good, including the shore team who are working well so all in all I am very happy. The atmosphere in the team was really good – good focus and good concentration which makes me confident for the future. I think we will do a good job together.”
The Oman Air MOD70. Skippered by Sidney Gavignet (FRA) with team mates Thomas LeBreton (FRA), Fahad Al Hasni (OMA), Neal McDonald (GBR),Damian Foxall (IRL), Mohsin Al Busaidi (OMA), Ahmed Al Hassani (OMA) and Giles Favennec (FRA) (Photo by Jean-Marie Liot/Lloyd Images)
Oman Air-Musandam was racing with three Omani sailors among its elite crew including MOD70 regulars Fahad Al Hasni and Mohsin Al Busaidi and young F18 professional Ahmed Al Hassani who was new to the boat.
“Mohsin had to go up the mast on the last day to make a repair and had to stay 25m up for the entire race – he did really well! Ahmed also did really well and fitted in nicely. He had very good input on tactics during the debriefs which was unusual and really helpful. Racing F18s means he is more aware about tactics and he made some very good points.”
The crew loved the timed run competition, which Oman Air-Musandam won. “The timed runs were good fun – they were new to us but it was a case of sheet off and away, sprinting over two and a half miles to see how fast we could go,” said British offshore sailor, Neil McDonald, helmsman onboard.
“We recorded a speed of 28.13 knots which was the fastest time for the maxis all week and of course the fastest in the entire fleet.”
Ahmed, one of the growing band of new talent emerging through Oman Sail’s unique sailing programme, gave his first experience of racing MOD70s the thumbs up after gaining an idea of what lies ahead for Oman Air-Musandam this summer.
‘’These boats are so fast and being new to the MOD70 it took me a while to get used to the speed but I really enjoyed it. The guys on the team especially Neal McDonald and Damian Foxall and of course Fahad Al Hasni from Oman have plenty of experience and already I have learned a lot from them.
‘’The next race will be a real test for them because it is almost 400 miles offshore. I won’t be joining them for that because they can only have six crew but I think they will do very well.’’
On Wednesday, a reduced six-strong Oman Air-Musandam crew take the boat 100 miles down the Brittany coast to La Trinite-sur-Mer where they will start the 360 nms Ar men Race on Thursday in competition with 120 other boats.
Testing weather conditions including gales have been forecast for the trip, which might force organisers to delay the start by 24 hours. The race is likely to take around 30 hours offering another chance for the team to bank some vital miles before the serious business of the Route des Princes gets underway.
The Oman Air MOD70. Skippered by Sidney Gavignet (FRA) with team mates Thomas LeBreton (FRA), Fahad Al Hasni (OMA), Neal McDonald (GBR),Damian Foxall (IRL), Mohsin Al Busaidi (OMA), Ahmed Al Hassani (OMA) and Giles Favennec (FRA) (Photo by Jean-Marie Liot/Lloyd Images)
Oman Air-Musandam’s crew for the Ar men Race is Sidney Gavignet, Neal McDonald, Damian Foxall, Fahad Al Hasni , Mohsin Al Busaidi and Thomas Le Breton.
Musandam-Oman Air MOD70 2013 race calendar
9-11 May: AR Men Race, La Trinité
6-30 June: La Route des Princes (Valencia-Spain, Lisbon-Portugal, Dun Laoghaire-Ireland, Plymouth-UK, Roscoff-France)
8 August: Cowes Week Artemis Challenge
11-13 August: The Rolex Fastnet Race
3 November: Transat Jacques Vabre
Musandam-Oman Air MOD70 2013 race squad
Sidney Gavignet (FRA)
Thomas Le Breton (FRA)
Fahad Al Hasni (OMA)
Mohsin Al Busaidi (OMA)
Neal McDonald (GBR)
Damian Foxall (IRE)
Ahmed Al Hassani (OMA)
Gilles Favennec (FRA)
IDEC in New York Before Record Attempt in 2011 (Photo by George Bekris)
Francis Joyon is leaving. In a few days, he will address the prestigious North Atlantic record. Success would make him the first skipper to win the incredible “Grand Slam” of records. Joyon will be on stand-by in New York from May 15. Yesterday evening the skipper was in Paris for a great evening presentation at Pershing Hall in the presence of three of the four solo Atlantic record holders Florence Arthaud, Thomas Coville and Bruno Peyron, current record holder. His record will be challenged shortly by the skipper of the Maxi-trimaran IDEC.
Florence Arthaud ,Francis Joyon,Patrice Lafargue, Thomas Coville and Bruno Peyron© Aurimages / Groupe IDEC
Hold 21 knots average for less than 5 days, 19 hours and 29 minutes. Alone. On the demanding North Atlantic. That’s the challenge with the high bar set by Thomas Coville in July 2008. Francis Joyon will sail between the Statue of Liberty and the English Cornwall. To be precise between Ambrose Light in New York and that the Lizard in the south of England . In that in-between are heavy waves, winds and icebergs to content with while sailing at breakneck speeds.
Francis Joyon on IDEC in New Your prior to record attempt in 2011 ( Photo by George Bekris)
PRADA Luna Rossa (Photo by ACEA 2013/ Gilles Martin-Raget)
Austrians Roman Hagara and Hans-Peter Steinacher, double Olympic Gold medalists in the Tornado catamaran, have entered the upcoming America’s Cup World Series Naples, scheduled Apr. 16-21.
The duo will sail under the banner HS Racing and race under the US flag in partnership with ORACLE TEAM USA.
HS Racing is one of nine crews entered in the regatta, which will also feature America’s Cup World Series leader ORACLE TEAM USA, second-placed Luna Rossa Piranha, third-placed Artemis Racing White, J.P. Morgan BAR, Energy Team, Emirates Team New Zealand, Luna Rossa Swordfish and China Team.
Roman Hagara (Photo © Red Bull Content Pool)
“It is a dream come true for us,” said Hagara, 46, whose aim, along with tactician Steinacher and their crew is a top placing at the final event of the 2012-13 AC World Series season.
HS Racing’s crew also includes trimmer Herve Cunningham of France, bowman Graeme Spence of Australia and floater David Swete of New Zealand.
“We trained on the AC45 back in February in San Francisco and felt very good from the start,” said Steinacher, 44. “The boat is extremely difficult to handle at strong winds and it develops unbelievable forces, but we are happy to take on the challenge.”
Hagara and Steinacher were Gold medalists at the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympics. They are also the sports directors for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, scheduled Sept. 1-4 in San Francisco.
“It’s great to have Roman and Hans-Peter involved,” said ORACLE TEAM USA CEO Russell Coutts. “They aim to be serious competitors and this is a great platform to launch their America’s Cup aspirations.”
Emirates Team New Zealand© ACEA 2013/ Photo Gilles Martin-Raget
Familiar names are lining up for the final AC World Series event, with sailors such as Dean Barker of Emirates Team New Zealand, Francesco Bruni and Chris Draper of Luna Rossa, Yann Guichard of Energy Team and Tom Slingsby of ORACLE TEAM USA scheduled to compete. Sweden’s Artemis Racing will be helmed by 23-year-old Charlie Ekberg, Sweden’s top 49er sailor and skipper of Artemis Racing/Swedish Youth Challenge for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup. The Naples event will also feature the return of Mitch Booth to the helm of China Team, while Ben Ainslie will skipper his J.P. Morgan BAR team.
Team Korea, previously an America’s Cup World Series participant and Louis Vuitton Cup entrant, has withdrawn from further competition in the 34th America’s Cup. In a letter to the Golden Gate Yacht Club, the team indicated it has plans to enter the 35th America’s Cup.
Last year’s AC World Series Naples drew crowds estimated at 500,000, who were there in part to catch the debut of Luna Rossa Challenge 2013. Draper led his Luna Rossa Piranha crew to a thrilling win in the final fleet race. The victory kicked off celebrations among the tens of thousands of Italian America’s Cup fans lining the Naples waterfront to catch a glimpse of their heroes.
The conditions were as varied as any venue on the AC World Series. The fleet race finale was held in light wind and turned into a drifter at the finish. That occurred just two days after big wind and waves saw the AC45s powered up and leaping from the wave tops.
- Naples (ITA) - 34th America's Cup - America's Cup World Series Naples 2012 - Final day (Photo © ACEA 2013/ Photo Gilles Martin-Raget)
Nikki Curwen sails the Artemis Offshore Academy Mini 6.50 on the Solent (Photo © Artemis Offshore Academy)
On Saturday 16th March, Artemis Offshore Academy Mini sailor Nikki Curwen finished her first solo race of her career, the Solo Roma-Solo Race in 7th overall, out of a fleet of 15, and also finished 5th in the Series boat rankings. It was a solid start to the Mini season for Nikki, as she pursues her place in the super competitive Mini Transat later this year. Crossing the finish line of the 120 mile race at around 1300 GMT, the only British and only female competitor in the race, Nikki was pleased with her performance and with her first experience racing on the Class Mini circuit: “It was a great race with varying conditions ranging from 0-28kts throughout, so it was really testing and I learned a lot. It is very different atmosphere when racing compared to training. I was very happy with my speed on the other boats and I am looking forward to the next race in April.”
Read Nikki’s Solo Roma-Solo Race report here.
“To finish top half of the fleet in her first race on the Mini Circuit was a great result for Nikki,” commented Academy Performance Director John Thorn. “As always with the Artemis Offshore Academy’s initial races in the year, the Solo Roma-Solo Race was above all a learning experience. This race was also the first race in the Italian Mini 6.50 Championships and the second in the 2013 Class Mini calendar, and was a great opportunity for Nikki to measure herself against experienced Mini sailors. Nikki’s result was a promising start to her season and one that should help her gain confidence going into her next race.”
Setting off from Fiumicino, Rome on Friday 15th March, the original 190-mile Solo Roma-Solo Race course was shortened due to bad weather and instead ran 120 miles around the local island of Palmarola and back again. The 15 competing Mini sailors started the race downwind at 1200 GMT in around 7 knots of breeze: “Downwind starts are always interesting and it certainly took me back to my dinghy days,” Nikki recalled. “Two or three boats, me included, managed to hoist on the gun and stormed ahead.”
Read Lizzy Foreman’s start line report here.
After propelling her to way to the front of the fleet, Nikki remained within the top five leading boats for the majority of the race, until on the final approach to the finish line, she made one final decision that didn’t quite pay off: “I tacked away from Jeffery McFarlane at the latter stage of the race and he went on to win. In hindsight, he definitely made the better decision but I didn’t think there would be much wind inshore and stayed offshore. My decision resulted in me sitting in a patch of no wind for two hours just sat looking my own reflection, ten miles from the finish line. It was quite painful watching everyone else sail by, but these things happen and I’ll learn from my mistakes.
“It was a great first race, but it was a challenging race demanding the use of all three spinnakers and despite a few minor errors, I enjoyed every minute of it! My strategy for this first race was to just get around the course safely and I managed this and I am happy with my result overall.”
With her first race under her belt and 120 miles in the bank, Nikki now continues with her objective to qualify for the 4020 mile Mini Transat 6.50 starting on 13th October. In order to qualify, Nikki needs to accumulate 1000 race miles (can be double-handed and solo) as well as completing a 1000-mile solo qualifying passage, which she hopes to do at the end of this week – sailing 1300nm from Rome to Genova, Italy. On arriving in Genova, Nikki will be ready for her second scheduled race of her season, the 540-mile double-handed Gran Premio d’Italia starting on the 13th April. Nikki will race with Academy graduate, Ollie Bond, an experienced Mini Transat 6.50 competitor who finished 10th overall in 2009.
For more on the Artemis Offshore Academy Mini 6.50 race programme, click here.
The Solo Roma-Solo Race overall results:
Skipper/Nationality/Boat name/Boat no./Boat type
1. Jeffery McFarlane/FRA/Jeffery McFarlane/716/Proto
2. Andrea Frassinetti/ITA/Moitouseul/721/Nacira
3. Andrea Pendibene/ITA/Marina Militare/520/Ginto
4. Ludovic Méchin/FRA/Paris Texas/5/Proto
5. Piero Platone/ITA/Big Jim/622/Pogo 2
6. Andrea Iacopini/ITA/Umpa Lumpa/682/Pogo 2
7. Nikki Curwen/GBR/Artemis/438/Pogo 2
8. Andrea Farina/ITA/MaVie Phyto Garda/Proto
9. Luca Sabui/ITA/Keylog/538/Pogo 2
10. Davide Lusso/ITA/Monster/600/Zero
11. Tanguy Le Turquais/FRA/Terreal Reve d’Enfance/599/Pogo 2
12. Federico Cuciuc/ITA/Your Sail/556/D1
13. Emanuele Grassi/ITA/Eureka/269/Pogo 1
14. Florian Mausy/FRA/Foksaglisee/633/Pogo 2
RTR Martino Verlato/ITA/Cimbra/798/Proto
The Solo Roma-Solo Race Series results:
Skipper/Nationality/Boat name/Boat no./Boat type
1. Andrea Frassinetti/ITA/Moitouseul/721/Nacira
2. Andrea Pendibene/ITA/Marina Militare/520/Ginto
3. Piero Platone/ITA/Big Jim/622/Pogo 2
4. Andrea Iacopini/ITA/Umpa Lumpa/682/Pogo 2
5. Nikki Curwen/GBR/Artemis/438/Pogo 2
6. Luca Sabui/ITA/Keylog/538/Pogo 2
7. Davide Lusso/ITA/Monster/600/Zero
8. Tanguy Le Turquais/FRA/Terreal Reve d’Enfance/599/Pogo 2
9. Federico Cuciuc/ITA/Your Sail/556/D1
10. Emanuele Grassi/ITA/Eureka/269/Pogo 1
11. Florian Mausy/FRA/Foksaglisee/633/Pogo 2
The Solo Roma-Solo Race Proto results:
Skipper/Nationality/Boat name/Boat no./Boat type
1. Jeffery McFarlane/FRA/Jeffery McFarlane/716/Proto
2. Ludovic Méchin/FRA/Paris Texas/5/Proto
3. Andrea Farina/ITA/MaVie Phyto Garda/Proto
RTR Martino Verlato/ITA/Cimbra/798/Proto
Artemis Offshore Academy
The Artemis Offshore Academy provides a structured UK training programme of excellence for British short-handed sailors, to bring talented sailors up through the ranks with the ultimate goal being to put a British sailor in a strong position to win the Vendée Globe in 2016 or 2020 and beyond. Launched in 2010 the Artemis Offshore Academy offers an annual fully funded Scholarship to the most promising member of the Development Squad to compete on the highly competitive Figaro circuit, including the famous Solitaire du Figaro. In addition, support is also granted to a UK sailor to compete in the Mini Transat.
The Artemis Offshore Academy Mini 6.50 on the Solent. Credit © SailSpy.com
EFG Bank - Sailing Arabia The Tour 2013. (Photo by Lloyd Images)
Overall standings: Team AISM 1st, BAE Systems 2nd, EFG Bank (Monaco) 3rd – Short race leg brings drama in the dark for crews -
Dubai-based Team AISM has maintained the overall lead by claiming the fourth leg of the EFG Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour following a night of drama for the world-class crews from around the world and the Gulf region competing between Dubai and northern Emirate Ras Al Khaimah.At only 53 miles up the coast from Dubai to Al Hamra is the second shortest leg on the bruising 15 day and 760 nautical mile EFG Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour and should have been routine. But due to Custom’s procedures in Dubai taking longer than anticipated, the scheduled mid-morning start was delayed until 14:50, forcing crews to re-equip themselves and their boats ready for a night time finish.The result was a race of intense fighting in darkness with the wind ranging from zero to as much as 17 knots, with the boats reaching or sailing downwind with Bertrand Pace’s overall leader, AISM, continually a nose ahead. Following AISM into Al Hamra were the youthful Team Messe Frankfurt led by Marcel Herrera and in third team BAE Systems.Yet the finishing order does little to tell of the drama that unfolded for the teams at around 20 miles out from the finish and an hour and a half after it turned dark. Just at a time when the boats were being pushed to limit sailing high under their big spinnakers, the fleet came across an area densely populated with fishing boats and their nets.
As Cedric Pouligny, skipper of BAE Systems described the high jump manoeuvre they had to perform each time they ran into a net: “Basically you went from 10 knots of speed to zero, then you had to broach and make even more heel before the boat could get off again.” Broaching normally occurs when a boat is overpowered in a gust, the rudder loses control and the boat is forced over on its side, but was necessary on this occasion effectively to lift the keel over the net.Unfortunately the result on this leg was determined by those who got through the fishing nets the fastest.
EFG Sailing Arabia Tour Fleet (Photo by Lloyd Images)
Speaking following another action-packed leg and night of drama Issa Al Ismaili, Director of Events at the race’s organiser Oman Sail said:“Firstly congratulations to team ASIM who continue to prove best equipped to deal with every challenge the EFG Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour offers including on this occasion fishing nets. Obviously such a test at night was not planned for. But that is sailing and this world-class regatta is having to overcome unique challenges on every single leg. Even this leg to Al Hamra at only 53 miles, the second shortest on the race schedules has pushed crews to face the unknown. We’re delighted all have made it safely to Ras Al Khaimah and our preparing themselves for the next round of in-port racing.” After their disappointing result on the Abu Dhabi to Dubai leg yesterday, Marcel Herrera’s University of Plymouth team on Messe Frankfurt had managed to get back in with the lead trio and were into fourth place when they encountered the nets. “I think we hit eight fishing nets – along with every other boat, but the other boats seemed to broach a bit more when they hit them,” said Herrera. “We ploughed through them and managed to get a good technique going so that we didn’t get caught.”Because of this Messe Frankfurt emerged in second place and as the wind dropped subsequently they were closing on first placed AISM as they crossed the finish line at 21:49 (local time), three and a half minutes after Pace’s team. “It makes up for yesterday,” said Herrera.AISM crewman Benoit Briand said that through the day their speed was good and being ahead they had been able to control their opponents before they encountered the fishing nets. “We were lucky that we got over them quite easily, our keel seemed to pass over the nets.”
The AISM team was also pleased that Messe Frankfurt came home second as it puts more distance between themselves and second placed BAE Systems in the overall results. “Bertrand is going to be even more difficult to beat. He is going to be hard to catch,” admitted BAE Systems skipper Cedric Pouligny.One of the most dramatic moments occurred when team BAE Systems and EFG Bank (Monaco) got caught on the same fishing net at the same time and started to get drawn into the middle of the net so that at one point they came very close to colliding, only 2m apart.
Mohsin al Busaidi’s Renaissance came home in fifth place. The Omani skipper, the first sailor from the Middle East to sail non-stop around the world, reckoned that his team had hit maybe seven nets. “We got stuck in the first one. It was a surprise because we were all together and only two boats got stuck and other boats got through.” Al Busaidi’s solution was speed: “If you are going more than 10 knots you can pass it. We stopped once for three or four minutes and at other times we were slowed down from 10 knots to 5 and then we were off again. Fortunately Mohammed in our team is a fisherman…”
Most disappointed last night when they got in was Dee Caffari’s women’s team on Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat and Kay Heemskerk’s Dutch team on TU Delft. Having been caught in nets and then further suffering after the wind went light, they finished outside of the time limit and have been scored ‘TLE’ (time limit expired) or seven points for this leg.“It was disappointing that we didn’t get to start until five hours late and then to sail through miles of fishing nets in the dark,” said Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat’s Liz Bayliss, one of two Americans in the all-female team that also includes four Omanis.Their race effectively came to a grinding halt when they got entangled in a fishing net and remained that way for more than an hour. “We hit something and then we got stuck – the fishing boat finally came over to us and cut the net but retrieved both ends of it. There were nets everywhere,” Bayliss continued.
After the late finish the two in-port races are being held today off Al Hamra with the first start attended by H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud Al Qasimi, Crown prince of RAK and commencing at 11.00am.
Competing aboard identical Farr 30 yachts, the EFG Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour has attracted nine crews representing five different nations, led locally by Oman’s Team Renaissance, Royal Navy of Oman, Team BAE Systems and the all – female Team Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat. Two teams will compete on behalf of the UAE, Team Abu Dhabi and Team AISM. International crews include EFG Bank (Monaco), Team Delft Challenge – TU Delft (Holland) and the Team Messe Frankfurt (EU).
Taking in four countries and eight ports of call, EFG Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour is a showcase of everything that the Gulf has to offer in terms of state-of-the-art facilities and idyllic sailing conditions Leaving Manama on February 10th, EFG Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour calls at Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Dibba and Mussanah and ends February 25th in Muscat. The racing will include in-port racing at selected locations
Dueling it out Sailing Arabia the Tour 2013 (Photo by Lloyd Images)
Maserati's Bow (Photo by George Bekris)
Giovanni Soldini and Maserati set the new record of the Golden Route
New York-San Francisco in 47 days, 0 hours, 42 minutes and 29 seconds
Maserati crossed the finish line at h 18 31′ 59” GMT
It’s a record! 47 days, 0 hours, 42 minutes and 29 seconds to sail from New York to San Francisco crossing Cape Horn. Giovanni Soldini and Maserati’s team crossed the finish line under San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge at 18h 31′ 59” GMT (19h 31′ 59” Italian time, 10h 31′ 59” local time), establishing a new record time reference of the Golden Route, in the monohull category.
“We are happy! – says Soldini – The Golden Route is an historic record, a very important and challenging one. Now it will bear the colours of the Italian flag. Maserati proved to be a powerful boat, a technological and reliable one. The crew has been extraordinary, everyone was prepared to face even the hardest situation. I want to thank all my companions in this adventure and to thank also all my partners, Maserati, BSI and Generali who allowed all of us to make our dream come true”.
Giovanni Soldini and a crew of eight sailors left New York at 17h 49’ 30” GMT of December 31, 2012 aboard Maserati, to challenge the New York-San Francisco record.
The challenge is being sponsored by Maserati as main partner and inspiration for the boat’s name, by the Swiss bank BSI (Generali Group) and by Generali itself as co-sponsor.
Suppliers for the attempt include Vodafone Italia, Bulgari, Official Time Keeper, Boero Bartolomeo S.p.A., Eataly e Great Circle.
At http://maserati.soldini.it you can follow Giovanni Soldini and his team’s navigation from New York to San Francisco almost live, 24 hours a day: videos and photos sent from aboard, news and comments form the crew members. At Cartography page, the position of Maserati is updated every hour to experience the challenge of Soldini and his team surfing from home.
NEW YORK – SAN FRANCISCO RECORD STORY
The 13225 nautical miles that separate New York from San Francisco via Cape Horn, are an historic route, widely travelled by clippers that were involved in the goldrush starting from the second half of 1800. The best result of the time was set in 1854 by Flying Cloud, exceptional vessel from the Boston shipyards, that reached San Francisco in 89 days and 8 hours, a record that stood for more than 130 years.
After several attempts by many boats, the 60-foot Thursday’s Child of Warren Luhrs arrived in San Francisco after 80 days and 20 hours in 1989. In 1994, Isabelle Autissier aboard Ecureuil Poitou took 62 days and 5 hours. Then, in 1998, Yves Parlier on board Aquitaine Innovations has dropped to 57 days, 3 hours, 2 minutes. This is the reference record for Giovanni Soldini and his crew who will try to beat it aboard the VOR70 Maserati, from the second half of December 2012.
The overall record in the multihull category belongs to Lionel Lemonchois that made thejourney in 43 days and 38 minutes aboard Gitana 13 in 2008.
The challenge is being sponsored by Maserati as main partner and inspiration for the boat’s name, by the Swiss bank BSI (Generali Group) and by Generali itself as co-sponsor.
MASERATI
Maserati’s support and participation in this majorItalian challenge in sport and technology confirms the company’s role as a world ambassador for that level of excellence for which Italy is universally known. Maserati gives zealous expression to that excellence every day in 65 countries worldwide, through successful high-quality cars like the Quattroporte, GranTurismo and GranCabrio. The performance of Maserati cars on the road matches that of Giovanni Soldini and Maserati on water.
BSI and Generali
BSI is one of Switzerland’s oldest banks andspecialises in private wealth management through top flight global management. BSI is a fully controlled member of the Generali Group, and fields a presence on all major international financial markets, especially in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
Generali is one of the world’s largest international insurance groups with offices in over 60 countries. The group boasts a robust footprint in Europe, EEC member states, Asia and Latin America, serving over 70 million customers. The Generali Group is a European leader in life insurance with assets of over 400 billion euros.
Suppliers for the attempt include Vodafone Italia, responsible for providing telecommunication services and developing the official website, official time keeper Bulgari, and Boero Bartolomeo S.p.A. producers of the special paints and enamels used on the hull.
Maserati is also sponsored by Eataly, suppliers to the boat’s galley, Beta Utensili, who have provided all the professional tools, Corderia Lancelin, supplier of the special ropes and cables, FPT Industrial for technical assistance with the engines, Jeppesen for the cartography, B&G Navico for technical assistance with on-board instrumentation, Cantiere Picchiotti of La Spezia, home of Maserati on dry land, and the Port of La Spezia, home of Maserati when at sea.
Francis Joyon on IDEC breaks Discovery Route Record (Cadiz , Spain - San Salvador, Bahamas) (Photo by JM Liot / DPPI / IDEC)
Francis Joyon has made land on his Maxi-trimaran IDEC, and set a new world sailing record* for the Discovery Route from Cadiz, Spain.
With a time of 9 days, 20 hours, and 35 minutes, IDEC has beat the previous record set by Thomas Coville, and added yet another feat to Joyon’s collection (Joyon also holds the ’round the world solo record). This route is an approximation of the course that Columbus took in 1492 when it is often said he “discovered” the new world (though the Americas were already populated, and had been visited previously by other Europeans).
While Columbus’ ponderous little fleet took 70 days to make the journey, Joyon and IDEC did it in less than 10. A rather dramatic improvement, and an amazing feat even if Joyon wasn’t sailing solo – but of course he was. With little sleep, and in fact little sitting, Joyon has set the bar higher, and IDEC has further established the trimaran at the top of performance designs.
Many armchair “experts” declared last week that Joyon would not make the record, due to the fact that he hit some light air along the course. What they forgot was that Coville also had some calm winds in 2005, as in fact did Columbus and crew. Joyon made the most of what the conditions offered, and as the breezes built, he had IDEC fairly flying along as he neared the Bahamas, and crossed the line this morning.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Francis Joyon is poised to succeed his bet on the Discovery Route. On Thursday afternoon, he did more than 280 miles to cover to cut the finish line in San Salvador. After being slowed yesterday, IDEC found speeds of around 20 knots and should ultimately bring its own record below 9 days! Arrival tomorrow Friday!
Almost direct route or a little less than 300 miles to go, the maxi trimaran IDEC has found a few hours speeds of around 20 knots. After much maneuvering yesterday – as expected – to negotiate quiet areas south of an anticyclone, Francis Joyon has managed to preserve half of the advance he had known garner far, approximately 200 miles 400. This should be enough to raise that reaching the goal set at the beginning of Cadiz is exactly 8 days, ie “win ten hours.”
The final gain will probably nearly double that envisaged since IDEC should cut the finish line in the morning tomorrow, Friday, February 15. In any case well before the scheduled deadline to improve its own record on this course in 2008 (9 days and 20 h), knowing that to do IDEC must happen before Saturday 9:21 French time.
Below 9 days … without routing!
“If all goes well, I get in fact in the morning tomorrow, Friday,” confirms Francis Joyon phone Thursday, “even if it takes to negotiate the final calm. Having said that, I have a little more wind provided that the files “welcomes the driver of the maxi trimaran IDEC.
Recall that this genuine performance will be carried out in unprecedented conditions, since Francis Joyon road itself without outside help. And this road to discovery is yet more complex than the most prestigious record in the North Atlantic. Indeed, in this sense, the solo sailor is forced to deal with a series of weather systems which are linked, and therefore transition zones never easy to manage and time consuming. This is what largely explains why sailors always put more time in the west-east direction between New York and the Lizard, where – from east to west so – the game is to surf high speed trains transatlantic depressions. This record is also another program Francis Joyon this year. IDEC and is now on the right side of the Atlantic to put on stand-by in New York in the spring arrives. Another challenge … but not anticipate. For now, Joyon must complete its transatlantic journey there will be time tomorrow morning to get out the calculators!
