Francis Joyon breaks the North Atlantic Sailing Speed Record crossing Lizard Point this morning on IDEC II (Photo © JEAN MARIE LIOT / DPPI / IDEC)
Francis Joyon on on the maxi trimaran IDEC II shatters the North Atlantic Record in an amazing 5 days, 2 hours, 56 minutes and 10 seconds. That is 16 hours, 24 minutes and 30 seconds faster than the record previously established by Thomas Coville in 2008!
Francis Joyon on IDEC II (Photo by George Bekris)
Records Francis Joyon has previously broken.
| 2013 |
Record of Discovery Route |
|---|---|
| 2012 |
24 hour record solo |
| 2010 |
2nd in the Route du Rhum – La Banque Postale |
| 2009 |
Winner of the Tour of the Isle of Wight |
| 2009 |
Record between France and Mauritius Winner of the Tour de Belle-Ile |
| 2008 |
Record of Discovery Route Lap record of absolute world alone 24 hour record solo |
| 2007 |
Record run of the inning solo |
| 2005 |
Record for crossing the Atlantic solo (New York – Lizard) 24 hour record solo |
| 2004 |
Record of Discovery Route (Cadiz – San Salvador) alone Lap record of absolute world alone |
| 2001 |
Winner of the 76th Fastnet sur Eure et Loir Fastest lap of the Isle of Wight |
| 2000 |
Winner of the Transat Europe 1 – Newman Star sur Eure et Loir |
| 1998 |
Sixth of the Route du Rhum 2nd Route des Phares |
| 1997 |
4th in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2nd Grand Prix Port of Fecamp 4th Race in Europe |
| 1996 |
5th Multihull Championship Second Quebec-St Malo |
| 1995 |
3rd Open UAP Banque Populaire 2nd in the Transat Jacques Vabre |
| 1993 |
3rd Open UAP Third of the Coffee Route |
| 1992 |
Third of the Coffee Route |
| 1991 |
5th Open UAP on BPO |
| 1990 |
10th Route du Rhum on BPO |
| 1988 |
Third of the Discovery Route on JB Express |
SAILING - NORTH ATLANTIC MULTI SOLO RECORD 2013 - CAP LIZARD (GBR) - 16/06/2013 - PHOTO JEAN-MARIE LIOT / DPPI - FRANCIS JOYON (FRA) ONBOARD IDEC BREAKIN THE SOLO-HANDED NORTH ATLANTIC RECORD
Alex Thomson on Hugo Boss smashes Transatlantic Record
British solo sailor, Alex Thomson has smashed the single-handed monohull transatlantic record, by more than 24 hours, crossing the finish line at Lizard Point, off Falmouth in Cornwall, in time to get back for the London Olympic Opening ceremony.
The 38 year old sailor crossed the line at 17:17 GMT (18:17 BST) setting the new time at 8 days 22 hours 8 minutes, beating the previous record, subject to ratification by the World Sailing Speed Record Council, which had been held for 10 years.
“It has been a long few days,” said Alex. “The first half from New York was great with weather conditions in our favour, but things started to slow down the closer I got. But the wind has held out this morning and it’s so fantastic to have broken this record.”
Alex set sail from New York on July 17th at 19.09GMT to cover 2800 nautical miles in a quest to break the record for what is officially known as the ‘West to East Ambrose Lighthouse to Lizard Point Under 60ft Single-Handed Monohull Record, Male’, which sat at 10 days, 55 minutes and 19 seconds, and was set by Swiss sailor Bernhard Stamm 10 years ago.
His secondary aim was to get home in time for the 2012 London Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in order to support Chairman and good friend, Sir Keith Mills.
“When I set off I had no idea if I was going to be able to do it. And it has been hard. Lack of sleep, broken instruments on the boat and constant exposure to the elements has really taken it out of me. But it’s such a good feeling to have beaten it by such a great margin,” said Alex.
But the record breaking achievement is only half of the story. Alex is in fact lining up to attempt to be the first Brit ever to win the gruelling single-handed round-the-world race, the Vendee Globe, leaving from France in November on board his 60ft monohull, HUGO BOSS. And this record breaking achievement puts him in good stead.
“This record attempt was also a training exercise for the Vendee Globe,” said Alex. “We felt this record attempt would put me under real pressure and stimulate race conditions and I have felt a real value in it.”
He is one of three British competitors who will take part in the non-stop, solo, unassisted round-the-world yacht race starting in Les Sables d’Olonne in France, on November 10th. Currently only 50% of attempts to complete the race have been successful in the race known as the ‘Everest of sailing’
Mare, Winner of the 2012 Atlantic Cup (Photo by George Bekris)
#115 Mare wins The 2012 Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing
Mare dominates a record setting fleet of 15 competitors, including #118 Bodacious Dream (2nd place) and #106 Gryphon Solo 2 (3rd place) to claim the second annual Atlantic Cup Championship and $15,000 in prize money
NEWPORT, R.I. – #115 Mare (GER), skippered by Jörg Riechers, Ryan Breymaier (offshore) and Charles Euvrete (inshore), continued its Atlantic Cup dominance by winning three of the five inshore races, finishing second in the other two heats, en route to claiming The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing over a record setting international fleet of 15 Class40 yachts. Mare was equally impressive during the offshore competition, besting the field during the first offshore leg (Charleston, S.C. to N.Y. Harbor), and coming in second behind overall Atlantic Cup runner-up #118 Bodacious Dream (USA), skippered by Dave Rearick and Matt Scharl. Mare finished with 11 total combined points for the offshore legs and inshore races in Narragansett Bay, Bodacious Dream finished with 27 total points. With the victory Mare claims the champion’s share, $15,000, of the $30,000 overall prize purse, one of the largest in sailing in the United States.
Bodacious Dream took Second Place in the Atlantic Cup (Photo by George Bekris)
Only three points separated the remaining top-five finishers with Gryphon Solo 2 (USA), skippered by Joe Harris and Tristan Mougline (39 points) in third, winning a tiebreaker with Campagne De France (FRA), skippered by Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron, (39), in fourth, and Initiatives (USA), skippered by Emma Creighton and Rob Windsor, (42), finishing fifth.
Mare co-skipper Jörg Riechers: “I’m very happy winning, it was a great event, we thought it would be a close battle between us and Talan Bureau Veritas but as it turned out Bodacious Dream was our stiffest competition and they raced a terrific race.”
Bodacious Dream co-skipper Dave Rearick: “This has been a terrific event, we couldn’t be happier in our first race. We will take some of this prize money and donate back to the Atlantic Cup so we can support this great event and keep racing!”
Gryphon Solo 2 co-skipper Joe Harris: “The fact that we made third, I was thrilled, we were clinging by our fingernails and we managed to pull it out which is fantastic!”
Hugh Piggin, Manuka Sports Event Management Founder and Atlantic Cup Race Director – “The Atlantic Cup congratulates Mare on their well-earned victory over a record-setting international field of 15 Class 40 boats. We are very proud of the top-notch sailing, ecological efforts and sportsmanship exhibited by all of the teams and appreciate the contributions from our sponsors, volunteers and staff in making the event a success on all fronts.”
The 2012 Atlantic Cup, the first carbon-neutral sailing event in the United States, featured an international fleet of 15 boats from the USA, France, Germany and Great Britain, the most Class 40s to ever compete in the United States. The teams set sail from Charleston, S.C. on Friday, May 11 at 6:25 p.m. EDT en route to New York Harbor for the second leg of the competition and a Pro-Am event (May 14 – 19) before departing on May 19 at 11:05 a.m. for the final leg of competition held in Newport, R.I. this weekend (May 26 – 27).
COMBINED FINAL POINT STANDINGS AFTER ALL THREE LEGS OF COMPETITION INSHORE TOTAL POINTS
#115 Mare – GER (Jörg Riechers, Ryan Breymaier, Charles Euvrete) 2,1,1,1 11
#118 Bodacious Dream – USA (Dave Rearick, Matt Scharl) 5,5,6,3 27
#106 Gryphon Solo 2 – USA (Joe Harris, Tristan Mougline)** 4,3,2,8 39
#101 Campagne De France – FRA (Halvard Mabire, Miranda Merron) ** 8,9,9,3 39
#30 Initiatives – USA (Emma Creighton/Rob Windsor) 1,2,4,5 42
#54 Dragon – USA (Michael Hennessy, Merf Owen) ** 7,3,2,1 47
#105 Eole Generation – GDF SUEZ – FRA (Sebastien Rogues, Jeffrey McFarlane) ** 6,4,5,4 47
#109 Talan-Bureau Veritas – FRA (Stephane Le Diraison, Jesse Naimark-Rowse) 3,6,5,6 52
#116 Icarus Racing – USA (Tim Fetsch, Ben Poucher) 10,11,7,4 58
#73 Toothface – USA (Mike Dreese, Ken Luczynski) 9,8,7,9 69
#113 Partouche – FRA (Christophe Coatnoan, Ari Sebag) 13,7,10,12 82
#17 Transport Cohérence – FRA (Benoît Jouandet, Jorge Madden) 11,13,13,11 84
#20 Sevenstar Yacht Transport -FRA (Jean Edouard-Criquioche, Anna-Maria Renkin 14,14,14,14 88
#85 Groupe Picoty – FRA (Jacques Fournier, Jean Christophe “JC” Caso) 12,12,12,13 89
#90 *40 Degrees – GBR (Hannah Jenner, Peter Harding) DNF
*40 Degrees retired during Leg #1 after suffering a broken mast and did not start offshore leg 2 or compete in the inshore series.
** Ties are broken in accordance with RRS A8
For More Images of the Atlantic Cup 2012 Newport Inshore Racing by George Bekris Click HERE
Bodacious Dream #118 Winner Leg 2 Atlantic Cup (Photo by George Bekris)
Mare holds a slim overall Atlantic Cup lead over Bodacious Dream (2nd) and
Campagne De France (3rd) heading into Newport Inshore Series May 26-27, Final Prize Giving
NEWPORT, R.I. –The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing completed its second and final leg of offshore racing with #118 Bodacious Dream, skippered by Dave Rearick and Matt Scharl, crossing the finish line first with an elapsed time of 38:06:34 on Monday, May 21, to complete the 231 nautical mile leg from New York Harbor to Newport, R.I.. The race, featuring an unprecedented international fleet of 14 Class 40s competing in the first carbon neutral sailing event ever held in the United States, saw Bodacious Dream beat out #115 Mare (38:39:41), followed by #101 Campagne De France (38:44:22) and #116 Icarus (39:04:33), with #30 Initiatives (39:36:00) finishing fifth.
The second leg of the Atlantic Cup set sail at 11:05 a.m. ET on Saturday, May 19th from New York Harbor en route to Newport Shipyard with international competitors from the USA, France, Great Britain and Germany. After starting in a light northerly, the teams raced the entire way down the Jersey Shore in short course fleet racing mode. After the turning mark, the boats that were patient and waited for the breeze to shift further east gained on the boats that went north towards Block Island. As a result, those choosing to round Block Island to the east saw that decision pay off. The last five miles to the finish were not without excitement as the tide was against the teams forcing them to tack their way to the finish with Bodacious Dream playing the shift perfectly en route to capturing the victory in the second leg.
Bodacious Dream skipper Dave Rearick: “(Co-skipper) Matt (Scharl) called some great tactics once again. I thought we were making a bee line for France and I kept asking when we were going to tack.”
Bodacious Dream skipper Matt Scharl: “I knew a week ago we were going to go that far out. We wanted to go east until every boat tacked and then go one mile further.”
Asked if they were surprised to be doing this well in their first race with their new boat, Rearick added, “We were hoping to be in the top five, so where we are right now is a real accomplishment. Matt told me a month ago, ‘Dave I’m going to leave you in first before I have to go to my sister’s wedding,’ so he knew.”
Video of the first teams to finish can be found here: http://youtu.be/9BroqGQzKy4, with comprehensive results available here: http://atlanticcup.org/race/results/
RESULTS FROM THE SECOND LEG OF THE 2012 ATLANTIC CUP: TIME POINT FINISH
#118 Bodacious Dream – USA (Dave Rearick, Matt Scharl) 38:06:34 2 1st
#115 Mare – GER (Jörg Riechers, Charles Euvrete) 38:39:41 4 2nd
#101 Campagne De France – FRA (Halvard Mabire, Miranda Merron) 38:44:22 6 3rd
#116 Icarus Racing – USA (Tim Fetsch, Ben Poucher) 39:04:33 8 4th
#30 Initiatives – USA (Emma Creighton, Rob Windsor) 39:36:00 10 5th
#109 Talan-Bureau Veritas – FRA (Stephane Le Diraison, Jesse Naimark-Rowse 39:44:04 12 6th
#106 Gryphon Solo 2 – USA (Joe Harris, Tristan Mougline) 39:58:16 14 7th
#73 Toothface – USA (Mike Dreese, Ken Luczynski) 39:59:25 16 8th
#105 Eole Generation – GDF SUEZ – FRA (Sebastien Rogues, Jeffrey McFarlane) 40:00:37 18 9th
#54 Dragon – USA (Michael Hennessy, Merf Owen) 40:08:47 20 10th
#113 Partouche – FRA (Christophe Coatnoan, Ari Sebag) 40:14:20 20 11th
#85 Groupe Picoty – FRA (Jacques Fournier, Jean Christophe “JC” Caso) 20 12th
#20 Sevenstar Yacht Transport -FRA (Jean Edouard-Criquioche, Anna-Maria Renkin 40:46:13 20 13th
#17 Transport Cohérence – FRA (Benoît Jouandet, Jorge Madden) 41:32:19 20 14th
#90 40 Degrees – GBR (Hannah Jenner, Peter Harding) DNS N/A
PROVISIONAL COMBINED POINT STANDINGS AFTER FIRST TWO LEGS OF OFFSHORE COMPETITION
TOTAL POINTS
#115 *Mare – GER (Jörg Riechers, Ryan Breymaier) 6
#118 Bodacious Dream – USA (Dave Rearick, Matt Scharl) 8
#101 Campagne De France – FRA (Halvard Mabire, Miranda Merron) 10
#106 Gryphon Solo 2 – USA (Joe Harris, Tristan Mougline) 22
#116 Icarus Racing – USA (Tim Fetsch, Ben Poucher) 26
#105 Eole Generation – GDF SUEZ – FRA (Sebastien Rogues, Jeffrey McFarlane) 28
#30 Initiatives – USA (Emma Creighton/Rob Windsor) 30
#109 *Talan-Bureau Veritas – FRA (Stephane Le Diraison, Jesse Naimark-Rowse) 32
#20 Sevenstar Yacht Transport -FRA (Jean Edouard-Criquioche, Anna-Maria Renkin 32
#54 Dragon – USA (Michael Hennessy, Merf Owen) 34
#17 Transport Cohérence – FRA (Benoît Jouandet, Jorge Madden) 36
#73 Toothface – USA (Mike Dreese, Ken Luczynski) 36
#85 Groupe Picoty – FRA (Jacques Fournier, Jean Christophe “JC” Caso) 40
#113 Partouche – FRA (Christophe Coatnoan, Ari Sebag) 40
#90 **40 Degrees – GBR (Hannah Jenner, Peter Harding) 52
*Protest pending between Talan-Bureau Veritas and Mare which, in accordance with the Sailing Instructions, will be heard in Newport, R.I. on Tuesday, May 21, 2012.
**40 Degrees retired during Leg #1 after suffering a broken mast and did not start offshore leg 2.
For more images of the NewYork City Start of Leg 2 click HERE
Leg 1 Winner Mare finishes in New York Harbor (Photo by Billy Black/Atlantic Cup)
#115 Class 40 Mare Wins Leg 1, Charleston, South Carolina to New York Leg of 2012 Atlantic Cup
Fleet to dock in NY Harbor until Pro-Am on May 18, followed by
Final Leg to Newport, RI on May 19 and In-shore Series, May 26-27
With an unprecedented international fleet of 15 Class 40s competing in The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing #115 Mare, skippered by Jörg Riechers and Ryan Breymaier, crossed the finish line first at 1:20:13 a.m. ET on Tuesday, May 15, with an elapsed time of 78:55:13 to complete the 642 nautical mile first off-shore leg of the Atlantic Cup from Charleston, S.C. to New York Harbor. The race, the first carbon neutral sailing event in the United States, saw Germany’s Mare finish ahead of #101 Campagne de France (79:16:38), followed by two American boats in #Bodacious Dream (79:51:56) and Gryphon Solo 2 (80:48:05), with France’s Eole Generation – GDZ Suez (81:50:45) rounding out the top five.
Second Place Winner Campagne De France (Photo by Billy Black)
The race began at 6:25 p.m. on Friday, May 11th from Charleston Marina with international competitors from the USA, France, Great Britain and Germany competing extremely closely for the three-day, first leg. The teams left Charleston harbor with #116 Icarus jumping out in front of the fleet with the best start. Shortly after the start #90 40 Degrees’ cap shroud failed leading to their dismasting andretirement from the first leg of the race. Boats were mostly in sight of each other until they rounded Cape Hatteras, where the fleet split into two groups. One group opted to go towards the shore where the wind was forecasted to be stronger and the other half opted to sail further east into the gulfstream to take advantage of the three knot push. Forecast winds didn’t eventuate for the group headed for the shore allowing the group in the gulfstream to establish and extend the lead over the inshore path.
Third Place Bodacious Dream (Photo by Billy Black)
“It couldn’t get any better, really. So first place and the second win in the second race for the boat, which is pretty cool and I think we had a really really good race, “said Mare skipper Jörg Riechers.
“We tried to make a plan long before the start and stick to it, and I think that helps when you don’t let other people in on what you’re going to do,” said Mare skipper Ryan Breymaier. “The weather conditions might change a little bit, but as long as you sort of stick with the plan you know is right from the beginning, it’s all going to work out in the long run.”
Mare in New York Harbor (Photo by Billy Black)
PROVISIONAL RESULTS FROM THE FIRST LEG OF THE 2012 ATLANTIC CUP: TIME POINT FINISH
#115 *Mare – GER (Jörg Riechers, Ryan Breymaier) 78:55:13 2 1
#101 Campagne De France – FRA (Halvard Mabire, Miranda Merron) 79:16:38 4 2
#118 Bodacious Dream – USA (Dave Rearick, Matt Scharl) 79:51:56 6 3
#106 Gryphon Solo 2 – USA (Joe Harris, Tristan Mougline) 80:48:05 8 4
#105 Eole Generation – GDF Suez – FRA (Sebastien Rogues, Jeffrey McFarlane) 81:50:45 10 5
#20 Sevenstar Yacht Transport -FRA (Jean Edouard-Criquioche, Anna-Maria Renkin 81:54:56 12 6
#54 Dragon – USA (Michael Hennessy, Merf Owen) 82:17:53 14 7
#17 Transport Cohérence – FRA (Benoît Jouandet, Jorge Madden) 82:46:10 16 8
#116 Icarus Racing – USA (Tim Fetsch, Ben Poucher) 82:50:28 18 9
#30 Initiatives – USA (Emma Creighton/Rob Windsor) 82:53:52 20 10
#109 *Talan-Bureau Veritas – FRA (Stephane Le Diraison, Jesse Naimark-Rowse) 84:19:20 20 11
#85 Groupe Picoty – FRA (Jacques Fournier, Jean Christophe “JC” Caso) 84:30:26 20 12
#113 Partouche – FRA (Christophe Coatnoan, Ari Sebag) 85:03:32 20 13
#73 Toothface – USA (Mike Dreese, Ken Luczynski) 89:38:23 20 14
#90 **40 Degrees – GBR (Hannah Jenner, Peter Harding) DNF 22 15
*Protest pending between Talan-Bureau Veritas and Mare. In accordance with the Sailing Instructions, the protest will be heard in Newport, R.I. following the conclusion of Leg #2.
**40 Degrees retired after suffering a broken mast.
Maserati Crew On Deck Heading For Newfoundland (Photo courtesy of maserati.soldini.it)
Giovanni Soldini and his team ready to face winds of 25-30 knots
One day and 6 hours after crossing the starting line in front of Ambrose Light, in the bay of New York, Maserati is sailing at 20 knots toward Newfoundland. Last night went by without any problems on board but with many wind shifts caused by thunderstorms. In the past hours the wind has increased, reaching an intensity of 25-30 knots. This has allowed Maserati to sail even faster and to gain miles on the “virtual” race with Mari Cha IV, currently the world record holder of the monohull speed record from New York to England. The mapping online shows Maserati‘s position along with Mari Cha IV’s historic sail in 2003.
Tomorrow morning Maserati expects to reach the southeastern coast of Newfoundland, a critical area due to the floating icebergs and the strong winds (30 knots are expected). Cape Race, at the southeastern tip of Newfoundland, is known for its dense fog, rocky coast and the Cape Race lighthouse which was in communication with the captain of the Titanic immediately before the great ship hit an iceberg and sank.
Giovanni Soldini, on board of Maserati, writes: “I am very pleased with the new crew that is getting along really well, more than I expected. Just after a few hours, it looked like we had been sailing together for years! We have finally caught the wind we were expecting and we are keeping a southern route so that when the wind increases we will be able to move quickly east. Heading north will be easier this way. I hope we don’t come across too many floating icebergs tomorrow.”
American navigator and watch leader Brad Van Liew adds: “Life on board is getting chilly and it is wet, but nothing like when we will sail through the North Atlantic cocktail in a couple days.”
Maserati at North Cove, NYC (Photo by George Bekris)
After a one month long stand-by, Maserati is likely to set sail between 10:00 p.m. this evening and 3:00 a.m. tomorrow morning local time from the North Cove Marina in New York City. The goal is for Giovanni Soldini and his international team is to break the monohull sailing record from the Ambrose Lighthouse in New York to Lizard Point off the south west coast of England.
They are challenging a record set in 2003 by Robert Miller’s monohull Mary Cha IV – 6 days, 17 hours, 52 minutes and 39 seconds. The 140-foot Mary Cha IV covered the 2,925 miles of the route at an average speed of 18.5 knots with 24 crew on board. Maserati, measuring 70-feet and with 8 crew on board is facing the daunting task of beating the record time of a racing yacht twice as large with three times the manpower. The extensive offshore experience on board Maserati might trump the larger yacht and team if the weather cooperates.
Giovanni Soldini in NYC (Photo by George Bekris)
“The low pressure approaching finally seems to be the right one,” explains Giovanni Soldini. “This evening we will make the final decision, but I hope that the last weather forecasts will be confirmed. At the start we are expecting 25 – 30 knots of southerly winds and some thunderstorms. We will be departing just ahead of a cold front that will be coming through the New York area tomorrow morning.”
American crew member Brad Van Liew adds, “We are going to grab onto the eastern side of the front, and ride it as far as we can across the North Atlantic. The three major challenges will be the unpredictable thunderstorms out of New York, the large area of icebergs south and east of Nova Scotia with strong winds and a water temperature of 2.4 degrees Celsius, and another area of uncertain weather near the finish line.”
There have been some changes in Maserati’s crew: French sailors Sebastien Audigane and Ronan Le Goff, Spanish Javier de la Plaza and British Tom Gall have joined the crew to replace some members of the team that are taking part in regattas in the Mediterranean. On board Maserati with the skipper Giovanni Soldini, are watch leader Brad Van Liew, Javier de la Plaza (helm, pit), Sebastien Audigane (helm, trimmer) Ronan Le Goff (helm, bowman), Guido Broggi (boat captain), Corrado Rossignoli (bowman), and Tom Gall (second bowman).
The record attempt can be followed live on Giovanni Soldini and Maserati’s website (www.maserati.soldini.it). The site contains news, videos and photos of the lifestyle of crew members on board, and provides continuous monitoring of the marine weather conditions, as well as online tracking to check the position and speed of Maserati in real time. Continuous updates are also available on Facebook (through Giovanni Soldini’s official page) and Twitter (@giovannisoldini and Brad Van Liew @BradVanLiew).
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.
GROUPE PICOTY (Photo courtesy of Atlantic Cup)
With just over 10 days until the start of the second annual 2012 Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing. Teams from France, England, USA and Germany are all slated to be on the start line for what will be the largest fleet of Class 40s ever to race in the United States.
As previously announced, the Atlantic Cup will feature one of the largest prize purses for sailing in the U.S. ($30,000) and will be the first “eco-friendly” competition of its kind, using biodiesel and hydro generators to limit the use of fuel during the competition and eliminating single-use plastic bottles in its hospitality villages.
Manuka Sports Event Management Founder and Atlantic Cup Race Director, Hugh Piggin, commented:
“The growth we are seeing for the 2012 Atlantic Cup is terrific. This year’s race is going to be an extremely tough and challenging competition for everyone involved. For the fans it will provide some of the best short-handed sailing the United States has ever seen. If you will be in Charleston, New York or Newport you will not want to missseeing this many Class 40 boats lining up against each other. And just likelast year we will provide up to the minute tracking and updates from all boats via our website and facebook page, making it easy to follow the Atlantic Cup whenever and wherever you may be.”
Competition Schedule:
· May 11 – Depart Charleston, South Carolina, for double-handed (two people on board) 645 nautical miles from Charleston to New York Harbor, New York around the challenging Cape Hatteras
· May 18 – Compete in a one day Pro-Am race in New York Harbor
· May 19 – Depart New York Harbor with double-handed 260 nautical miles from New York to Newport
· May 26 – Two days inshore fully crewed (six people on board) buoy racing held over the weekend of May 26 in Newport, RI
· May 27 – Event finish – party and prize giving at Newport Shipyard
Teams that have announced their entry into the Atlantic Cup include:
#17 – Transport Cohérence - FRA Benoît Jouandet and Jorge Madden
#109 – TALAN-Bureau Veritas – FRA – Stephane Le Diraison and Jesse Naimark-Rowse
#30 – Initiatives – GBR Emma Creighton and Rob Windsor
#105- EOLE GENERATION – GDF SUEZ - FRA Sebastien Rogues and Jeffrey MacFarlane
#101- Campagne de France – FRA Miranda Merron and Halvard Mabire
#90 – 40 Degrees – GBR Hannah Jenner and Peter Harding
#73 – Toothface – USA Mike Dreese and Ken Luczynski
#85 – Groupe Picoty – FRA Jacques Fournier and Jean Christophe “JC” Caso
#109 – Masai – FRA Stephane Le Diraison
#113 – Partouch – FRA Christophe Coatnoan
#115 – Mare – GER Jorg Riechers and Marc Lepesquex
#54 – Dragon – USA Michael Hennessy and Christopher Museler
#106 – Gryphon Solo 2 – USA Joe Harris and Tristan Mouligne
#116 – Icarus Racing – USA Tim Fetsch and Ben Poucher
#118 – Bodacious Dream – USA Dave Rearick and Matt Scharl
The English entry 40 Degrees will be skippered by the accomplished short-handed sailors Peter Harding and Hannah Jenner. Harding started sailing at the age of 16, but jumped into short-handed racing in 2007 and has since completed 4 trans-Atlantic races and placed in the top ten in 13 Class40 races on 40 Degrees. The only female to skipper the Clipper Around the World Race and a third place finish in the 2011 Transat Jacques Vabre, Hannah Jenner is considered to be one of the top female short-handed skippers in world.
When asked about what she thinks the toughest aspect of the Atlantic Cup will be, Jenner stated: “The Atlantic Cup presents a great variety of challenges for us. The combination of inshore and offshore racing,interesting weather patterns, ocean currents and intense competition will keep us on our toes. The stages of this race allow interaction between teams shore side and of course make for a great social as well as sporting event. We are very much looking forward to the Atlantic Cup.”
Team Groupe Picoty is made up of two skippers who combined have completed 12 trans-atlantic crossings. Jacques Fournier, formally the Class40 president, is teaming up with Jean-Christophe “JC” Caso. Caso is known for being an expert technician and has managed four Vendee Globe projects since1996 and was one of the shore crew for Brad VanLiew’s 1st place finish in the 2010/11 Velux Five Oceans Race.
JC Caso expressed his excitement for racing in the U.S.: “Jacques and I are looking forward to be in Uncle SAM territory, and take part in the ATLANTIC CUP! It’s definitely a pleasure to see some class 40s for a departure in Charleston, the race is gonna be really tactical on the east coast up to Newport via New York. We think all the crews will give their best to win; it will be a nice fight on the water and a nice cultural exchange with all the international crews. (ouahhhh big parties)!!!!!!!!”
French native, Christophe Coatnoan skipper of Partouch has been competitively sailing for over 14 years. In 2007, Coatnoan won the Morgan Cup and this past fall he completed his second Transat Jacques Vabre finishing 8th.This will be his first appearance in the Atlantic Cup.
Christophe Coatnoan had this to say on the appeal of theAtlantic Cup, “The 2012 Atlantic Cup is perfectly integrated into the schedule as it is set between two Transats: Transat Jacques Vabre and Quebec St Malo. This winter, I was able to race the West Indies, and then keep the boat quietly in Charleston. The course is a key asset of the Atlantic Cup as well, because of Charleston to Newport, via NY, all these places have a feel of legend for us Europeans. Finally, this race will give us the opportunity to meet with the U.S. Class40 teams.”
About The 2012 Atlantic Cup
The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing is adedicated professional Class 40 race held annually in the U.S. with a focus on running an environmentally responsible event. The 2012 edition of the Atlantic Cup starts Friday, May 11th in Charleston, South Carolina and will showcase the top Class 40 sailors in the world as they race a 648 nautical mile off-shore leg double-handed from Charleston around the infamous, Cape Hatteras then north to New York City. Once in New York there will be a brief stopover before competitors start the coastal leg of the race. The coastal leg will take competitors along the same course as the 2011 race: 260 nautical miles, south out of New York to a turning mark off the New Jersey coast before heading north to Newport. Once in Newport, competitors will race a two-day, inshore series with a crew of six. The combined overall winner of both stages will be the Atlantic Cup Champion. The prize purse will be $30,000, making it again one of the largest purses for sailing in the United States.
Quick Facts
· Presented by 11th Hour Racing
o 11th Hour Racing’s establishes a dynamic new platform for public education about the responsible use of energy and resources in the context of an exciting recreational and competitive sport. The use of hydro-generators and bio-diesel in the boats competing in the Atlantic Cup is a direct result of 11th Hour’s commitment to the environment.
· Atlantis Weather Gear is the official apparel provider
· The Newport Shipyard is the official Newport home of the Atlantic Cup
· Boomer Esiason Foundation is the Atlantic Cup’s Official Charitable Partner
· Run under Sailors for the Sea ‘Clean Regattas guidelines
o Using canteen water bottles on the boats while racing and set up and maintain water filling stations during the event
o Using environmentally friendly cleaning products on all boats
o Recycling at all sites during the race
o Recycling by all boats when completing the off-shore and in-shore portion of the race
o Using biodegradable plastic throughout the race including at pre and post-race parties and dinners
o Using 100% post-consumer recycled paper for all event packets
o Organizing a green team to maintain a trash-free site at both hospitality events
o Preventing discharge of untreated sewage or black water in harbor areas and on race courses throughout the event
o Asking all race participants to use water only when washing down their boats during the course of the regatta
· Open to Class40 boats
· $30,000 prize purse
· Depart Charleston, South Carolina May 11, 2012
· Race double-handed 645nm from Charleston to New York
· One day of Pro-Am racing held May 18, 2012 in New York Harbor
· Depart New York Harbor May 19, 2012
· Race double-handed 260nm from New York to Newport
· Two days inshore fully crewed buoy racing held over the weekend of May 26 in Newport, RI
· Finish Party and prize giving in Newport at Newport Shipyard on May 27
History of The Atlantic Cup
Having sailed professionally and worked on some of the biggest sporting events in the world, the creators of The Atlantic Cup have watched professional sailing grow in popularity around the world, however interest has not been as strong in the United States. They realized that professional sailing in the United States has remained a secondary sport largely because there is a lack of races that are sponsor driven, have mass media attention, professional competitors and award prizemoney. The organizers of The Atlantic Cup, therefore, came together to fill the void and create a top-level premier sailing race in the United States. The goal is to produce hard fought, intense sailing competitions featuring the top U.S. and international short-handed sailors. The races will be surrounded by entertaining, engaging events that will engage the casual fan’s interest and grow a new generation of sailing fans and enthusiasts.
