RORC Transatlantic Race: the race is on !

The inaugural RORC Transatlantic Race, run in association with the International Maxi Association (IMA), starts on Saturday 29th November from Lanzarote bound for Grenada, 2,995 nautical miles across the Atlantic Ocean. All of the competing yachts are now safely moored in Puerto Calero Marina and last night an informal welcome drinks reception was well received with crews mingling together and recounting tales of their journey to the start.

The race across the Atlantic will be a very different experience for the crews from 12 different nations taking part. Whatever the size of boat, or whether or not they have crossed the vast Atlantic Ocean before, all have one goal; to make a safe passage and to get to Grenada fast. The race is on!

High Spirited Russians
The 94ft (28m) Southern Wind, Windfall, will be trying their best to keep up with the largest boat in the fleet, the 100ft (30m) Finot Conq, Nomad IV, and pushing the crew hard all the way across the Atlantic.

Chartered by passionate Russian sailor, Igor Katalevskiy, some of his High Spirit Sailing Team - a group of Russian friends and sailors - will compete in the RORC Transatlantic Race as the final goal to achieve their Ocean Yacht Master certificate; all part of a special Southern Wind Sailing Academy training program in collaboration with the VMB RYA Training centre that began in Genoa in May and has run throughout the year.

Tim Goodbody is the Boat Captain and he is looking forward to racing across for the first time:
"Windfall is an interesting boat with plenty of potential. We have seen over 20 knots of boat speed downwind, but we have a lot of work to do if we are going to beat Nomad as they will be quick off the breeze. Nomad looks like a really cool boat and should go like a rocket, but we will try our best to stay with them. Personally, although I have delivered yachts across the Atlantic, I have never raced across, so that is very exciting because you don't get too many opportunities to do this. It should be a lot of fun and in a big boat, very comfortable as well."

Originally from Dublin, Goodbody represented Ireland in the Finn Class at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and has been successfully racing in one design classes all over the world, becoming a well-known figure on the Maxi Racing circuit:

"Windfall was built three years ago as a cruiser/racer and is the most high performance boat that Southern Wind have produced in the last four years: designed by Reichel Pugh and Farr Yacht design, it is a fully carbon yacht with carbon mast and boom and EC 6 rigging. But Windfall hasn't been raced much in the past  (Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta twice and a Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo) and the current crew has only been together for a few months, so we are on a learning process. We have made a few modifications, but we are still using cruising sails and it will be a year or so before we are fully up-to-speed. Our downwind speed is relatively good, but upwind we definitely need to improve. We're hoping for a downwind run across the Atlantic - that would be a lot more fun! Getting 10-11 days of solid ocean racing in will certainly help us to improve her performance," comments Goodbody.

"We will have 19 crew in total, which includes some top Italian sailors such as the legendary America's Cup and Admiral's Cup sailor, Lorenzo Mazza. The charter guests are a group of Russian sailors who recently competed and finished a very tough Rolex Middle Sea Race. They are great fun and keen to learn as a number of them are taking their Yachtmaster Ocean examination during the race. They are very much in control of the boat and we are there to give them a hand if they need us. It is a great combination."

Windfall hopes to take part in the RORC Caribbean 600 in February and is available for charter once in the Caribbean.