Orion teams MOD70 sets new race record in the San Diego to Puerto Vallarta race

From the following article on the San Diego Yacht Club's website:

http://sdyc.org/pv/?p=1254

San Diego Yacht Club’s tradition of racing to the Mexican mainland is over 60 years old. This year, the 1,000nm race to Puerto Vallarta produced a new record finish time courtesy of Tom Siebiel’s MOD70 Trimaran Orion, with a finish time of 2 days, 8 hours, 33 minutes (56 hours, 33 minutes).

On the dock before the race, skipper Charlie Ogletree and navigator Peter Isler were hopeful that the conditions would be such that the record could fall, knowing the potential of the MOD70 to surpass the course record time.

The new time will eclipse the mark recorded in 1998 by world adventurer Steve Fossett’s 60’ trimaran “Lakota” which sailed as an unofficial entry in an ‘exhibition’ class. Lakota roared down the course at an average speed of almost 16 knots and completed the 1000 nm. course in 2d, 14h, 20m, 17s.

read more here

MOD70 Orion and ORMA60 Mighty Merloe (formerly Groupama2) lead the pack in the San Diego to Puerto Vallarta Race

From the following article on Sailing Scuttlebutt:

http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2014/03/17/ripping-ride-south-puerto-vallarta/

Thousand mile slide toward Puerto Vallarta
Published on March 16, 2014

 

by Editor

 
(March 16, 2014) – The 32nd edition of the biennial San Diego to Vallarta International Yacht Race started off Shelter Island, with Class 3 and 4 leaving on Friday (Mar. 14) and Class 1, 2, and Multihull departing on Saturday (Mar. 15). Both days provided summer-like conditions for the 23 entrants to begin their 1000 mile southerly slide toward beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

The first retiree came quickly, with Brack Duker’s Santa Cruz 70 Holua losing their prop within the first hour of sailing on Saturday. The remaining 22 teams extended offshore on offwind angles, gybing back toward layline at about 160 nm down the track.

The two multihulls, MOD70 Orion and ORMA 60 Mighty Merloe, have now passed all the Friday starters, both posting speeds today in the 20 knot range. In general, wind strength appears to be better for the Friday starters, which lead the Saturday group by roughly 200 miles.

read more here

the race tracker is here:

http://yb.tl/SDPV2014

MOD70 update, Orion Racing Team taking their MOD70 out for a sail

MOD70 update, Interview with Cam Lewis of the Orion team

from the following interview on sail racing magazine's website:

http://www.sailracingmagazine.com/cam-lewis-on-why-orion-racing-are-bringing-the-first-mod-70-to-the-usa/

We were intrigued by a press release last week from the European based MOD 70 Class announcing that the California based Orion Racing had purchased the Veolia trimaran from the circuit organisers.
Sail Racing Magazine editor Justin Chisholm tracked down Orion Racing skipper Cam Lewis to find out from the horse’s mouth just what the thinking was behind bringing the first MOD 70 to the USA.
Just back from a multihull class win aboard Peter Aschenbrenner’s 63ft ‘cruising’ trimaran Paradox in the Caribbean RORC 600, Lewis was enthusiastic about the prospect of getting his hands on a thoroughbred racing tri and upbeat about the potential of re-launching fast multihull racing on the west coat of America.

read more here

MOD70 update, Orion Team launch their MOD70 in Lorient

Cam Lewis and his Orion Team have just relaunched and rerigged their MOD70 (the former Veolia team boat) in Lorient, Brittany.

From the following article on the Multi One Design website

http://www.multionedesign.com/en/news/861/orion-racing-launched-in-lorient.html

The MOD70 nr.02 was re-launched today in Lorient with its new colors: Orion Racing.
 
  After 5 days of sailing tests in the bay of Lorient, the MOD70 nr.02 will be shipped to Puerto Vallarta on the Western coast of Mexico where its training camp will be set up for the next 3 months.  In July, Orion Racing will move to San Francisco its operational base for the summer.

Photo courtesy of Multi One Design