RORC Caribbean 600 update, Trimaran Paradox leading multihull fleet

The trimaran Paradox which is basically a cruiser/racer version of an ORMA 60 trimaran is easily leading the Caribbean 600 race multihull division and overall.  The Gunboat 66 catamaran Phaedo is hanging on to 1st in handicap position.  In the following screenshot the white boat indicated near Paradox is the monohull record time ghost set by Rambler 100 in 2011.

And an aerial video of the start:

RORC Caribbean 600 update

The trimaran Paradox is scorching around the course of the Caribbean RORC 600 with the gunboat Phaedo in hot pursuit the following excerpt from the RORC 600 website describes the multi division's race so far.

#rc600
At 1700 local time, Peter Aschenbrenner's American trimaran, Paradox, and Mike Slade's British Maxi, ICAP Leopard, were both averaging a ballistic 18 knots covering the first 100 miles of the course in an astonishing seven and a half hours.

Paradox is eating up the miles, after literally getting airborne in the upwind leg after the start. Paradox pulled the trigger on the windward side of Antigua, flashing through the Atlantic swell like a scalded cat. By 1700 local time, Paradox had passed Nevis and blasting to leeward of St.Kitts, still achieving over 20 knots of boat speed. Lloyd Thornburg's Gunboat 66 Phaedo, nearly twice the weight of Paradox, was being pushed hard by Britain's Brian Thompson on the helm of Phaedo. Paradox was only 12 miles astern giving the Lamborghini Orange Gunboat the class lead on corrected. Sadly Austin Hearst's Gunboat 66, Slim, has been forced to retire after rudder damage.

Lionel Lemanchois and Prince de Bretagne Maxi, France 3 Basse Normandie tv segment

Report on the new Prince de Bretagne Maxi trimaran on France 3 basse Normadie.  Some great shots of the boat being pushed.

Licoln Race Week, strong winds cause damage to the fleet and cancellation of first days racing

From the following Sail-World article submitted by Harry Fisher

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Lexus-Lincoln-Regatta-2013-kicks-off-with-a-howling-breeze/106687

The Lexus Lincoln Regatta 2013 has started off with a bang after a very strong breeze turned lethal on Boston Bay this afternoon.

There were plenty of boats that made it out for the first day of the Lincoln Regatta and dissimilarly to the conditions experienced in the Adelaide to Port Lincoln race the breeze had certainly arrived.

All divisions started their races in comfortable winds until the breeze built to a dangerous strength. Principal Race Officer Stuart Ross had no choice but to abandon all races after a lot of the boats were starting to have issues with the breeze.

read more here:

Lincoln week event, strong turnout in multihull division

The Lincoln week event is underway and will see spirited racing among a dedicated group of multihull racers.  This event is very popular among the Southern States multihull fraternity and offers excellent racing and a well organised event.

The two new F32srx trimaran's that were constructed in Tauranga New Zealand are racing in the Lincoln Week event.  These boats were constructed with all of the options I believe including lifting foils.  It will be interesting to see how they perform.  I'll see if I can get some photos when I'm over at Port Lincoln as I'm travelling there to help deliver the catamaran Peccadillo back to Melbourne.

http://www.lincolnweek.com.au/registration-entry-list/entry-list.html

Combined Hobart Clubs Long Race Series – Betsey Island Race overall

From the following Sail-World article submitted by Peter Campbell

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Combined-Hobart-Clubs-Long-Race-Series---Betsey-Island-Race-overall/106632

Betsey Island Race, the sixth race of the Combined Hobart Clubs Long Race Series, was hosted by Derwent Sailing Squadron today and produced new leaders in the AMS and PHS handicap pointscores, with just one long race to sail next month.

Tactical sailing in light winds early in the day, followed by good sail trimming on a faster spinnaker run back up the Derwent, produced the winners in the 34 nautical mile race around Betsey Island, in Storm Bay, for Group 1 and 2 yachts and also for the Group 3 boats, which sailed a shorter course within the river.

Line honours went to David Graney’s trimaran Rocket Alice, which finished comfortably ahead of the first keelboat, Stephen Keal’s Cyclone, but mid-fleet on corrected time.

read more here

'Trimaran Rocket Alice outsailed the keelboats in the Betsey Island race' Peter Campbell

Caribbean 600 preperations on board Gunboat 66 Phaedo

The much travelled and campaigned Gunboat 66 Phaedo is racing in this years Caribbean 600 they have competition this year from the Gunboat 66 Slim which is competing in the event for the first time.  The following video shows some footage of Phaedo in action

http://youtu.be/EBWJQPhkBpQ

RORC Caribbean 600 fleet tracker now active

RORC Carribean 600 fleet tracker is now active.  You can check out the racing over the next few days here

http://caribbean600.rorc.org/2013-fleet-tracking.html

I've noticed that some of the multis are not in the correct tabs on the tracker for example the trimaran Paradox is under the IRC1 tab so you might have to leave all the tabs active and switch between boats.

The RORC Caribbean minisite is at the following url:

http://caribbean600.rorc.org/blog/race-information/tracking/index.html

Francis Joyon on setting the new record time on the Trans Atlantic Discovery Route

From the following bymnews.com article

http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=114995

Columbus Route Record: Joyon does better than Joyon

 

Saturday, 16 February 2013

It was in the middle of the night in the Caribbean, in the warmth and total darkness of Columbus Island in the Bahamas where Christopher Columbus also went ashore back in 1492 that the red trimaran IDEC arrived after an incredible dash across the Atlantic ending with a new record time for a solo sailor on a multihull. Francis Joyon has once again left his mark on solo sailing with his unique approach and his own particular way of sailing on the high seas.

Setting out from la Trinité sur Mer in Brittany on 4th February, Francis hardly had time to drop off his companion for the delivery trip in the Bay of Cadiz, before getting underway on the Columbus Route early on the afternoon of Wednesday 6th February. No stand-by, no router on dry land… The Joyon of 2013 was about to tackle the Joyon of 2008 without any protection or back-up. What he achieved was another amazing feat knocking an astonishing one day and four hours off his previous time. There were no champagne celebrations or prize ceremonies in San Salvador; once he had validated his race time with the official representative of the World Speed Sailing Record Council, Francis hoisted his sail, trimmed his gennaker and set off again, all alone to make his way to the French West Indies, where he will moor up.

 

read more here

Red Bull Youth America's Cup update, Germans, Kiwis head the fleet after first Red Bull Youth America’s Cup selection series

From the following article on Americascup.com

http://www.americascup.com/en/news/12273/germans-kiwis-head-the-fleet-after-first-red-bull-youth-americas-cup-selection-series/12273/germans-kiwis-head-the-fleet-after-first-red-bull-youth-americas-cup-selection-series

The first of two selection series for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup drew to a close today with the teams from New Zealand, Full Metal Jacket Racing, and Germany, STG/NRV Youth Team, standing
atop the fleet.

That doesn’t ensure the two teams will qualify for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup final in September because a second selection series for another six teams will be held next week. At least four teams will advance to the final, so it does give the two crews a leg up.

“We have the ranking and the top two teams from this series, but we won’t announce the four teams that advance to the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup Final until after the second selection series,” said Hans Peter Steinacher, one of Red Bull’s sailing directors. “We need to evaluate the second session before selecting the four teams.”

Each team sailed nine races in the 18-race round robin, and there were only 5 points separating the six teams. Full Metal Jacket and STG/NRV Youth Team both finished with 16 points. Team Austria and Danish Youth Vikings finished with 18 points each, followed by Objective Australia with 19 points and South Africa’s i’KaziKati with 21 points.

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series update, Act 1 - Muscat, Oman

From the following article on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/venues/view/act-1-muscat-oman#.UR5aNujxuB8

For the third consecutive year, Muscat, capital of the Sultanate of Oman, will host the opening round of the 2013 Extreme Sailing Series, where new faces and new teams will meet the more seasoned crews for the first time on the home turf of defending Series champions The Wave, Muscat when racing begins on the 5th March.

read more here

America's Cup update, Team Oracle release new video of their AC72 foiling

Team Oracle are back and have just released a video showing their AC72 catamaran USA 17 in action foiling around San Francisco Bay.

America's Cup Discovered Episode 77, Past America's Cup days

AC Discovered edition 77 has been released, this episode focusses mainly on the 33rd America's Cup deed of gift match between the mighty wingsailed BMW Oracle USA17 trimaran and Alinghi's gigantic catamaran Alinghi V.

France 3 go for ride on Lionel Lemanchois new Prince de Bretagne Maxi 80 trimaran

bing translation

While the harshest of winter seems now behind, the time is more than ever come to multiply the outlets.

This Thursday, Lionel and his team took advantage of a good weather window to invite a team of France 3 to taste sensations offered by the Maxi80: spikes of speed at 35 knots, feelings of power and passion spinning on a float. Sun and Breeze amount crescendo over the hours, 'it smokes well", says Lionel with a smile that says after this small tonic session in output media.

* Images to show on France 3 Basse Normandie, log from 7 pm on Sunday, February 17.

original article

Alors que le plus rude de l'hiver semble désormais derrière, l'heure est plus que jamais venue de multiplier les sorties.

Ce jeudi, Lionel et son équipe ont profité d'une bonne fenêtre météo pour inviter une équipe de France 3 à goûter aux sensations offertes par le Maxi80 : Pointes de vitesse à 35 noeuds, sensations de puissance et d'ardeur à filer sur un flotteur. Soleil, et bonne brise montant crescendo au fil des heures, "ça fumait bien", confie Lionel avec un sourire qui en dit long après cette petite session tonique en guise de sortie médias.

* Images à voir sur France 3 Basse Normandie, dans le journal de 19h le dimanche 17 février.

Francis Joyon interview after the completion of the Discovery Route in record time

Audio interview with Francis Joyon it's in French and a bit beyond my schoolboy French language ability to translate (I'm working on it) but I post it for our French speaking readers to enjoy.  We know you are out there thanks to Google stats and hope you enjoy the interview.  I'll add a transcript of the interview in English to this post if I find one at at a later date. 

https://soundcloud.com/#francisjoyon/francisjoyon_arrivee_record