• Around thirty yachts are expected to take the start in Arrecife, Lanzarote on the 8th January at 11am.
• The RORC Transatlantic Race breaks a new record to become the largest transatlantic racing fleet departing from the Canary Islands.
With barely two weeks to go until the start of the RORC Transatlantic Race, more than half of the fleet has already arrived at the two Lanzarote marinas managed by Calero Marinas, Puerto Calero and Marina Lanzarote, for the start of the 3000nm race to Camper & Nicholson’s Port Louis Marina on the island of Grenada.
With the arrival of Giovanni Soldini’s MOD 70 Masserati, the RORC Transatlantic Race multihull fleet is now complete, along with Argo, Tosca, PowerPlay and Ultim’Emotion, the latter berthed at Marina Lanzarote, awaiting the start on the 8th January from Arrecife. Other yachts in this eclectic fleet, ranging from Richard Palmer’s JPK 10.10 Jangada to Mitch Booth’s Verdier 100 SuperMaxi Comanche, are preparing for the start of the crossing from Puerto Calero.
With over 200 sailors, representing at least 22 different nationalities, the crews include some notable professional sailors from the Olympic Games, America’s Cup, Vendée Globe and The Ocean Race.
Double Olympic gold medallist Giles Scott will be part of Peter Cunningham’s crew on his MOD70 PowerPlay. This will be Scott’s first transatlantic, but he has a wealth of multihull experience as tactician on the INEOS TEAM UK America’s Cup project.
“I am used to the speed that we will achieve, but clearly this will be very different; we are racing across the Atlantic and there are going to be some big waves. Hopefully we will get good trade winds and it will be 3000-miles downwind, which will be nice!”
The 2022 edition of the RORC Transatlantic Race has been organised in association with the Yacht Club de France, with nine of the competing teams flying the French flag. French teams have won the RORC Transatlantic Race trophy three times: Jean-Paul Riviere’s Nomad IV (2015), Eric de Turckheim’s Teasing Machine (2017) and Olivier Magre’s Palanad 3 (2021). Two high-profile teams competing under the Yacht Club de France colours are Jacques Pelletier’s L’Ange De Milon and Remy Gerin’s classic yacht Faiaoahe.
Jacques Pelletier has lost count of the number of Fastnet Races in which he has competed, including winning the class in 2019, but this will be his first RORC Transatlantic Race with his Milon 41 L’Ange De Milon. Having suffered mast problems at the start of the Rolex Fastnet Race 2021, L’Ange De Milon has been repaired and is ready and waiting in Lanzarote. Designed by Jacques Valer of JPK and with a very experienced French crew, L’Ange De Milon will be a force to be reckoned with.
Dominique Tian loves ocean racing and with his Ker 46 Tonnerre de Glen, is also one of France’s most promising competitors. This will be the first RORC Transatlantic Race for the boat, which has been meticulously prepared for the regatta. The team has a wealth of experience on board, including navigator Oliver Kraus, who came second in the Multi 50 Class in both the Transat Jacques Vabre and the Québec St Malo:
“I am enthusiastic about my first Transat in this boat,” commented Dominique Tian. “It is one of the goals for 2022; the other being the RORC Caribbean 600. To finish with the crew and boat in good shape is always the most important thing. If we can also perform well, then we will achieve the best outcome possible.”
To access the latest entry list, visit: https://rorctransatlantic.rorc.org/entries/entries-2022.html
The RORC Transatlantic Race is an event organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in conjunction with the Yacht Club de France and the International Maxi Association, in collaboration with Calero Marinas for the departure from Lanzarote. The race has the support of the Canary Islands Government, European Regional Development Funds (ERDF), Promotur, the Lanzarote Island Council, SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote, through the European Sports Destination (ESD) brand, the Yaiza Municipal Council, and the invaluable collaboration of the Real Club Náutico de Arrecife.