/image%2F5319904%2F20220112%2Fob_2d503b_unnamed-7.jpg)
15-20 knots of wind with a wave height of nearly one and a half metres made for a spectacular downwind start. Both the MOCRA and combined IRC class starts were very competitive; it just shows how spirited this fleet is. The RORC Race team will be monitoring their progress throughout the race 24-7, and as with all of our Club’s events, we wish all our competitors a safe and enjoyable race.
MOCRA
At speeds of over 30 knots the powerful multihulls in the MOCRA class were first away. Jason Carroll’s MOD70 Argo (USA) won the pin end with Giovanni Soldini’s Multi70 Maserati (ITA) first to cross the line to leeward. The Italian team was the first to gybe inshore and to the turning mark at Puerto Calero. However, Peter Cunningham’s MOD70 PowerPlay (CAY) ripped out in front hitting a speed of 33 knots. PowerPlay was first to clear the passage between Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Argo and Maserati gybed south of the rhumb line, but PowerPlay continued to head to the north. Less than three hours into the race, the trio had travelled over 70 miles.
/image%2F5319904%2F20220112%2Fob_28203e_unnamed-8.jpg)
IRC SUPER ZERO
/image%2F5319904%2F20220112%2Fob_403ed1_unnamed-11.jpg)
L4 Trifork got the best start of the big boat class, with Joern Larsen at the helm and Bouwe Bekking calling the shots. L4 Trifork started to leeward and got into clean air to hoist their massive spinnaker. L4 Trifork was originally the VO70 Ericsson 4 but now has DSS foils and a longer bowsprit – turbo charged would be an understatement. However, the 100ft canting keel Maxi Comanche, skippered by Mitch Booth also got away well, passing L4 Trifork to windward in a show of power. L4 Trifork gybed on their line and might have even got a tow in their quarter wave. It was an aggressive start by both teams. Three hours into the race Comanche leads by five miles. Behind the leaders on the water HYPR (NED), sailed by Jens Lindner, has taken a northerly position. The Polish National Foundation’s VO70 I Love Poland and The Austrian Ocean Racing’s VO65 Sisi are further to the south.
/image%2F5319904%2F20220112%2Fob_62194c_unnamed-10.jpg)
IRC ZERO
The super-fight between the offshore fifty-footers got off to a cracking start. Max Klink’s Botin 52 Caro (CH) nailed the pin end of the line like the team were starting an inshore race. David Collins Botin 52 Tala (GBR) was hardly shy of the line either. The Botin 56 Black Pearl (GER), helmed by Stefan Jentsch was also in the mix. Three hours into the race the trio were screeching along, three-abreast, at close to 20 knots of boat speed.
IRC ONE
/image%2F5319904%2F20220112%2Fob_91f215_unnamed-13.jpg)
Andrew Hall’s Lombard 46 Pata Negra (GBR) pulled away from the class at the start to lead on the water. Boat Captain Chris Jackson called in just after the start: ‘It’s great to get going and we are doing very nicely, touching 12 knots and it is great to be first on the water in our class.”