Day 6 IRC Class Update 1000 CEST
High pressure continues to dominate the racecourse with little relief in sight for those still racing. Windless areas abound and the tracker shows yachts making truly sluggish progress.
Yesterday evening Teasing Machine was confirmed as the overall winner of the 43rd Rolex Middle Sea Race.
As at 1000 CEST on Thursday, 27 October, 18 yachts racing under IRC Time Correction have completed the course. 40 boats are still racing under IRC, the remainder have retired.
IRC 1
Jean-Pierre Barjon’s Botin 65 Spirit of Lorina (FRA) has won the Class. Marton Josza’s Reichel/Pugh 60 Wild Joe (HUN) has taken second place, 50 minutes off the winning pace. Niklas Zennstrom’s CF 520 Rán (SWE) placed third only seven minutes behind Wild Joe on corrected time and 30 minutes ahead of Guido Paolo Gamucci’s Mylius 60 Cippa Lippa X (ITA) in fourth.
IRC 2 – FIVE HOME
Five yachts have now finished in IRC 2. Eric de Turckheim’s NMYD 54 Teasing Machine (FRA) has won class and in doing so the Rolex Middle Sea Race Trophy. The TP52 Red Bandit (GER), skippered by Carl-Peter Forster, currently holds second place with Gerald Logel’s IRC 52 Arobas2 (FRA) in third. Frederic Puzin’s Ker 46 Daguet 3- Corum (FRA) was the fifth yacht to finish. François Bopp’s Farr 52 Chocolate 3 (SUI) looks likely to be the next boat home. Katarzyna Ostrowska and the Tripp 50, Fast Furious (POL) are 17nm from Pantelleria.
IRC 3 – LEADER APPROACHING FINISH
Having round Lampedusa around 0600 CEST yesterday morning, James Neville’s HH42 Ino XXX (GBR) has finally reached the South Comino Channel with 60nm lead on the water. Artie III (MLT) co-skippered by Lee Satariano and Christian Ripard, passed Lampedusa at about 1900 CEST last night, followed by Dominique Tian’s Ker 46 Tonnerre de Glen some five hours later. At the Lampedusa transit, Ino had extended its corrected time lead to over 13 hours. Artie had an 11 hour lead over Tonnerre. Last boat in IRC 3 on the water is Bernard Hyde’s New Zealand entry High 5, a Cookson 47, currently located 6nm short of Pantelleria.
IRC 4 – LEADER ROUND LAMPEDUSA
The majority are through the Pantelleria transit. Three boats are 30nm off the island. Philippe Frantz’s NMD 43 Albator (FRA) is the only yacht to have rounded Lampedusa, which she managed at around 0300 CEST this morning. At Pantelleria Albator held a six hour advantage over second placed Elusive 2 (MLT) the Podesta’s Farr 45. Esentia (POL), the Grand Soleil 44 entered by Marcin Sutkowski, was in third a further hour back. Maks Vrecko’s Elan 450 Karpo (SLO) remains last boat on the water in IRC 4.
IRC 5 – LEADER APPROACHING LAMPEDUSA
Gianrocco Catalano’s First 40 Tevere Remo Mon Ile (ITA) is 30nm from Lampedusa, and at the Pantelleria transit held a 10 hour corrected time lead over Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader (GBR). Beppe Bisotto’s Fast 42 Atame (ITA), racing double-handed with Catherine Jordan, is now 99nm behind the class leader and 45nm from Pantelleria.
IRC 6 – LEADER PASSED PANTELLERIA
Massimo Juris’ JPK 1080 Colombre (ITA) continues to lead on the water and after IRC time correction according to the tracker. Having passed Pantelleria at 2200 CEST last night, Colombre is making slow progress to Lampedusa. The chasing pack slowed overnight, and Colombre’s nearest rival remains Ludovic Gérard’s JPK 1080 Solenn for Pure Ocean (FRA) 40nm behind but yet to pass Pantelleria. Seb Ripard’s J/99 Calypso (MLT) took a wide track towards Tunisia after passing through the Favignana transit, presumably in search of better pressure. In doing so Calypso has shed places on the water and in the IRC ranking according to the tracker. Andrew Agius Delicata and Matthew Gabriele’ Vivace (MLT) Reflex 38 looks to be in third on corrected time. Luigi Paoletti’s Dufour 405GL Tattoo (ITA) is the last boat on the coast and is just shy of the Egadi Islands with 270nm still to run.
IRC DOUBLE HANDED
All three teams are through the Favignana transit. Solenn for Pure Ocean led at this point by 12 hours on corrected time from Beppe Bisotto’s Fast 42 Atame (ITA). Solenn is currently 7nm of Pantelleria. Marco Paolucci’s Comet 45R Libertine (ITA) was third on corrected time at Favignana, but since passing through the Egadi Islands has extended its lead on the water over Atame to 15nm.