RORC Caribbean 600 - Preview

The RORC Caribbean 600 will be the first offshore race for the 38m Superyacht P2 © Peter McNaughton / www.mcnaughtonmedia.com

The 4th edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's Caribbean 600 starts from Antigua on Monday 20th February. The 600nm course circumnavigates 11 islands. There are 40 boats taking part and several superyachts.

Track the progress of yachts online via the RORC minisite: caribbean600.rorc.org

Some of the entries are...

SPIRIT OF TRADITION - WINDROSE OF AMSTERDAM, Dijkstra 40m Schooner, Andrew McIrvine (GBR)

Led by ex RORC Commodore, Andrew McIrvine, a team of 11 RORC members including current Commodore, Mike Greville, have chartered the 145ft Windrose of Amsterdam. Windrose competed in 2011 as the largest boat in the fleet but will be up against the mighty 180ft Adela this year. The crew contains experienced RORC racers who have won many RORC and other inshore and offshore races. RORC Commodore, Mike Greville will celebrate a 'significant birthday' during the race. Andrew McIrvine: "Unique race, great trade wind conditions, opportunity to sail on a remarkable and very large boat. Great way of escaping the UK in cold grey February. We expect a good result although we know that the IRC rating system is not that favourable for schooners."

SPIRIT OF TRADITION - ADELA, 180ft Classic Schooner, Greg Perkins, Skipper (CAY)

In the Spirit of Tradition class, the 180ft (55m) twin-masted schooner Adela will line up against Windrose of Amsterdam whose classic hull and modern schooner rig was conceived to win races of this type. The steel hulled-yacht was restored at Pendennis in 1995 and last year won the Pendennis Cup. Adela will be back across the 'Pond' in July for the Superyacht Cup taking place in Cowes, UK.

SUPERYACHTS - HETAIROS, Baltic Custom, Vincent Fauquenoy, (Skipper) (CAY)

The largest yacht competing in the RORC Caribbean 600 is the magnificent Hetairos with a waterline length of 200'. Hetairos is the world's largest carbon composite sailing yacht, launched in June 2011. The 29 crew on board include Volvo Ocean Race, America's Cup and Jules Verne around the world race veterans and the boat is among the favourites to take line honours. Hetairos won line honours and finished second overall in the IMA Superyacht Transatlantic Race between Tenerife and the BVI. Captain, Vincent Fauquenoy: "Hetairos is 200 feet long and she carries up to 4400 square meters of sail area, so manoeuvres on such a large yacht take time and therefore on short inshore courses she cannot be very competitive. That's why the Caribbean 600 is a great race for Hetairos as it still combines the pressure of an around the can race, but over a 600 miles course, thus allowing the crew to push her to 100% of her performance capabilities. We hope to secure line honour and have fun sailing around the Caribbean islands."

SUPERYACHTS - TEAM P2, Perini Navi 38, Gerhard Andlinger (CAY)

The 38m (124ft) P2 owned by businessman and philanthropist, Gerhard Andlinger, will make her debut into offshore racing with a star cast on board including Peter Holmberg, top Caribbean sailor, Finn Class Silver Olympic medallist and America's Cup sailor. Other helmsman for the race include Maurice 'Mo' Kurg, also from St Thomas, US Virgin Islands and Paul Scoffin, ex-New Zealand America's Cup sailor: Peter Holmberg: "P2 is a Perini Navi/Philippe Briand- design accustomed to fast cruising and serious day racing in the superyacht fleet," said Peter Holmberg, "but the owner is intrigued with the adventure of the Caribbean 600 course and the challenge it presents. It will be a bit like taking a Jaguar off-road, so we will have to sail smart, and will hope to have a good result against similar type yachts."

Team P2 Racing Manager and skipper, Jonathan Kline is looking forward to the challenge: "Having sailed with the owners of P2 for 10 years, a circumnavigation on Perseus and now three years of racing and cruising on P2, I am very excited that we will be sailing the Caribbean 600. The long distance course, the islands as marks and the drama of trade wind sailing in sunlight and moonlight will provide a memorable life experience for the boss. We know it will be rigorous, but out of the fatigue and effort we know we will find a sense of clarity and satisfaction."

SUPERYACHTS - SOJANA, Farr 115, Peter Harrison (GBR)

Peter Harrison's magnificent 35m (115ft) Farr, Sojana (GBR) will be competing for the Superyacht Class perpetual trophy (awarded along with a keg of rum from North Sails Caribbean). Peter has been a fan of the race since its conception and he competed for the first time in 2011, finishing second in IRC Zero and third Overall. Sojana, skippered by Marc Fitzgerald, also raced in the Transatlantic Superyacht Regatta having participated in all four editions of the race since 2007 and winning the 2010 race. Their crew for the 2012 Caribbean 600 includes one of the race founders in Antigua, John Burnie and veteran Caribbean sailor and author, Don Street.

Skipper Marc Fitzgerald says: "I was honoured to be part of the founding team for the RORC Caribbean 600. One of our aims from the beginning was to allow and encourage participation of superyachts (ie boats over 100' LOA). This makes the event unique amongst the ocean classics such as Rolex Fastnet, Rolex Sydney-Hobart, Newport Bermuda etc, which have a 100' limit. Superyacht owners have been a bit slow on the uptake, but 2012 is looking like a cracker with the mighty Hetairos (66m!) entered; old sparring partners Sojana and P2 going head to head for the first time offshore, plus the battle of the schooners, with Adela, Windrose and others on the start line. I can't wait."

Race website: caribbean600.rorc.org