The 2022 RORC Caribbean 600 attracted 74 teams with 738 sailors from 32 different nations.

The 2022 RORC Caribbean 600 attracted 74 teams with 738 sailors from 32 different nations.

Close finishes have been a feature of this year’s RORC Caribbean 600 and that trait continued in IRC One with a rematch between two British JPK 1180s.

Ross Applebey’s victory in IRC Two was his eighth class win in the RORC Caribbean 600 and the seventh for Scarlet Oyster (GBR).

The winner of the nine-strong Class40 division was decided on the fourth day of the RORC Caribbean 600 with a dramatic finish between two teams.

Close finishes have been a feature of this year’s RORC Caribbean 600 and that trait continued in IRC One with a rematch between two British JPK 1180s.

The winner of the nine-strong Class40 division was decided on the fourth day of the RORC Caribbean 600 with a dramatic finish between two teams. Charles-Louis Mourruau’s Guidi, which had led for most of the race, stalled as the breeze faded with the finish line beckoning. Finimmo took the lead in the last few miles to win by just 61 seconds after racing for well over three days and nights. The spirit in the Class40 division shone through with the Finimmo team going to greet Guidi into English Harbour, consoling their adversaries.

The Owen Clarke designed Finimmo was sailed by a team of four co-skippers; Herve Thomas, Benoit de Froidmont, Gerald Veniard and four-time Vendée Globe sailor Kito de Pavant. Figarist Gerald Veniard, taking part in his second race, spoke on behalf of the team:

“Our goal was to finish in the top three. We had a good start and were the first Class40 at Barbuda, but then Guidi came back and smashed us downwind. We got back at them at St Maarten but then they extended on the downwind leg to Guadeloupe. Our strategy for Guadeloupe did not work at all. After that we were 20 miles behind and we thought the race was lost. It was a big surprise to see Guidi was offshore and now had wind after Redonda. So, it was like the icing on the cake to take the lead after a match race to the finish.”

 The Owen Clarke designed Finimmo was sailed by a team of four co-skippers; Herve Thomas, Benoit de Froidmont, Gerald Veniard and four-time Vendée Globe sailor Kito de Pavant.© Tim Wright/Photoaction.com

© Tim Wright/Photoaction.com

Charles-Louis Mourruau’s Class40 Guidi approaching the finish line © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com

The Sam Manuard designed Mach40.3 Guidi was sailed by a team of three. Charles-Louis Mourruau was taking part in his third race and was joined by Andrea Fantini and Mikael Ryking.

“Myself and Andrea Fantini just did the Transat Jacques Vabre and we had shifty conditions, so we kind of knew what to expect, but we didn’t expect there to be so little wind after Redonda, that was really brutal,” commented Charles-Louis Mourruau. “Finimmo sailed an amazing race. The boat used to be called Hydra and we were joking that every time they came back at us it was like chopping off one of the heads! I am happy for them because they fought really hard. Although Guidi is a more modern boat, Finimmo is a little narrower with a big code zero, so very quick in the light. We were very unlucky at the end, but that is sailing, isn’t it?"

 Charles-Louis Mourruau was joined by Andrea Fantini and Mikael Ryking for the race on Class40 Guidi © Mags Hudgell

The overall winner of the 13th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 is Christopher Sheehan’s Pac52 Warrior Won (USA). None of the teams still racing under IRC has any realistic chance of beating Warrior Won after time correction. Christopher Sheehan and his team will be presented with the RORC Caribbean 600 Trophy at the Prize Giving on Friday 25th February.

Christopher Sheehan, owner & skipper of Warrior Won is from the Larchmont Yacht Club, USA. Sheehan’s Warrior Won was taking part in its first RORC Caribbean 600, having won the 2022 Transpac Race overall.

“I feel so much joy right now. It is very humbling when I think about all of the competitors that have worked so hard in this race, I am overwhelmed. We have been preparing for this race for the last eight months and when I think of the great teams that have won this race, it is just extraordinary. The mantra of Warrior Won is humility and extreme confidence in what we are doing, which results in positive energy on board, hard work and collaboration. Every member of the Warrior Won team has put in an outstanding performance.”

The overall winner of the 13th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 is Christopher Sheehan’s Pac52 Warrior One (USA). None of the teams still racing under IRC has any realistic chance of beating Warrior Won after time correction. Christopher Sheehan and his team will be presented with the RORC Caribbean 600 Trophy at the Prize Giving on Friday 25th February.

Christopher Sheehan, owner & skipper of Warrior Won is from the Larchmont Yacht Club, USA. Sheehan’s Warrior Won was taking part in its first RORC Caribbean 600, having won the 2021 Transpac Race overall.

“I feel so much joy right now. It is very humbling when I think about all of the competitors that have worked so hard in this race, I am overwhelmed. We have been preparing for this race for the last eight months and when I think of the great teams that have won this race, it is just extraordinary. The mantra of Warrior Won is humility and extreme confidence in what we are doing, which results in positive energy on board, hard work and collaboration. Every member of the Warrior Won team has put in an outstanding performance.”

_{Christopher Sheehan, owner & skipper of Warrior Won is from the Larchmont Yacht Club, USA © Arthur Daniel/RORC}

Richard Clarke, Tactician on Warrior Won is a four-time Olympian for Canada and a Volvo Ocean Race winner: “A race like the Caribbean 600 is short but complicated, it’s short enough that you can push really, really hard, but you have to manage fatigue. On Warrior Won with a fixed keel you have to keep as many bodies on the rail as you can. The basic aspects are keeping the boat at maximum speed with the right combination of sails up. As a tactical race the ‘600 rates as one the hardest in the world because there are so many islands to round and the tactics vary according to the time of day. Add fickle trade winds and squally clouds into the mix, I equate this to going ten rounds in a boxing match, where the left and the right and the combinations just keep coming at you. Sometimes you have to play offence or defence, because at any moment you can park-up, so no lead is safe until you finish.”

_{The overall winner of the 13th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 is Christopher Sheehan’s Pac52 Warrior One (USA) © Arthur Daniel/RORC}

Chris ‘Lew’ Lewis - Navigator on Warrior Won is an amateur sailor working in the tech industry in San Francisco: “We spend a lot of time preparing for this race, going through the tracks of some of the great navigators that have taken part in this race. The Warrior Won team has instituted a two and a half year testing programme, so we know at every given angle and every given wind strength what the best sail combinations are, and after that it is all about execution. With an incredible crew, every time we needed to change sail it would magically appear. Getting ready for a big race like this is everything for me. While the professionals have to allocate their time between one race and the next, I do relatively few races and I have been working on just this race for a long time. To win this bucket-list race is a dream come true. I have not caught up on my sleep yet, so maybe I am still dreaming.”

_{Christopher Sheehan: "Every member of the Warrior Won team has put in an outstanding performance" © Arthur Daniel/RORC}

Christopher Sheehan’s Warrior Won has an exciting programme of races which will include the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart, the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race and Rolex Middle Sea Race. In 2024 Warrior Won will race back to the Caribbean in the 2024 RORC Transatlantic Race.

Warrior Won Crew:

Christopher Sheehan, Thomas Allin, Stuart Bannatyne, Norman Berge, Richard Clarke, Shane Diviney, Scott Ewing, Gregg Griffin, Morgan Gutenkunst, Hartwell Jordan, Collin Leon, Chris Lewis, Tristan Louwrens, Henry Vogel, Christopher Welch.

A multinational crew on the chartered VO65 Sailing Poland competed under the famous team banner of Groovederci Racing.

On the fourth day of the RORC Caribbean 600, 23 teams had completed the race and were enjoying the hospitality of Antigua Yacht Club, with an army of volunteers providing a warm welcome and cold Carib beers dockside.

Dmitry Rybolovlev’s ClubSwan 125 Skorpios (MON), skippered by Fernando Echavarri, crossed the finish line in Antigua to take Monohull Line Honours at 03:59:51 on Wednesday 23rd February 2022. The elapsed time was 1 day, 16 hours, 39 mins, 51 secs. Skorpios scored their second Line Honours victory with the Royal Ocean Racing Club, having previously taken the gun in the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race.

“This is the first RORC Caribbean 600 for Skorpios, both for myself, and some of the crew,” commented Skorpios’ skipper Fernando Echavarri. “I am super-proud of all the team that have made this possible; it has been an incredible effort just to be here. It has been a very interesting race, demanding for the crew with sail changes and very tactical. The speed of Skorpios has been one of the key ingredients, but also managing the changes as we rounded the islands; especially Guadeloupe where we parked in the wind shadow, but there was enough separation for us to stay in first position. The RORC Caribbean 600 is an amazing course because of the beauty of the islands, as well as the technical challenges. Thank you very much to the RORC and the people that make this race possible, it is an incredible race and we hope to be here next year.”

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Dmitry Rybolovlev’s ClubSwan 125 Skorpios (MON), skippered by Fernando Echavarri, crossed the finish line in Antigua to take Monohull Line Honours at 03:59:51 on Wednesday 23rd February 2022.

Dmitry Rybolovlev’s ClubSwan 125 Skorpios (MON), skippered by Fernando Echavarri, crossed the finish line in Antigua to take Monohull Line Honours at 03:59:51 on Wednesday 23rd February 2022.

The elapsed time was 1 day, 16 hours, 39 mins, 51 secs.

A full report will follow this newsflash.

Jason Carroll's MOD70 Argo (USA) finished the RORC Caribbean 600 at 17:18:44 AST and has come runner-up on the two previous races, so to win on the third attempt was a sweet victory.

“This race is always an emotional rollercoaster; I think we traded the lead with the other boats about five or six times and the last change was 20 minutes before the finish with Maserati. It was a boat-on-boat tacking duel. I am sorry for Maserati because they sailed a great race. Before the awesome finish, the closest match racing we had was in the lee of Nevis and St. Kitts. We traded the lead two-sail reaching, doing 35 knots! At that pace everything happens so fast and you have to plan in advance, but it is so exciting for sure.” - Jason Carroll.

MOD 70 Argo Crew: Jason Carroll, Brian Thompson, Richard Bardwell, Chad Corning, Pete Cumming, Thierry Fouchier, Charlie Ogletree, Alister Richardson.

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Jason Carroll’s MOD 70 Argo (USA) crossed the finish line of the RORC Caribbean 600 to take Multihull Line Honours and set a new Multihull Race Record of 29 hours, 38 mins, 44 secs.

Giovanni Soldini’s Multi70 Maserati (ITA) was just 2 minutes and 13 seconds behind Argo. Peter Cunningham’s PowerPlay (CAY) led in the early part of the race but finished third. This was the first Line Honours win for Argo having come runner-up on two previous occasions. Multihull Line Honours was decided in the final few miles of the 600-mile race.

MOD 70 Argo Crew: Jason Carroll, Brian Thompson, Richard Bardwell, Chad Corning, Pete Cumming, Thierry Fouchier, Charlie Ogletree, Alister Richardson.

“This race is always an emotional rollercoaster; I think we traded the lead with the other boats about five or six times and the last change was 20 minutes before the finish with Maserati. It was a boat-on-boat tacking duel. I am sorry for Maserati because they sailed a great race. Before the awesome finish, the closest match racing we had was in the lee of Nevis and St. Kitts. We traded the lead two-sail reaching, doing 35 knots! At that pace everything happens so fast and you have to plan in advance, but it is so exciting for sure.”

_{Jason Carroll's MOD70 Argo (USA) finished the RORC Caribbean 600 at 17:18:44 AST and has come runner-up on the two previous races, so to win on the third attempt was a sweet victory © Arthur Daniel/RORC}

Approaching Redonda, Maserati was leading by about 3 miles, but Argo closed the gap to about half a mile on the rounding and from Redonda to the finish was almost a one tack beat on Port.

“We knew there was about a 30-degree header coming. We waited for that instability and chose to tack away leaving Maserati with a decision, and they chose to cover us through the unstable conditions. From then on, we had a duel of about 10 tacks, more than we had done the whole race. We eked out a tiny lead and then Maserati tacked a little too close to us. Before they could build speed, we luffed them a little bit, then pulled out the win,” continued Carroll.

Jason Carroll’s Argo has come runner-up on the two previous races, so to win on the third attempt was a sweet victory for Argo.

“This win is one of the sweetest from the way it played out, just from how hard-fought this race win has been. Having a great two boat contest was so exciting for the whole crew, this was an opportunity not just to sail fast but to flex your sailing skills. This is our favourite regatta of the year; it is very well run and we love coming to this one.”

_{MOD 70 Argo Crew: Jason Carroll, Brian Thompson, Richard Bardwell, Chad Corning, Pete Cumming, Thierry Fouchier, Charlie Ogletree, Alister Richardson© Arthur Daniel/RORC}

_{Jeremy Wilton, RORC CEO presents Jason Carroll with the Multihull Line Honours Trophy © Arthur Daniel/RORC}

Maserati’s Giovanni Soldini commented after the race: “It was a very close, fantastic race the whole way. The competition level is very high and it was just a case of nearly, but nothing for us. Approaching Redonda, we did get snagged in a buoy on the rudder; the second time this has happened in our races and both times Argo has caught us! But it is okay, I think Argo did a wonderful race. Probably with our big foils we should have just gone straight and should not have gone into the tacking duel. This was a wonderful race; a great experience and we have learned many things and we are ready for the next one.”

_{Giovanni Soldini's Multi 70 Maserati powering towards the close finish in Antigua © Arthur Daniel}

_{On board with Giovanni Soldini, the crew of 7 sailors, made up of Italians Guido Broggi, Vittorio Bissaro, Francesco Pedol, Matteo Soldini, Spaniard Oliver Herrera Perez, Frenchmen Gwénolé Gahinet and Thomas Joffrin © Mags Hudgell}

_{Peter Cunningham’s PowerPlay (CAY) led in the early part of the race but finished third © Arthur Daniel/RORC}

Follow the RORC Caribbean 600 on social media and via the dedicated race website: https://caribbean600.rorc.org/

Track the fleet and follow all the updates as the race unfolds. All yachts will be fitted with a race tracker: https://caribbean600.rorc.org/Tracking/2022-fleet-tracking.html

Jason Carroll’s MOD 70 Argo (USA) crossed the finish line in Antigua to take Multihull Line Honours at 17:18:44 on Tuesday 22nd February 2022.

Tropical heat, moderate trade winds and ocean swell provided superb racing conditions for the first day and night of action in the 2022 RORC Caribbean 600.

The 13^th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 started on time from Antigua on Monday 21 February. The IRC Super Zero start was nothing short of hell-raising, with Comanche reaching at full speed towards the Pillars of Hercules, then hardening up to take the inside line perilously close to the cliffs. VO65 Groovederci Racing - Sailing Poland, sailed by Deneen Demourkas was in close quarters. As the two leaders tacked out, they crossed with the massive ClubSwan 125 Skorpios (MON) and the Volvo 70 Ocean Breeze coming inshore on starboard.  In the MOCRA start, Peter Cunningham’s MOD70 PowerPlay (CAY) flipped a wheelie on final approach before blasting off into the lead in a ball of spray at over 25 knots.

Seventy-four teams with over 700 sailors from 32 countries started the race. The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s 600-mile race around 11 Caribbean islands had a spectacular start with 15 knots of wind from the northeast gusting up to 20 knots.

_{The mighty Skorpios, Leopard and Comanche in IRC Super Zero © Rick Tomlinson/https://www.rick-tomlinson.com/}

Fleet Snapshot: DAY 1 - 1500 AST 21 February

Four hours into the race, Giovanni Soldini’s Multi70 Maserati (ITA) was leading the Multihull Class from Peter Cunningham’s PowerPlay and Jason Carroll’s Argo (USA). In the race for Monohull Line Honours, the leader by just a mile, was Dmitry Rybolovlev’s ClubSwan 125 Skorpios, skippered by Fernando Echavarri. The VPLP/Verdier 100 Comanche, skippered by Mitch Booth was second on the water. With just over two hours to go until the first sunset of the race, the majority of the fleet were making good progress to Barbuda, the first and only mark of the course.

“The start was just incredible, it’s rare to see so many big boats in a start like that, just taking it on, but it was not just the big boats. This fleet is stacked right through all the classes, with competitive starts the whole way through. Good luck to all the teams,” commented Race Director Chris Stone. “Making sure the fleet get away to a good start is the first part of this stage of the race management. We continue to focus on the safety aspects out on the race course. There will be different weather conditions and some parts of the course are pretty treacherous. For the RORC Race team it is about keeping the fleet safe, with 24-hour monitoring for every boat.”

_{Giovanni Soldini’s Multi70 Maserati (ITA) and Peter Cunningham’s MOD70 PowerPlay (CAY) © Arthur Daniel/RORC}

_{A record MOCRA fleet - Gilles Lamire's Groupe GCA-1001 Sourires and Antoine Rabaste's Ultim'Emotion 2 © Tim Wright/Photoaction,com} 

IRC ONE and IRC TWO START

Yuri Fadeev’s First 40 Optimus Prime (GBR) nailed the inshore end of the line, closely followed by Ross Applebey’s Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster (GBR). Bernie Evan-Wong’s RP37 Taz (ANT) also had a great start. Stuart Dahlgreen racing J/121 Wings (USA) was OCS by just five seconds, but restarted correctly.

Four hours into the race, Tom Kneen’s JPK 1180 Sunrise (GBR) and Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader (GBR) were neck-and neck at the front or IRC One. Just a mile behind the leaders, Andrew Hall’s Lombard 46 Pata Negra (GBR) was going well. In IRC Two, two old rivals were battling for the lead on the water: Andy Middleton’s First 47.7 EH01 (GBR) and Scarlet Oyster. Pamala Baldwin’s J/122 Liquid (ANT), skippered by Julian White was just three miles behind the leaders.

_{Start of IRC 1, IRC 2 and CSAS only © Rick Tomlinson/https://www.rick-tomlinson.com}

_{Peter Lewis' J/122 Whistler from Barbados was among the first start with boats racing in IRC 1 and IRC 2 © Tim Wright/Photoaction,com}

IRC ZERO and Class40 START

Christopher Sheehan’s Pac52 Warrior Won (USA) totally nailed the start, ripping over the line at full pace towards the lifting pressure. David Collins’ Botin IRC 52 Tala (GBR) was second over the line. On her hip with a good controlling position was Jean Pierre Dreau’s Mylius 60 Lady First 3 (FRA). In the Class40 Division, Herve Thomas’ Finnimo (FRA) got the best start, staying out of the melee inshore. Baptiste Hulin & Clement Commagnac’s Rennes - Saint Malo (FRA) and Marc Lepesqueux’s Sensation Class40 Extreme (FRA) tucked right in under the cliffs and crossed the line in good shape.

Four hours into the race, Warrior Won (USA) was leading on the water, two miles astern was their Pac52 sistership Callisto (USA) sailed by Jim Murray and Tala (GBR). In the Class40 Division, Finnimo held a one-mile lead from Charles-Louis Mourruau’s Guidi (FRA). Sensation Class40 Extreme was third on the water.

 _{Charles-Louis Mourruau's Class40 Guidi and Adrian Lee's Swan 60 Lee Overlay Partners © © Rick Tomlinson/https://www.rick-tomlinson.com/}

_{Christopher Sheehan’s Pac52 Warrior Won (USA) totally nailed the start © Tim Wright/Photoaction,com}

Watch a replay of the livestream of every start of the 2022 RORC Caribbean 600

LINK: https://youtu.be/o2HBfIjYWTA

The 13th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 started on time from Antigua on Monday 21 February.

The IRC Super Zero start was nothing short of hell-raising, with Comanche reaching at full speed towards the Pillars of Hercules, then hardening up to take the inside line perilously close to the cliffs. VO65 Groovederci Racing - Sailing Poland, sailed by Deneen Demourkas was in close quarters. As the two leaders tacked out, they crossed with the massive ClubSwan 125 Skorpios (MON) and the Volvo 70 Ocean Breeze coming inshore on starboard.

In the MOCRA start, Peter Cunningham’s MOD70 PowerPlay (CAY) flipped a wheelie on final approach before blasting off into the lead in a ball of spray at over 25 knots.

Seventy-four teams with over 700 sailors from 32 countries started the race. The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s 600-mile race around 11 Caribbean islands had a spectacular start with 15 knots of wind from the northeast gusting up to 20 knots.

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