Record pace for Caribbean 600

Antigua (February 22, 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. However, two boats have retired with all sailors safe and well as Ron O’Hanley’s Cookson 50 Privateer (USA) and Todd Stuart’s Swan 82 White Rhino (USA) return to Antigua.

In the deep south, a battle is raging between the three foremost multihulls, with Giovanni Soldini’s Maserati (ITA) and Jason Carroll’s Argo (USA) less than a mile apart. The 70ft trimarans have been recording boat speeds in excess of 35 knots at times.

Peter Cunningham’s PowerPlay (CAY) led the fleet to Barbuda, but is now 20 miles behind the leaders at Guadeloupe. Maserati and Argo are on course to beat the Multihull Race Record (30 hours 49 mins 00 secs) and are expected to finish the race at around sunset tonight.

“PowerPlay is shrieking and whooshing at between 28 and 33 knots in silence, just flying … and then with the tortured sound of a loaded winch easing, the symphony starts again… and again,” shared PowerPlay’s Paul Larsen. “We’re desperately trying to hang on to the foilers. In these conditions it feels like managing losses until lighter conditions arrive… hopefully…

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