10:12 AM Mon 19 Oct 2009 GMT
The RORC Caribbean 600, is due to start on 22nd February 2010. Starting in Antigua, this 605 mile race sails around the Caribbean islands and is already attracing a star-studded fleet.
Mike Slade's ICAP Leopard is the race record holder and will be shipped from Australia, after her Sydney Hobart campaign is completed. Niklas Zennstrom's JV72, R?n will also be on the ship, after completing the sail to Hobart.
'It will be a quick turnaround at Hobart', commented Leopard's boat captain Chris Sherlock, 'but we are determined to make the Caribbean Race because the beautiful trade wind conditions, blue sea, blue sky and guaranteed wind are the perfect conditions for a boat like Leopard.'
Also joining R?n and Leopard in the race will be the 80 foot Beau Geste. Owner Karl Kwok hails from Hong Kong and Beau Geste has a star studded line up of professional sailors with lots of America's Cup experience.
From America we can expect to see two very competitive boats: The STP 65 Rosebud owned by Roger Sturgeon, who won the 2007 Rolex Sydney Hobart and will revel in these perfect conditions and Tom Hill's brand new Reichel Pugh 75 Titan will also be looking to stretch her legs in the wonderful conditions around the Caribbean.
Chief Executive Eddie Warden Owen of the Royal Ocean Racing Club is delighted with the response from the world's top sailing teams: 'The Caribbean has the perfect sailing conditions and this race, at the start of the Caribbean regatta season, will prove popular with a wide variety of boats', said Eddie.
Last year's overall winner Adrian Lee's Cookson 50, Lee Overlay Partners will also be back to defend her title, but she will have stiff opposition from her sistership, another Cookson 50 called Privateer, which is based on the East Coast of America.
From Italy, Danilo Salsi's stunningly beautiful Swan 90, DSK Pioneer, will be back to try and win the race:
'Last year the boat was brand new and we had not tested her in such tough conditions', said Andrea Casale, DSK's' helmsman: 'this year the boat will be pushed much harder to try and win the race, because we know that this beautifully built boat can take the Caribbean conditions'.
We also expect to see a good fleet of Class 40's who will be Caribbean based after their Atlantic crossing in the 'Solidaire du Chocolat' two handed race from France to Mexico.
John Burnie, one of the founders of the race and a member of both RORC and Antigua Yacht Club who support the race, says that the race will become a showcase for the Caribbean: 'This race is destined to become one of the classic ocean races ranked alongside the world famous Rolex Fastnet and Rolex Sydney Hobart races,' commented John. 'The quality of the competitors means that the world's media will be focused on Antigua and the Caribbean next February'.
John will be sailing Region Guadeloupe, the ORMA 60 Trimaran that he chartered for the 2009 race. It was a sleigh ride he will never forget and he cannot wait to do it again.
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The Royal Ocean Racing Club's (RORC) Caribbean 600 Race starts on 22nd February 2010 off Fort Charlotte outside English Harbour, Antigua. The course takes the fleet to the north passing a mark off Barbuda, the islands of Nevis, Saba and St Barths, to circle St Martin before heading down to Guadeloupe as the most southerly point, then back up to a mark off Barbuda before returning to finish in Antigua; a total of 605 nautical miles.
by Trish Jenkins
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Double Is Pt, QLD
