Giovanni Soldini’s crew aboard the Maserati Multi70 trimaran have staged an impressive comeback in their battle with the American MOD 70 Phaedo3 for the lead of the RORC Caribbean 600 Race.
Hours earlier the US boat pulled out a lead of 13 miles when a light wind zone temporarily slowed Maserati Multi70 on the approach on the island of Guadeloupe. Soldini’s crew was soon back up to full speed again, however, setting off in a high-speed pursuit of their rivals that saw them touching 26-knots for extended periods.
As Phaedo3 closed in on Iles des Saintes, the southernmost turning point on the course, it was the turn of the US-flagged boat to be slowed by lightening winds, allowing Maserati Multi70 to come storming back to within four miles of the lead.
After Iles des Saintes Soldini’s men continued to gain and the delta was soon reduced to a dead heat.
The boats were still locked together when they reached the island of La Désirade and turned their bows north towards the Barbuda – the penultimate turning mark of the 600-mile course.
Phaedo3 made the best of the rounding to squeeze into a one-and-a-half-mile lead soon afterwards.
At 15.30 this afternoon local time (20.30 in Italy) the two boats were less than four miles apart with around 115 miles to go to the finish.
photo from onboard_credit@Francesco Malingri
