Giovanni Soldini and Maserati Multi 70’s Team have arrived in Antigua, ready to participate in the 11th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600, organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club. More than 700 sailors from all over the world and yachts from over 20 nations will compete in the 600-mile-long race around 11 islands in the Lesser Antilles, in the Caribbean. The regatta will start on Monday February 18th.
Aboard the Italian trimaran, skipper Giovanni Soldini will be joined by an international crew:
- Vittorio Bissaro (IT), tactician – he participated in the Olympic games of Rio 2016 in the Nacra 17 class. He has already sailed aboard Maserati Multi 70 in a number of races, including the 2017 edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 and the 2018 edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race. He has also worked with Maserati Multi 70’s Team to optimize the trimaran’s dynamics and data analysis.
- Guido Broggi (IT), mainsail trimmer – he is the boat captain of Maserati Multi 70 and has thousands of miles of ocean sailing under his belt. He has been working alongside Giovanni Soldini for many years, since he was team leader in the building and in the racing preparation of 60’ Fila in 1998. He participated in the RORC Caribbean 600 aboard Maserati Multi 70 in 2017 and, in 2018, he was part of the crew for the Tea Route record from Hong Kong to London, for the Rolex Middle Sea Race and for the RORC Transatlantic Race.
- Carlos Hernandez Robayna (ESP), trimmer – he has many years of sailing experience and he has raced in various classes. He has sailed alongside Giovanni Soldini in several regattas and ocean crossings, among which the Transpacific Yacht Race and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Aboard Maserati Multi 70, he participated in the 2017 edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 and, in 2018, in the Rolex Middle Sea Race and in the RORC Transatlantic Race.
- Oliver Herrera Perez (ESP), bowman – in his career he raced aboard Ims 500s, Swan 45s and Rc44s. He was previously part of VOR 70 Maserati’s crew and now he continues to race as bowman aboard Maserati Multi 70. In 2018 he crewed for Giovanni Soldini during the Tea Route record, the Rolex Middle Sea Race and the RORC Transatlantic Race.
- Nico Malingri (IT), grinder and trimmer – he started sailing when he was very young and has conquered two double-handed records with his father Vittorio Malingri aboard a 20-feet-long catamaran: the Marseilles-Carthage in 2016 and the Dakar-Guadeloupe in 2017. In 2018 he was part of Maserati Multi 70’s crew for the Rolex Middle Sea Race and the RORC Transatlantic Race.
- Matteo Soldini (IT), grinder and trimmer – he has been part of the Maserati Multi 70 project since its start and he has participated in many offshore races, including one edition of the RORC Caribbean 600. In 2018 he was part of the trimaran’s crew for the Rolex Middle Sea Race and for the RORC Transatlantic Race.
- Claude Thélier (FR), trimmer – originally from Guadeloupe, he has many years of sailing experience in different classes, among which ORMA 60s and MOD 70s. In 2009 he participated in the first edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 aboard Region Guadeloupe, the trimaran which held the race record until 2015.
Maserati Multi 70’s crew is busy getting ready for the race, Giovanni Soldini says:<<When we trained yesterday the wind was strong, around 20 knots. The waves were 3 meters high, so we couldn’t fly steadily, but the boat sails well, we think it’s going to be a great race. It’s too early for accurate weather forecasts, but the Trade Winds should be stable. The ideal condition for us would be a slightly lighter wind resulting in smaller waves and allowing us to fly better>>.
This year’s edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 currently has 78 entrants, 10 of which are in the multihull category (MOCRA): alongside Maserati Multi 70, there will be MOD 70 Argo, Multi 50 Olmix, Bieker 52 Fujin, Gunboat 60 Arethusa, Gunboat 62 Chim Chim, MRS B 525 Level 3 Fun, Pulsar 50 Rayon Vert, TS42 Guyader Gastronomie and DNA F4 Falcon.
Maserati Multi 70’s direct rival is the American trimaran Argo, skippered by Jason Carroll. This will be the first RORC Caribbean 600 for Argo, but everyone in the crew has already participated in the race aboard other boats. Among them is British Brian Thompson who, in 2016, co-skippered MOD 70 Phaedo3 setting the race record. François Gabart, the great French sailor who won the 2012-13 Vendée Globe, will also be on board Argo.
«Argo’s Team is very strong» said Giovanni Soldini. «On board is Brian Thompson, who skippered Phaedo3. They are a super crew and they know the boat very well. Their trimaran is much lighter than Maserati Multi 70, which is in flying mode. We can’t wait for the race to start – we will do our best as always!»
The 78 boats that have entered the regatta will start from Fort Charlotte, Antigua, heading North, they will pass Barbuda, Nevis, Saba and Saint Barth before rounding Saint Martin and heading South towards Guadeloupe. After rounding the island, the fleet will head back North, touching the last mark off Barbuda before sailing back to Antigua towards the finish line. The race course features a great variety of currents and winds, which makes it a very interesting and challenging regatta.
The multihull record belongs to American MOD 70 Phaedo3, which in 2016 arrived first with an elapsed time of 1 day, 7 hours, 59 minutes and 4 seconds. Maserati Multi 70 participated in the race in 2017, arriving second after Phaedo3.
