Overall winners, Jangada, approaching the finish line at Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada - Photo © RORC / Arthur Daniel

The 2019 RORC Transatlantic Race was an epic 3,000nm race in the wild blue Atlantic Ocean. Childhood 1 posted a 400nm 24-hour run on the way to taking line honours. There was high drama with a man overboard on Jangada, the smallest boat in the race, which was racing doublehanded. The crewman was recovered and Jangada went on to win the race overall under IRC, becoming the smallest yacht to win the race, and the first heroic win for a Two Handed team. All of the yachts received a fantastic send off from Marina Lanzarote and a warm welcome in Grenada from Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina.

The 6th edition of the RORC Transatlantic Race, in association with the International Maxi Association (IMA), started from Calero Marinas - Marina Lanzarote on Saturday 23 November 2019 bound for Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada. Prior to the start of the 3,000 nautical mile race, a full programme of social activities included a welcome reception hosted by the Real Club Náutico de Arrecife and a gala dinner in the stunning surroundings of the unique volcanic caverns of Jameos del Agua.

Richard Palmer's British JPK 10.10 Jangada was presented with the RORC Transatlantic Trophy in Grenada at a ceremony and prize-giving banquet held at Camper & Nicholsons' Victory Bar and Restaurant. Racing two-handed with Jeremy Waitt, Jangada scored the best corrected time under IRC to win the race overall and completed the 3,000nm race in 17 days 10 hrs 11 mins 06 secs. Jangada is the first two-handed team to win the antique sterling silver trophy, as well as the smallest boat to do so.

“This win absolutely exceeded all our expectations – a great start to the season!” commented Jangada’s owner, Richard Palmer. “The competition out there certainly gave us a run for our money - Childhood 1 was doing 20 knots and we could never match that speed, and Pata Negra 12 knots, but we just said bring it on and we raced hard all the way to the finish. Persistence and perseverance were the key to keep going for each three-hour watch. It was hard work but it paid off. It is absolutely fabulous to be back at Port Louis Marina in Grenada. We were here two years ago and we are looking forward to celebrating for a few days.”

Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina © RORC/Arthur Daniel

Benedikt Clauberg's Swiss First 47.7 Kali finished the RORC Transatlantic Race on 11 December, completing the 3,000nm race in 18 days 08 hours 28 mins and 18 secs. Kali was competing for the second year in a row and beat their finish time for 2018 by nearly 18 hours.

Richard Palmer and Jeremy Waitt celebrate dockside at Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina © RORC/Arthur Daniel

Jangada, Richard Palmer's JPK 1010 racing two-handed with Jeremy Waitt, crossed the finish line outside Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada on Tuesday 10th December, 2019 at 21:11:06 UTC. Their elapsed time was 17 days 10 hours 11 mins 06 secs.

All smiles in Grenada - Andy Lis and the young crew racing on Giles Redpath's Lombard 46 Pata Negra completed the RORC Transatlantic Race in an elapsed time of 15 days 22 hrs 58 mins 13 secs © RORC/Arthur Daniel

Giles Redpath's British Lombard 46 Pata Negra, skippered by Andy Lis, finished the 2019 RORC Transatlantic Race on Monday 09 December in an elapsed time of 15 days 22 hrs 58 mins 13 secs. The team on Pata Negra received a warm welcome on the dock this morning at Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina from RORC CEO, Eddie Warden Owen, Marina Manager, Charlotte Bonin - who provided ice cold beers, and Nikoyan Roberts from the Grenada Tourism Authority who presented the young crew with a basket of local goodies.

Dark Shadow approaching the finish line at Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada - Photo © RORC / Arthur Daniel

French Wally 100 Dark Shadow finished the 2019 RORC Transatlantic Race on Friday 6th December in an elapsed time of 13 days 9 hours 11 mins and 3 secs. Dark Shadow was sailed by Andre Auberton-Herve (FRA), and skippered by Yerin Hobson (AUS).

Wally 100 Dark Shadow celebrate their arrival at Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada - Photo © RORC / Arthur Daniel

NEWSFLASH - Dark Shadow, the Wally 100 skippered by Yerin Hobson (AUS), crossed the finish line outside Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada on Friday 6th December, 2019 at 20:11:03 UTC. Their elapsed time was 13 days 09 hours 11 mins 03 secs.

Childhood 1 crew: Bouwe Bekking, Antonio Cuervas Mons, Ysbrand Endt, Pablo Garcia Mujica, Julius Hallstrom, Edmond Hilhorst, Steven Melkman, Pelle Norberg, Simbad Quiroga, Aage Reerslev, Pieter Tack, Jelmer van Beek, Jorden van Rooijen, Laura van Veen - Photo © RORC / Arthur Daniel

Swedish VO65 Childhood 1, skippered by Bouwe Bekking, has taken Line Honours in the 2019 RORC Transatlantic Race. Childhood 1 crossed the finish line outside Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada in an elapsed time of 11 days 11 hours 34 mins 49 secs. The International Maxi Association Secretary General, Andrew McIrvine, presented Bouwe Bekking and the team with the IMA Trophy for Monohull Line Honours in the RORC Transatlantic Race.

A warm spice island welcome is waiting for the RORC Transatlantic Race fleet and Childhood 1's line honours arrival © Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada

Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina in Grenada is all set to welcome the early finishers in the RORC Transatlantic Race. VO65 Childhood 1 is expected to finish on Wednesday 4th December and will win the IMA Trophy for Monohull Line Honours. French Wally 100 Dark Shadow, skippered by Yerin Hobson is 400 miles behind Childhood 1. The fleet is reporting superb conditions surfing at high speeds in tropical heat.

Swedish VO65 Childhood 1 has been fully lit up for the blast to the finish, registering a 24-hour run of over 400nm. Skipper Bouwe Bekking contacted the media team via satellite: “We’ve had a max. breeze for a short period of 25 knots, but in general the wind is hovering between 18-22 knots. We’ve made good progress. The guests are starting to get used to the feeling of living in the deep south, with air and water temperatures of around 30ºC. Childhood 1 is also moving up in the overall standings, but it is still very hard to compare apples with pears. The smallest boat in the fleet is sailing in a completely different weather pattern and can take about double the amount of time to sail the same distance. They have been sailing close to the great circle route, so not many extra miles need to be covered. Remember they are racing double handed, so hats off for these two blokes, but if we beat them in the end, that would be a nice bonus,” said Bekking.

Looking good for line honours in Grenada - Bouwe Bekking's VO65 Childhood I © Joaquin Vera/RORC/Calero Marinas 

Whilst all of the competing yachts are south of the rhumb line in the RORC Transatlantic Race, there is over 900nm of latitudinal separation in the fleet. Jangada is furthest north and Childhood 1 furthest south. Childhood's deep dive south has paid dividends to take the lead for line honours, Jangada leads the race overall after IRC time correction and Pata Negra have come from behind to overtake Kali. After nine days at sea the RORC Transatlantic Race fleet are now well offshore in the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean - the next sighting of land will be the Caribbean.