On February 23 next, 64 sailing yachts will be lining out in Antigua at the start of the seventh RORC Caribbean 600 Race. The longest and most important dash of the Caribbean season, it is organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with Antigua Yacht Club.
One of those 64 yachts present will be the Volvo 70 Maserati, fresh from a two-month stint in the yard in Italy. Aboard will be skipper Giovanni Soldini and his crew of 11: Italians Guido Broggi, John Elkann, Andrea Fantini, Matteo Ivaldi, Francesco Malingri, Corrado Rossignoli and Gigio Russo; German Boris Herrmann; Spaniard Oliver Herrera Perez; Frenchman Gwen Riou; and Pierre Casiraghi of Monaco.
The traditional cannon shot from Fort Charlotte will mark the start on 23 February with the fleet returning to the finish there at the end of a 600-miles course that meanders around 11 Caribbean islands (including Barbuda, Nevis, Saba, St. Bart, St. Martin and Guadeloupe). It will be a tricky challenge with the crews kept constantly on their toes as the fleet weaves between the islands.
The RORC Caribbean 600 Race record is currently held by George David’s 100’ Rambler. She completed the race in 40 hours and 20 minutes in 2011.
Video footage and still photographs from the boat can be found at www.maserati.soldini.it and on the following social networks: Facebook (Giovanni Soldini Pagina , over 40.000 friends) and Twitter @giovannisoldini (over 127.000 followers).
The challenge is sponsored by the main partner, Maserati, after which the yacht is named, and by co-sponsors Swiss Bank BSI and Unipol SAI Assicurazioni.
The official suppliers to the challenge are Z Zegna (clothing), Vodafone Italia (telecommunication services and official website development) and Boero Bartolomeo S.p.A. (speciaist hull paints and enamels).
Also aboard Maserati are Eataly (provisioning), Beta Utensili (all professional tools), Corderia Lancelin (specialist lines and cables), Jeppesen (cartography), B&G Navico (technical assistance with onboard instrumentation), Cantiere Picchiotti of La Spezia (Maserati’s home base ashore), and the La Spezia Port Authority (Maserati’s home port afloat).
