Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Ocean Records - Route du Thé - Hongkong HKG-London GBR - Day 3
After crossing the Chinese Sea, Francis Joyon FRA on his Maxi-Trimaran 'IDEC' is approaching the Sunda Strait between Sumatra and Borneo this morning UTC, leading to the Indian Ocean. The advance on the existing record is up on 265nm. ----- The race tracker and the news.
In rear winds around 20knFrancis Joyon FRA and his team made good progress crossing the Chinese Sea yesterday and the advantage on the existing record, established by the 30 foot shorter MOD70 'Maserati', had already grown to 167nm this morning UTC. ----- The 
Francis Joyon FRA and his team on their Maxi-Trimaran 'IDEC' started the Hongkong-London Route du Thé record attempt yesterday in a moderate 15kn wind. After less than a day underway, the advantage on the existing record was already 71nm this morning UTC. The first possible obstacle will be the crossing of the Equator in the Indian Ocean. ----- The 
Start time 9h UTC in Hongkong this morning ! Francis Joyon FRA and his team plan to depart to the final and most important record attempt of his Asia-Tour, the Route du Thé leading around Africa to London. The existing record, established by Giovanni Soldini ITA with his MOD-70-Trimaran 'Maserati' is 36 days, 2 hours and 37 minutes. ----- The 
Tomorrow Saturday, 9h UTC, Francis Joyon FRA and his team with their Maxi Trimaran 'IDEC' will depart from Hongkong to London on the Route of Tea with the goal to improve record establised by Giovanni Soldini ITA with his MOD70-Trimaran 'Maserati' in 2018. 36 days and 2 hours for the 15'000nm have to be beaten. ----- The 
After a two week interruption in Shenzen CHN, the Maxi-Trimaran IDEC has been relocated to Hongkong from where the Route of Tea record attempt to London will be started provided a promising weather window shows up. The existing record for the 15'000 miles belongs to Giovanni Soldini ITA with his MOD-70-Trimaran 'Maserati' with 36 days, 2 hours and 37 minutes. Francis Joyon FRA will be underway with a 5-person team. ----- The 
The 75th Sydney-Hobart Race will come to an end today as the 14 boats still underway this morning UTC will reach Hobart in the next hours. ----- The overall winner in IRC calculated time, the Tattersall Cup, is therefore firm with the TP52 'Ichi Ban' on top for the second time after 2017. Her owner and skipper Matt Allen AUS is past-President of Sail Australia and member of the National Olympic Committee. ----- The 
Meanwhile - Sunday morning UTC - 47 of the 154 boats racing have reached Hobart and a first IRC ranking list has been posted with the TP52 'Ichi Ban' of Matt Allen AUS, 11th elapsed time 12 hours after 'Comanche', on top in calculated time. ----- All 
After a test season with his refitted foil-equipped Open 60, 'La Fabrique' of Alan Roura SUI is currently in the boatyard for further optimization. From March on, sea trainings are on the program. In May, Roura will participate in the classic 'The Transat' westward across the Atlantic Ocean. The race back from New York to France will take place in June. Finally, the start of the Vendée Globe will be on November 8th.
During the past night UTC, the five Super-Maxis crossed the finish line in Hobart on Tasmania AUS within 2 hours and the line honours went to 'Comanche' of Jim Cooney/Samantha Grant AUS (with Kyle Langford AUS and Stan Honey USA), 44 minutes ahead of 'InfoTrack' of Christian Beck AUS. Another hour behind finished 'Wild Oats XI' and 'Scallywag'. ------ At press deadline (6h UTC), only 6 teams had arrived, and the positions in calculated time are obviously still fully open. ----- The 
In the prevailing light 5 to 8kn winds, the five Super-Maxi remained closely together and this morning UTC - two thirds of the Bass Strait behind and less than 300nm to Hobart - 'InfoTrack' (Joe Akacich AUS) was in the lead closely followed by 'Scallywag' (David Witt AUS) and 'Comanche' (Jim Cooney AUS). 'Black Jack' with a 3nm backlog and 'Wild Oats XI' (Oatley family) 11nm behind remain in the race for the line honours. ETA is late this evening UTC. ----- The Tattersall Cup for the overall winner on IRC rating corrected time will not be decided before tomorrow evening as the fresh Northwind filling in might favour to smaller yachts in the second half of the fleet. ----- The 
The start to the 75th edition of the Sydney - Hobart Race was given this morning at 2h UTC on Sydney Harbour, and meanwhile, the fleet has reached the open sea, heading South direction Tasmania. As expected, the 100-foot Super Maxi are in the lead with 'Comanche' of Jim Cooley AUS ahead of 'InfoTrack' of Christian Beck AUS and 'Wild Oats XI' with Mark Richards AUS. ----- The 
The traditional Sydney-Hobart Race will start tomorrow December 26 at 2h UTC on Sydney Harbour in its 75th edition. Moderate winds have been forecast, freshening toward the end of the race approaching Hobart, conditions favoring smaller yachts racing for victory in calculated time. ----- Favorites in elapsed time are the Super-Maxis such as 
