CLASS 40 NEWS FROM MARBLEHEAD
May 29, 2008 by Tony Lawson | 0 comments
Soldini takes the gun but hats off to Boris in second.
Soldini wins Artemis Transat-Class 40
Yesterday, Italian solo sailor, Giovanni Soldini, crossed the finish line of The Artemis Transat race in Marblehead, USA. On a crisp, clear early morning with a biting 18-20 knot north-westerly breeze, Soldini and his one year-old Proto Class40, Telecom Italia, completed the North Atlantic crossing in 16 days 22 hours and 11 minutes, having lead the 11 boats in the fleet since passing Lizard Point on the south coast of England during the first night of the race.
Since crossing the start line on Sunday 11th May off Plymouth, Devon, Giovanni Soldini’s enormous experience and tactical analysis kept him at the front of the pack: “I’m feeling very good, obviously,” the 42 year-old said after stepping onto the pontoons after the finish. “The race for me was pretty good.” One major feature that intensified tactics was the inclusion of an ice gate, installed by the Artemis Transat Race Direction team to keep the competing yachts clear of an area of icebergs drifting southwards off Newfoundland: “The ice gate was difficult, making me go against the Gulf Stream and stay in the south. Normally, we would sail a much more northern route, so we were a bit limited in our tactical options.”
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Soldini’s tactical decisions ensured that Telecom Italia usually kept a good distance over the rest of the fleet: “I think I was good in the race,” he admitted modestly. “It was a good choice to stay in the north in the beginning and through the first high-pressure. Then, in the second high-pressure we went south and I put a lot of good miles on the others.”
However, the Italian yachtsman was quick to admit his own faults and also to praise the other competitors in the race: “In the final days, I didn’t do so well, so they caught me up. Beluga Racer [Boris Herrmann] especially, he was very good in the last two days.”
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Early this evening Boris Herman on his Akilaria 40 “Beluga ” crossed the line in Marblehead, USA, to finish 2nd in the Class 40 division of the Artemis Transat.
Watching the event was Tony Lawson owner of the Hamble based Akilaria “Concise” and organiser of this Novembers “Spice Race” (Southampton to Grenada).
Lawson said “its a great personal triumph to Boris who is a relative newcomer to the Class 40 scene. Just as important however Beluga is the first “series” or production boat to cross the line. It shows how well ,matched the Class 40 are and proves that you do not need an expensive “one off” and a multimillion pound budget to get a podium finish with these boats .
Boris sailed a great race and made a very strong start. He was then clobbered by what seems like a bout of flu. I think there was quite a bit of it going around in Plymouth . It knocked him on his back for about a day and he was forced to reduced sail until he got himself together. again. Who knows what he might have done if it wasn’t for him going down sick. He lost to Giovanni by about 12 hours but I guess that is what boat racing is all about.
At the time of speaking another Akilaria was expected to take third position but the wind was going light and a “restart ” was possiblity later tonight.
Tony Lawson reporting from the Corinthian Yacht Club Marblehead
