RORC Caribbean 600 2022 | Trash Talk

I morgon måndag, 11:00 (16:00 svensk tid) går starten för Caribbean 600. Man följer det bäst på deras liveblogg eller trackingen här.

Vi följer framför allt Jonas Grandér och hans team på Elliot 44 Matador, som till sist hittade enb frakt över Atlanten. Vi har även Micke Ryking med på Class 40 #156 Guidi.

Här är mina stalltip:

• IRC Superzero. Svårt att inte tippa Comanche både i klassen och totalt i IRC. Banan borde passa dem och de har ju ett hyfsat track record med Mitch Booth som skipper. Utmanare är Skorpios och L4 Trifork.
• IRC Zero: hårt motstånd för Matador. Cookson 50 Privateer, Botin IRC 52 Tala, Pac 52:orna Callisto och Warrior Won, NMYD 54 Teasing Machine och ett par till. Mina pengar är på Privateer som vunnit och varit tvåa tidigare eller Warrior Won som spikade Transpac förra året.
• IRC One: solklart JPK 11.80 Sunrise som vann båda Fastnet och Middle Sea Race (i alla fall moraliskt). Sjukt snabba i dessa förhållanden. De kan nog utmana Comanche om totalen. Håller tummarna för det.
• IRC Two: JPK 10.10 Jangada (som så klart vinner doublehanded) eller Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster (vattenlinje borda ju betyda något).

Three navigators spill the beans on what lies ahead for their respective teams in the 13th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600, which starts on Monday 21 February.

The RORC Caribbean 600 has a racecourse like no other, testing the seamanship of the crews with a myriad of maneuvers around 11 Caribbean islands, but the race is far more than a workout in the tropics. Strategy and tactics add to the mix, with forward planning playing a big part in scoring a top performance.

Campbell Field is racing on David Collins’ Botin IRC 52 Tala (GBR). This will be Campbell’s seventh race, including third overall on the 182ft schooner Adela and runner-up twice on IRC 52s.

“From start day to day four, currently the forecasts are looking reasonably typical for the RORC Caribbean 600,” commented Campbell Field. “Trade winds in the mid-teens, warm and sunny, interspersed with some possible squall/rain activity with some good moisture content in the air column. There are indications that the latter part of the race could be slightly lighter and left of average. This wind speed is within the ideal conditions for Tala, especially broad reaching and running where we can start planing and that is where the fun is! Generally, the 600 is a great course for Tala, with plenty of open angle reaching to stretch our legs, combined with some shorter VMG beats and runs.”

“The RORC Caribbean 600 is a great course for navigators because it requires full focus over 12 legs, each with their own subtleties,” continues Field. “This does mean few opportunities for rest, but I love the physical and mental challenges. I’ll have to keep my pencil sharp and paper dry for the race with two other closely matched 52s on the start line.”