Forty eight hours before the 7th RORC Transatlantic Race starts on Saturday January 9th from Puerto Calero, Lanzarote, Marc Lagesse, the navigator for the IRC56 Black Pearl, spoke about the new water-ballasted sloop from the drawing board of Botin Partners.

Just three days before the start, Black Pearl with Stefan Jentzsch on the helm, went out for a training session in 35 knots of wind. Watch the video interview with stunning footage of the brand new ocean-going speed-machine!

Whilst Black Pearl is likely to be one of the first yachts to finish the 2,735-mile race to the Caribbean, the overall winner is decided after IRC time correction for the RORC Transatlantic Race Trophy.

This will be the third RORC Transatlantic Race in a row for Swiss 47.7 Kali. Skippered by RORC member Benedikt Clauberg, Kali’s crew are passionate amateur sailors living the dream of racing across the Atlantic. “The change of date to 9th January allowed me to have Christmas at home and we will still arrive in the Caribbean for the start of the season,” commented Benedikt. “Of course, we will try to beat our own race record.

Also last year on IRC time correction, we were only 24 minutes behind the Wally 100 Dark Shadow. So, we will definitely be trying to improve our time, maybe catch more surfs and a little less fish! The atmosphere in Lanzarote is a real pleasure; the Puerto Calero marina staff are super friendly and supportive. Kali is very proud to enter the RORC Transatlantic Race, and we are so happy that it is going ahead.”

by Louay Habib