Seventy-four teams with over 700 sailors from 32 countries started the 13th edition of the RORC 600-mile race around 11 Caribbean islands.
The RORC 600-mile race had a spectacular start with 15 knots of wind from the northeast gusting up to 20 knots.
The IRC Super Zero start was nothing short of hell-raising, with Comanche reaching at full speed towards the Pillars of Hercules, then hardening up to take the inside line perilously close to the cliffs.
VO65 Groovederci Racing – Sailing Poland, sailed by Deneen Demourkas was in close quarters.
As the two leaders tacked out, they crossed with the massive ClubSwan 125 Skorpios (MON) and the Volvo 70 Ocean Breeze coming inshore on starboard.
In the MOCRA start, Peter Cunningham’s MOD70 PowerPlay (CAY) flipped a wheelie on final approach before blasting off into the lead in a ball of spray at over 25 knots.
Four hours into the race, Giovanni Soldini’s Multi70 Maserati (ITA) was leading the Multihull Class from Peter Cunningham’s PowerPlay and Jason Carroll’s Argo (USA).
In the race for Monohull Line Honours, the leader by just a mile, was Dmitry Rybolovlev’s ClubSwan 125 Skorpios, skippered by Fernando Echavarri.
The VPLP/Verdier 100 Comanche, skippered by Mitch Booth was second on the water.
With just over two hours to go until the first sunset of the race, the majority of the fleet were making good progress to Barbuda, the first and only mark of the course.
