The seventh edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Transatlantic Race will start from Calero Marinas Puerto Calero, Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands on Saturday 9th January 2021.
Traditionally held in November, this year’s race was postponed until January 2021 and was the most significant of a number of subtle changes the RORC is making to its Season Points Championships. This follows changing the Rolex Middle Sea Race to become the first points race in the Championships, not the last, among other changes to the points factors for certain offshore races.
Ten teams have sailed from European destinations to take part in the 2,735-mile race across the Atlantic Ocean in the World Sailing Category 1 offshore event. Most have welcomed the change of starting date given it allows more time for boats to get from Malta to Lanzarote, at a time when the trade winds are further north and more consistent. Advancing the start date to January will also, without doubt, significantly improve their chances of encountering more favourable winds for the crossing.
Prior to departure, all competing boats will undergo compliance checks and all crew will be required to produce a negative test result for COVID-19.
In past years the finishing port has been the Camper and Nicholsons Port Louis Marina in Grenada. This year however it has been agreed that the safest option was to move the 2021 RORC Transatlantic Race finish to Antigua. It remains the intention of the RORC to finish the 2022 edition in Grenada, as it has done since the first race in 2014.
One name missing from this years start list is My Song the yacht that set a speed record in the last RORC Transatlantic Race, completing the 3,000 mile race between Lanzarote and Grenada in an elapsed time of 10 days 5 hrs 47 mins 11 secs, shaving 1hr 19mins 48 secs off the previous monohull record.
My Song was lost at sea last year whilst being transported on board a cargo ship as deck cargo
The monohull line honours favourite is Johannes Schwarz’s Volvo 70 Green Dragon, whilst the multihull line honours will be contested by just one entry, Oren Nataf’s Multi50 Rayon Vert, skippered by Alex Pella.
The overall victory under IRC for the RORC Transatlantic Race Trophy is difficult to predict. However, Stefan Jentzsch’s new Botin 56 Black Pearl, skippered by Marc Lagesse, will be difficult to beat.