Jens Kellinghusen's "Varuna" and Tilmar Hansen's "Outsider" narrowly missed the podium in the Caribbean classic and will probably finish the 650 nautical miles long RORC Caribbean 600 in fourth and fifth place after the calculated time. After crossing the finish line, Stefan Jentzsch's "Black Pearl" was initially in seventh place. The results are only certain when the smaller boats have crossed the finish line.
Tilmar Hansen's "Outsider" quickly plowed over the course of the RORC Caribbean 600
In the course of the race, "Varuna" was even at the front for a while in the overall IRC standings, but in the end it wasn't quite enough for the top three after a calculated time in the overall standings. However, Kellinghusen's crew achieved third place in the "Line Honors" classification after sailing time and thus came on the podium. The "Varuna" crew had covered 654 nautical miles in 2 days, 40 minutes and 53 seconds. "Outsider" crossed the finish line a little more than four hours later as the fifth monohull - an overall strong performance by the crews on the two boats from Northern Germany.
The "Iskareen" crew after the race in the destination port of Antigu (from left): Pipp and Scott Cavanough, Max Droege and skipper Arnt Bruhns. Tobias Brinkmann is missing
"Iskareen" defeats "Red" after an exciting duel
Arnt Bruhns
The two German Class 40 yachts "Iskareen" and "Red" fought a thrilling duel, which crossed the finish line on Thursday afternoon in Germany. While the "Iskareen" started with a five-person crew led by skipper Arnt Bruhns in the regatt through the beautiful island world of the Caribbean, which was unusually gray for the anniversary, Mathias Müller from Blumencrons "Red" entered the race with a four-person crew. "Iskareen" reached the goal at the Caribbean 600 premiere by Skipper Bruhns with a half hour lead over "Red", who had been in the lead for a long time in this exciting duel. Arnt Bruhns reported: "It was already clear before the race that we would fight very friendly. But after we messed up the starting cross and had problems with the backstage, it took us a long time to catch up with the 'Red'." To make matters worse, on the first long reach course, on which "Iskareen" had come closer to the escaped "Red", the Bruhns crew had a patent jibe in 16 knots of wind. They lost their A6 gennaker in the process, but continued to catch up unabated.
Scott Cavanough at the tiller of the Class 40 "Iskareen"
On Tuesday, Mathias Müller von Blumencron had already described how sailing felt in the unusually harsh conditions on his team's Facebook page: "We suffered all night when we came from Sabnach St. Barth in 23 to 28 knots of wind 30 Had to sail nautical miles upwind. Only the shooting stars made us smile before the next bang shook us to the core. It banged so often and we thought every time: this is the last the boat can take. But it could take even more, it's a damn stable beast. This race will be one of the most exhausting we've ever taken part in. The forecast predicts constant winds between 22-26 knots for the entire course. No mercy …"
The decision in the duel between "Iskareen" and "Red" was made on the last day. Bruhns says: "This morning, Max (editor: Max Droege) managed to make up for the decisive miles on the 'Red'. The distance was first shortened to a mile. Then the ship appeared next to us. From there we got intense and exhausting sailed against each other. " Bruhns described his impressions of the first participation in the dream regatta Caribbean climes in the port of destination of Antiguauch with a view to the demanding weather conditions: "We had a lot of wind and sometimes four to five meters high waves that are uncomfortably steep between the islands when coming from the Atlantic In addition to that, tropical downpours. Shortly before our destination we were exposed to gusts of wind, hail and heavy rain. " Bruhns was enthusiastic about the sailing experience on the Class 40: "The boat is extremely fast, sails spectacularly and is tough. Reach courses over a long period of time at 16 knots speed are possible without any problems. But you also feel as if you are stable be sprayed with salt water using a fire hose. " In the class ranking, the high-class duel "Iskareen" and "Red" led to places 3 and 4. Skipper Catherine Pourre and her team secured the class 40 class win on "Eärendil".
Helmsman Max Droege brings the "Iskareen" back within striking distance of the "Red" on the final day