

By Edwin Gifford
The RORC Caribbean 600 will get underway today at 11am off English Harbour’s Fort Charlotte, as a cannon blast signals the start of the 14th edition of this epic and dramatic ocean race.
With over 71 boats representing 16 nations and crewed by over 700 sailors from 29 countries, the RORC Caribbean 600 is recognised as one of the most difficult and prestigious ocean races on the planet. Truly a world championship regatta, this year’s edition will be contested by some of the world’s best mariners racing on some of the world’s fastest boats.
Fort Charlotte and Shirley Heights are excellent locations from which to watch this morning’s start. The wind conditions are forecast to be 15 to 20 knots of out of the East North East, which should make for a spectacular send-off.
With giant waves, gear failure, sea sickness, lack of sleep and all the other challenges involved in a contest of this difficulty, just crossing the finish line is often the accomplishment of a lifetime for the intrepid sailors brave enough to participate.
The 600 nautical mile course will go around 11 Caribbean islands. The fleet will first head north around St Martin, then go south as far as the Les Saints off of Guadeloupe, and finally north again with the race finishing back at Fort Charlotte.
Maserati, a multihull 70 skippered by iconic Italian yachtsman, Giovanni Soldini, has returned to Antigua looking to avenge last year’s heart-breaking loss of first-to-finish honours to Argo, the MOD 70 multi-hull, skippered by American Jason Carroll.
Last year’s duel between these two modern day clipper ships produced a sensational 600 nautical-mile neck and neck, back and forth battle, with Argo and Maserati exchanging the lead four times, the last as Argo slipped by Maserati with three miles to the finish. By beating Maserati by two minutes, Argo set the new world record for fastest time at 1 day, 5 hours and 29 minutes — a record Soldini and the crew of Maserati hope to break, starting at 11 today.
Last year, Antiguan Tristan Louwrens, 24, sailing onboard American Christopher Sheehen’s Pac 52 Warrior Won, helped hoist the elusive Caribbean 6OO championship trophy for the overall winner. Seeking additional glory and a fast ride, Tristin is racing onboard American Roy P Disney’s Volvo 70, Pyewacket, which is one of the most competitive boats in the fleet.
Antiguans Daniel Brown — who is training to be a YRA sailing instructor — and Zindane Martin — who represented Antigua at the Caribbean Dingy championships — are racing onboard the Australian Volvo 70 Green Dragon, skippered by Johannes Schwartz.
Sailing once again in the super competitive IRC 1 class, Antigua’s Bernie Evan Wong will be lining up at the start onboard his RP 37-foot Taz. Bernie holds the record for being the only sailor to have skippered or raced in all 14 RORC 600’s. With two class victories and trips to the podium on three other occasions, nobody has won more hardware in the 600 than Bernie. Yet Bernie says it’s not just about winning: “Last year we did not get on the podium and what I remember best from last year’s race was the awesome party after the prize giving! It’s not all about winning, but participating and having fun!”
Bernie is just celebrating his 70th birthday, and even if he finally wins the coveted Caribbean 600 trophy this year, — and he has almost won it twice — he has no plans to retire any time soon. “I hope to keep participating as long as I am still fit enough, but it is a physically demanding race”. That being said, Bernie credits his longevity as an ocean racer to ocean racing itself. “The whole challenge of the planning and logistics is exciting to me; that, and the fine-tuning based on past experience, is what keeps me young!”
Meanwhile, another Antiguan, Emily Gaillard, 15, of Potters Extension — also known as Peanut — is racing the 600 onboard Antigua’s 65-foot Spirit of Juno and is the fleet’s youngest sailor.
An International Optimist dingy champion and straight A student at St Anthony’s Secondary School, Emily, who is taking time off from her studies, was given the helm of Spirit over the three days of the Nelson Cup last week (a tune-up for the 600), and performed excellently helping Juno bring home two bullets in Tuesdays racing. Juno’s captain David Hanks commented that “Emily is a natural on the helm and fit straight in with the team”.
Emily isn’t planning on doing any homework on the 600. “Most likely, I won’t be doing any homework underway for a few reasons. My books will get wet and there is no internet.” Emily said she loves to sail because “it lets me free my mind from everything going on, and it gives me confidence”.
All boats participating in the RORC Caribbean 600 will be carrying transponders and the race can be followed at https://caribbean600.rorc.org

