Yachting World February 2021

‘Hello? It’s Kevin!’ Of all the sailors I have interviewed in bizarre circumstances, this conversation was by far the most extraordinary. Just a couple of days after being plucked from a liferaft in the South Atlantic, Kevin Escoffier rang from his rescuer Jean Le Cam’s IMOCA 60 as it raced east at 17 knots. He sounded as relaxed as if he’d just got back from the shops. The details of what happened to Escoffier before and during his rescue are fascinating (see page 26). Above all, his safe recovery was down to superb seamanship by both skippers, who consistently made smart decisions in a situation that could have seemed hopeless. Their professionalism and cool-headedness are the result of decades of experience. There is no-one more experienced in this year’s race than Jean…

‘Hello? It’s Kevin!’ Of all the sailors I have interviewed in bizarre circumstances, this conversation was by far the most extraordinary. Just a couple of days after being plucked from a liferaft in the South Atlantic, Kevin Escoffier rang from his rescuer Jean Le Cam’s IMOCA 60 as it raced east at 17 knots. He sounded as relaxed as if he’d just got back from the shops. The details of what happened to Escoffier before and during his rescue are fascinating (see page 26). Above all, his safe recovery was down to superb seamanship by both skippers, who consistently made smart decisions in a situation that could have seemed hopeless. Their professionalism and cool-headedness are the result of decades of experience. There is no-one more experienced in this year’s race…

The most radical America’s Cup class ever conceived, the AC75 foiling monohulls, raced for the first time over 17-21 December, 2020 with the Auckland America’s Cup World Series. Cup Defenders and hosts Emirates Team New Zealand dominated the leaderboard, winning five of their six races. However, beyond the points tally things weren’t quite so simple: the event was ultimately only decided in a place-changing final race between Emirates Team New Zealand and Prada Pirelli Luna Rossa. If the Italians had held their intermittent lead to the end, the result would have been a tie between Pete Burling on the black boat and Dean Barker, helming for American Magic. Over the three-day World Series each team raced six times, Emirates Team New Zealand ultimately winning five of six, losing once to American Magic.…

It might have been a preliminary event that had no points bearing on the 36th America’s Cup, but there was no doubt among the teams that the Prada America’s Cup World Series was important, writes Matt Sheahan. This breed of foiling monohulls takes performance sailing into completely new territory. To see any of these boats fly downwind at 40 knots in just 12 knots of wind is beyond belief. Add in the rate at which teams have already been prepared to lock horns in the pre-start and it is hard not to draw breath. Just three days of racing provided a snapshot of a full Cup cycle. There were several near capsizes, a few wheelies, slam-dunk-stalls, heart-stopping near misses, lead changes, breakdowns, tacking duels and match racing starts. It’s clear that all of…

The most radical America’s Cup class ever conceived, the AC75 foiling monohulls, raced for the first time over 17-21 December, 2020 with the Auckland America’s Cup World Series. Cup Defenders and hosts Emirates Team New Zealand dominated the leaderboard, winning five of their six races. However, beyond the points tally things weren’t quite so simple: the event was ultimately only decided in a place-changing final race between Emirates Team New Zealand and Prada Pirelli Luna Rossa. If the Italians had held their intermittent lead to the end, the result would have been a tie between Pete Burling on the black boat and Dean Barker, helming for American Magic. Over the three-day World Series each team raced six times, Emirates Team New Zealand ultimately winning five of six, losing once to…

A new round the world race is being set up by top sailor and navigator Andrew Cape, who hopes to get a fleet to the start line this October. The Great Cape Race harks back to some of the purist principles of the early Whitbread Races. It will start from the UK and stop only in South Africa, Australia and South America before returning to the UK. The ambitious plan is to start this autumn with at least eight yachts on the line and a maximum of 14. The race is open to monohulls over 60ft racing under IRC, but they must be fast enough to finish leg one to Cape Town within 30 days. An early confirmed entry is the 100ft maxi Scallywag. Andrew Cape, who has raced seven times round the…