Record NY a SF, Maserati rumbo a Cabo de Hornos

© Michele Sighel
Carlos Hernández y Corrado Rossignoli y un saludo particular al estar en la latitud de Buenos Aires. Dos amigazos que van por el record NY a SF.

Fuente info Maserati Soldini

Difficult weather conditions for Giovanni Soldini and his team
Maserati is expected to cross Cape Horn in 2000 miles

Over the last 48 hours, after a very fast descent from New York to Rio de Janeiro, Maserati finally slowed down.
Standing as the gate to enter the southern ocean, a wide and unmoving cold front had the Italian boat trapped in a dead-calm zone with no winds, mixed with sudden squalls and wind shifts.

Happily at today’s 11.20 update, Maserati has once again gained speed and is back at 20 knots of boatspeed after hooking into a stableSoutheasterly breeze.
“Aboard Maserati everything is fine but the last 48 hours were a nightmare – explains Soldini. We’ve been fighting like mad against the weak winds and the sudden wind shifts, wasting our energy without gaining many miles. However, this is a long route and we are aware of the fact that we need to cross different climatic areas.
St Helena’s mild climate has been replaced by a biting cold: it’s the door for the renowned Roaring Forties. We can’t wait to be off Argentina with Buenos Aires on our right, route on the Falkland Islands, then Tierra del Fuego and finally Cape Horn.”
Maserati is expected to cross Cape Horn, still 2000 miles away, around January 22.
Maserati has already sailed more than 5000 of the 13225 miles that separate New York and San Francisco on the historical Golden Route. This feat has been accomplished in only 15 days at an average boat speed of 14,2 knots.

Updates with videos and images from the boat and hourly updated tracker with Maserati’s position can be found at www.maserati.soldini.it () and social networks: Facebook (Giovanni Soldini Pagina Ufficiale, more than 18.000 friends; RyanBreymaier) and Twitter (@giovannisoldini, more than 98.000 followers; @ryanbreymaier).

NEW YORK – SAN FRANCISCO RECORD STORY
The 13225 nautical miles that separate New York from San Francisco via Cape Horn, are an historic route, widely travelled by clippers that were involved in the goldrush starting from the second half of 1800. The best result of the time was set in 1854 by Flying Cloud, exceptional vessel from the Boston shipyards, that reached San Francisco in 89 days and 21 hours, a record that stood for more than 130 years.
After several attempts by many boats, the 60-foot Thursday’s Child of Warren Luhrs arrived in San Francisco after 80 days and 20 hours in 1989. In 1994, Isabelle Autissier aboard Ecureuil Poitou took 62 days and 5 hours. Then, in 1998, Yves Parlier on board Aquitaine Innovations has dropped to 57 days, 3 hours, 2 minutes. This is the reference record for Giovanni Soldini and his crew who will try to beat it aboard the VOR70 Maserati, from the second half of December 2012.
The overall record in the multihull category belongs to Lionel Lemonchois that made thejourney in 43 days and 38 minutes aboard Gitana 13 in 2008.

The challenge is being sponsored by Maserati as main partner and inspiration for the boat’s name, by the Swiss bank BSI (Generali Group) and by Generali itself as co-sponsor.

MASERATI
Maserati’s support and participation in this majorItalian challenge in sport and technology confirms the company’s role as a world ambassador for that level of excellence for which Italy is universally known. Maserati gives zealous expression to that excellence every day in 65 countries worldwide, through successful high-quality cars like the Quattroporte, GranTurismo and GranCabrio. The performance of Maserati cars on the road matches that of Giovanni Soldini and Maserati on water.

BSI and Generali
BSI is one of Switzerland’s oldest banks andspecialises in private wealth management through top flight global management. BSI is a fully controlled member of the Generali Group, and fields a presence on all major international financial markets, especially in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
Generali is one of the world’s largest international insurance groups with offices in over 60 countries. The group boasts a robust footprint in Europe, EEC member states, Asia and Latin America, serving over 70 million customers. The Generali Group is a European leader in life insurance with assets of over 400 billion euros.

Suppliers for the attempt include Vodafone Italia, responsible for providing telecommunication services and developing the official website, official time keeper Bulgari, and Boero Bartolomeo S.p.A. producers of the special paints and enamels used on the hull.
Maserati is also sponsored by Eataly, suppliers to the boat’s galley, Beta Utensili, who have provided all the professional tools, Corderia Lancelin, supplier of the special ropes and cables, FPT Industrial for technical assistance with the engines, Jeppesen for the cartography, B&G Navico for technical assistance with on-board instrumentation, Cantiere Picchiotti of La Spezia, home of Maserati on dry land, and the Port of La Spezia, home of Maserati when at sea.