Maserati Multi 70 crossed Cape Finisterre last night around 23 UTC. During the second part of the night, skipper Giovanni Soldini and the crew (Guido Broggi, Sébastien Audigane, Oliver Herrera Perez and Alex Pella) had to make six tacks to get around the north western tip of Spain and enter the Bay of Biscay. Went first to the East to be able then to head North: the upwind tacking sequence against the steady northeastern breeze is going on off the coast of Spanish Galicia. According to some weather forecasts, the wind should turn to the East in the next few hours maintaining 20 knots of intensity, this could allow Maserati Multi 70 to follow a more direct route towards Ushant island and the tip of Brittany, now less than 300 miles away.
Giovanni Soldini comments: ”We hope to arrive next night in Ushant and then to face the English Channel where we expect to find eastern winds, very strong at the end”.
After almost 34 days of navigation, at the 9.58 UTC rankings, the advantage of Maserati Multi 70 on the record holder's roadmap is 1.472 miles. There are 637 miles left (of the initial 13.000 nm) to the finish line in London. The arrival is currently scheduled for the morning of 23 February.
Left Hong Kong last January 18th, to beat the record set in 2008 by Lionel Lemonchois on board the 100 footer maxi catamaran Gitana 13 (41 days, 21 hours and 26 minutes), the 21.20 meters trimaran Maserati Multi 70 must cut the finish line under the Queen Elizabeth II bridge over the River Thames before the 1stof March.
To follow the challenge live, visit the cartography on maserati.soldini.it/cartography/
The challenge is supported by Maserati, the main sponsor that gives the name to the trimaran and Aon as co-sponsor, along with the official supplier for the clothing, Ermenegildo Zegna.
A special thanks also to Boero Bartolomeo S.p.A. and Contship Italia Group.