Leopard takes Caribbean honours

25th February 2009

Northern Ireland's Ross Monson has navigated ICAP Leopard, the 100ft super maxi that broke the Round Ireland record last year to line honours in the inaugural RORC Caribbean 600.At 07:25 local time, off the coast of Antigua, Monson Completed the course in 44 hours, 5 minutes, ICAP Leopard has set an awesome pace for competitors to beat in future editions of the race. Having also recently set a new course record for the Heineken Cape to Bahia Race, the RORC Caribbean 600 represents ICAP Leopard’s 12th record since her launch in 2007.

Mike Slade, owner of ICAP Leopard and Chief Executive of Helical Bar PLC, commented: "The Caribbean 600 has been a really challenging race which deserves to be a classic, as it fits well with the Fastnet and the Sydney Hobart. Large congratulations to RORC for the initiative."

Chris Sherlock, Boat Captain said: "It was a short but exhilarating offshore course that kept the guys busy the whole time. This meant very little sleep but some fantastic sailing!"

Ross Monson, Navigator also commented: "What an awesome race! Very exciting with lots of corners, marks, reefs, rocks and island wind shadows to navigate - often in the middle of the night. This race should definitely have a future."

The RORC Caribbean 600 is a brand new race organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, over a 600 mile offshore race around the Caribbean Sea. The race starts and finishes off Antigua’s English Harbour, taking in the sights of St Martin to the north and Guadeloupe to the south. The RORC Caribbean 600 hopes become an annual fixture in the already successful Caribbean racing season.

Published in News From the Afloat.ie Archive

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