FAST, FAST FASTNET…

FASTNET RECORD FOR MEAN MACHINE TRIO JUST DAYS BEFORE THE START OF THE TROPHY OF PORTUGAL

The TP52 Mean Machine boys Ray Davies, Dirk de Ridder and Jules Salter proved they’ve got what it takes to win, with a spectacular record in Plymouth.

Three of the Mean Machine crew have been involved in some serious preparation for next week’s fourth and penultimate MedCup event in Portimao on the Algarve coast. Not content with some test training or ‘warming up’ for the next Breitling MedCup regatta, Jules Salter, Dirk de Ridder and Ray Davies have gone and smashed a world record in one of sailing’s most gruelling and notorious challenges.

The boys crossed the Finish line of the Rolex Fastnet Race at 08h 58m 53sec local time on Wednesday, on board the 100-foot super maxi ICAP Leopard 3(GBR) owned by Mike Slade. They sailed across the line off the Plymouth breakwater after 1 day 20 hours and 18 minutes of racing, shaving just under 9 hours off the previous record time set in 1999 by RF Yachting.

It was a particularly dramatic edition of the monohull race with 191 boats abandoning the course, rough seas and winds of over 40 knots. Mean Machine tactician and also tactician on the record breaking ICAP Leopard 3 Ray Davies said the record was a great boost before heading to Portimao with the Mean Machine team:

“I really enjoyed sailing offshore again, however it did bring home to me the harsh reality of battling with wind and waves, it can be a tough fight! We got lucky with the weather, as it was just perfect for a record-breaking run. We knew that before the start of the race, so we always felt there was a bit extra to race for. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of conditions we get in Portimao – we’re certainly prepared for whatever the Atlantic dishes out!”

This was the first ever offshore race for Slade’s boat, but despite the spectacular record de Ridder, Davies, Salter and co. also had to grapple with some dramas during the race; namely a Genoa falling out of the track and dragging overboard, as well as the boat hitting a shark, which then got hung up on the rudder (a very brave crewmember jumped in to set it free…). They also had to deal with a brief loss of hydraulics as the oil pressure valve shut down.

Mean Machine’s Ray Davies and tactician on Leopard 3 knows the value of experience and teamwork:

“The boat itself is VERY powerful and we had legs on the fleet when the breeze was up, we feel we would struggle a bit in the softer conditions but the team understands that you can’t always be fast. Also, the sails onboard are something else, it would take 8 to 10 of us all our strength to move a wet sail up on deck for a sail change so you need to try keep your powder dry and make sure you really do want to do the sail change.” He added, “I look forward to sailing with those guys again - it was a hell of a ride!”

Among “those guys” were Mean Machine’s Dirk de Ridder (trimmer) and navigator Jules Salter. Both will be onboard Mean Machine’s TP52 on Monday, as the team hit the water for official training.

Mean Machine Navigator Jules is looking forward to some more exciting racing in Portugal:

”Sailing in Portugal will be great for us, and very exciting as we get to grips with a new Medcup venue. We’ve been doing some research in to the area, but you always have to be prepared for something a bit different and take each new place as you find it. This year has also been quite atypical weather-wise in a lot of places, so Portimao could even throw up some surprises for us. Sailing in the Atlantic will be different to the bay in Palma. Portimao seems to get some shifty offshore winds, so it will be a new challenge, which I am looking forward to. Hopefully we will get some stronger breezes - these boats are much more fun to sail in proper wind than the tame conditions we often get in the Med.”


They’ve certainly put in the preparation for what could be the most thrilling MedCup event yet.




For more info about Mean Machine contact to: Helena de la Gándara. Mean Machine PR mail: helena@mean-machine.nl Telephone: +34 609481394