The Artemis Challenge 2016 at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week

by Artemis Challenge on 10 Aug 2016 In a last minute change of play, giant trimaran Phaedo3 will now take on RPM Racing’s nimble Tranwall M32 catamaran in the 2016 Artemis Challenge starting tomorrow.

Following the decision from British MOD70 team Concise 10 to withdraw from the Challenge due to sail damage, the Tranwall team and their 32ft match-racing cat stepped up to the plate to become the new Artemis Challenge sparring partner for Lloyd Thornburg’s mighty white racing machine Phaedo3.

At 32 feet, the whizzy Tranwall M32 is less than half the size Phaedo3’s giant 70 foot hulls. The 2016 Artemis Challenge looks set to be a real battle of David vs Goliath.

Headed up by skipper Steve Thomas, the Tranwall team consists of 2017 World Match Racing Tour hopefuls, Torvar Mirsky, Alex Landwehr, Matt Haslam and the Magenta Project’s Libby Greenhalgh.

As well as providing recent Round Ireland World Record breakers Phaedo3 with some healthy competition, the Tranwall team will not only be the first M32 to take part in the Artemis Challenge, but the first to go around the Isle of Wight.

Speaking the day before the race, skipper Thomas said that the team are using the Extreme 40 round the Isle of Wight World record set by Sir Ben Ainslie and Team Origin in 2008 as their Artemis Challenge benchmark – three hours, 23 minutes, 50 seconds.

“It’s great for the team to be taking part in the Artemis Challenge,” he said. “We’re looking forward to racing against Phaedo3 and raising money for our chosen charities Childhood and the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation. We’d love to break the Extreme 40 record, but for us being the first to take an M32 around the Island will be a great achievement.”

Meanwhile, Thornburg and his crew, which includes Artemis Figaro sailors Sam Goodchild and Henry Bomby, will be looking to add another world record to their arsenal. Phaedo3 will be trying to break the overall Round the Isle of Wight World Record currently held by MOD70 Foncia.

Set by Michel Desjoyeaux and his crew during the 2012 Artemis Challenge, the time to beat on Thursday is two hours, 21 minutes and 25 seconds.

For 2016, the £10,000 charity race will start at 0950am on Thursday 11th August from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line.