Belgian sailor sets new single handed Round Ireland record
by Bert Janssen 5 Oct 2005 13:36 PDT
Michel Kleinjans from Belgium becomes the fastest single handed sailor around Ireland ! © Bert Janssen
Today at 14.49 GMT Belgian yachtsman Michel Kleinjans crossed the finish line off Dun Laoghaire to set a new single handed record time around Ireland of 4days, 1h and 52m on board his 1997 Open 40 ROARING FORTY, bettering the previous record by 1day, 10h and 8m.
After a delayed start due to a defective starter engine, Michel Kleinjans finally set sails on Saturday October 1st at 12.57 GMT.
After a very fast 180NM run towards the southern tip of Ireland, he experienced very calm conditions off the south-western coast. When the wind picked up again later on Sunday, ROARING FORTY stormed northwards. On Tuesday morning the skipper reported one torn spinnaker, and many dolphins around the Open 40 when rounding Tory Island.
3 hours later ROARING FORTY rounded Inistrahull in 22 knots of wind. He then realized that he would encounter a strong adverse tidal current in the Northern Channel, which in combination with the light headwinds forced him to tack close under the coastline. In the dark night ROARING FORTY forced her way south, in increasingly lighter and shiftier winds, to conclude her Irish circumnavigation at 14.49 GMT today.
According to her skipper ROARING FORTY could easily have notched of more time from the record: “If only I had been able to start when planned, a week ago, I could have made it in just 3 days”, admitted Michel Kleinjans.
When asked for his future plans, the skipper confirmed that the Round Britain and Ireland Race as well as the French Route du Rhum are high on his 2006 agenda, although he knows he will be needing firm sponsorship for the Route du Rhum: “The entry fee alone is rather on the high side for the amateur sailor that I am”, admits Michel Kleinjans.
ROARING FORTY is an Open 40 built in 1997 to a plan of Ad Konijnendijk (the same architect that designed TONNERE DE BRESKENS and the brand new FORMIDABLE of Piet Vroon).
The previous single handed Round Ireland record, 5 days, 12 hours and 11 minutes, was held by Irishman Michael Liddy sailing his production Beneteau 40.7 AFAOM.COM.
The record for crewed yachts is still held by the French 60-footer CITY JET/SOLUNE, in a time of 2 days, 9 hours and 41 minutes.
More information on Michel Kleinjans website at www.michel.kleinjans.be