Alexia Barrier and The Famous Project set for RORC Transatlantic Race

The Famous Project © Agence TB Press

On Sunday, January 7th, the 24 competitors participating in the RORC Transatlantic Race, will take the start on a 2900-mile race from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, to Port Louis Marina in Grenada, Caribbean.

Among these contenders, Limosa, helmed by Alexia Barrier, will be one of the four MOD70s lining up at the start.

Aboard Limosa, the crew will consist of Alexia Barrier, Dee Caffari, Elodie-Jane Metraux, Marie Riou, and specialist MOD70 coaches: Tom Dawson, Jeff Mearing, and Sidney Gavignet. For skipper Alexia Barrier, participating in this transatlantic race fulfills several objectives: firstly "To develop the multihull skills of the team; secondly, as part of a crew selection process for the Jules Verne Trophy; and thirdly, to compete against highly skilled crews, including some of the best multihull sailors in the world. All of this makes it an exciting endeavour."

The race, starting on Sunday, January 7th, gathers four MOD70s, uniting the top contenders in the category. The crew of Limosa will face off against Maserati, led by Giovanni Soldini, (the current record holder, completing the race in 05 days 05 hours 46 minutes and 26 seconds), the Zoulou Team, skippered by Erik Maris and Ned Collier Wakefield, and the Argo Team, led by Jason Carroll and Chad Corning, with Brian Thompson on board !

"This marks our first transatlantic race with the MOD70! The MOD70 is a demanding and intricate vessel, and the team have been training hard. We've received tremendous support from our coaches and team, sailing together for several months. It will not be easy, the other teams are well practiced and at the top of their game - we are excited to be up against them!" adds Alexia.

Dee Caffari MBE, co-skipper - "Since joining the Famous Project, I've been extremely excited every time I'm out on the water, as it feels like I'm learning to sail in a new way. Sailing a trimaran is a new style of sailing for me. It's a very fast boat when pushed to the limit, and the concentration needed to keep it that way is staggering. I think we all know in the back of our minds that if we go a little too far, it's game over. The consequences of a mistake are much more serious than on a monohull, and this fine line that we have to follow is what we're all learning. The Transatlantic Race with powerful and experienced competition will be a real turning point for us. The stakes are higher, and we're ready for the challenge."

The Famous Project's Trimaran, Limosa, departed the port of Toulon on Monday, December 11th, for the delivery trip to Lanzarote, and after a pit stop in Port Adriano, Mallorca, is scheduled to scheduled to arrive on the 20th December in Arrecife. After a Christmas break, the crew will reunite in the Canaries at the beginning of January to prepare for the race.

Alexia Barrier - photo © Agence TB Press