The “Maxicat Victoria” arrives in La Gomera and breaks the record in the first leg of the Discovery Route
-
The challenge can be followed in real time with the tracker and the free Virtual Regatta app, at www.desafiovictoria.com.
-
The “Maxicat Victoria” crossed the finish line in La Gomera at 16 hours, 00 minutes and 4 seconds today, Monday, November 11th.
Monday, November 11, 2024.
Maxicat Victoria” crossed the finish line on the Canary Island of La Gomera at 16 hours, 00 minutes and 4 seconds this afternoon, Monday, November 11. The difference with “Mapfre”, which currently holds the record for the Discovery Route, was 45 minutes and 52 seconds. “Maxicat Victoria” took 1 day, 18 hours, 34 minutes and 38 seconds to complete the first leg of this route and ‘Mapfre’ did it in 1 day, 19 hours, 20 minutes and 30 seconds.
“In this first leg of the Discovery Route record, we have done very well and we have had bearing winds. We set off with little wind from Huelva and we immediately got some 18 to 30 knots of wind and it has allowed us to test the boat with the conditions of the Atlantic. Understanding the boat well for the second leg is the key to this great challenge. Between us we have worked very well with a wheel of guards, which has allowed us to go with a good pace,” said Alex Pella.
After passing through La Gomera, the crew of “Maxicat Victoria” formed by Alex Pella, Lalou Roucayrol, Alejandro Cantero, Alberto Muñoz, Pablo Santurde, Pilar Casares and Manuel Maqueda, will head to the Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and will moor until the next weather window that will allow them to start the second leg of this route, the one between La Gomera and San Salvador, in the Bahamas. To break the record, they will have to complete both legs in less than 11 days, 7 hours and 40 seconds.
The “Maxicat Victoria” has a real time tracking system during the entire voyage and at each moment will offer comparative information on distance covered and time spent with the current record holder, the “Mapfre”. To this end, the two boats’ departures will be synchronized so that the tracking will offer a “virtual” mode simulating the joint navigation of the boats, offering visual comparative information to followers of the record.
In addition, this new record has included the Virtual Regatta game, which will allow players to participate virtually, testing their sailing skills and facing the same challenges as the boat in real life. This platform collaborates with major sailing events and has attracted millions of global users. Both the game and the tracker are available on the web at www.desafiovictoria.com.
Discovery route (Ruta del descubrimiento)
This route was the first of the four voyages made by Christopher Columbus. The expedition departed from Palos de la Frontera, in Huelva, on August 3, 1492, composed of three ships: Santa María, Pinta and La Niña, and sighted the mainland, on the island of San Salvador, on October 12, 1492. Thus began one of the world’s greatest milestones: the discovery of a new continent.
Victoria Challenge (Desafío Victoria)
Alex Pella and his crew have already achieved two records, the ‘Around Menorca’, beaten in April with a record of 5 hours, 4 minutes and 57 seconds and the ‘Around Spain’, in July, in 4 days, 17 hours, 14 minutes and 46 seconds.
Historically, Spain has been the greatest maritime power and the great explorer of the blue planet. 500 years ago, the Spanish expedition initiated by Magellan and completed by Elcano changed the world. Inspired by this adventure in history, ‘Desafío Victoria’ was born, a major project in which a legendary ship has been recovered to revive and compete in the greatest oceanic challenge of all time: circumnavigating the world to the west. The Maxicat Victoria is a legendary ocean-going multihull, built in France, with a length of 33.5 meters, a beam of 17.5 meters and a mast height of 42.6 meters.
It will be a sporting, circular and global challenge.
Circumnavigating the planet westward is not only a human and sporting challenge, but also a race against time to change our mentality and the future of the planet. Hence the fact that the boat chosen to face the challenge is reused; the energies that drive it are renewable; the food on board is sustainable; the water is purified; and its commitment to minimize our carbon footprint and the waste generated throughout the project is non-negotiable.
Festina, Qualitas Energy and IDOM join the global challenge of the “Victoria” Challenge
The watch brand Festina is the main sponsor and official timekeeper of the “Victoria” Challenge from the beginning. “At Festina we joined this ambitious project not only because of the sporting component, but also because of its deep commitment to sustainability and care for the environment. We are proud that our watches witness the determination of sailors like the renowned Alex Pella and mark every second of this great challenge,” says Miguel Rodriguez, founder and president of Festina Group.
Also supporting the project are the engineering group IDOM and Qualitas Energy, a global investment and management platform specializing in renewable energy, energy transition and investment in sustainable infrastructure.
Photographs Delphine Trentacosta
Responsible for communications for Desafío Victoria:
Desirée Tornero
desiree@aguaysalcomunicacion.com
More information at:
From “Navegantes Oceánicos” we congratulate Alex Pella and the whole Desafío Victoria team for reaching this first milestone in the “Discovery Route” record attempt, as a previous step to the “Trofeo Oceánico ELCANO” round the world sailing project.
