The harbour piers of the marina and the port of Las Palmas began to fill up early in the morning. Friends and family members of the crews, as well as many hundreds of locals, did not want to miss out on the annual spectacle. The best seats were quickly filled.
And there was a lot to see. The undocking alone lasted almost three hours. A seemingly endless line of 145 crews and their yachts marched past the onlookers. Cheering, waving and shouting, they headed for the marina exit before setting sail in front of the imposing breakwaters of the city's ferry and industrial harbour.
Three-hour-long run-out spectacle
The starting line was also laid out there, marked by a Spanish naval vessel. However, it took some time before the boats were sent on their way. Some of the first boats to leave the marina had to wait for several hours in fairly choppy seas.
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One man's sorrow, another man's joy: observers on land were presented with a marvellous picture. Yachts of all sizes cruised their courses in a wild-looking jumble - a feast for every yacht spotter! The "Nextgen by Jao" was an impressive sight. The racing yacht, a Volvo 60 (ex-"Team Brunel") may not be the longest in the field, but it probably has the best chance of beating the existing ARC speed record. It stands at 8 days, 6 hours, 29 minutes and 15 seconds.
When the "Heartbeat2" appeared for a moment next to the 22 metre long Volvo racer, the difference in size became very apparent. At just over ten metres in length, the JPK 10.30 is the smallest ship in this year's ARC fleet. It is sailed by Marlene Brudek and her two co-sailors. The German skipper is also competing in the racing group and has set herself an ambitious goal. We met Brudek shortly before the start (click here for the report).
Ambitious starts despite long distances
The multihulls were traditionally the first to start. At 12:30 local time, the boats approached the windward end of the line and waited until the last moment to set their headsails. The first to cross the line was "Sniky", a Nautitech 48, closely followed by the German-flagged "Mathilda", an Outremer 51.
The racers were the next to set off on the 2,700 nautical mile course. Ten boats gathered at a separate starting line. "La Loévie", a Swan 76, was the first to cross the line, skippered by the renowned regatta sailor JP Dick. The cruising sailors were the last group to set off. Here it was the Swan 56 "Azahar" that initially led the field.
The largest ship this year is the almost 25 metre long Swan 82 "Stella of RORC". The oldest boat, the "Galiana", is skippered by the Finn Tapio Lehtinen. It is a 17 metre long, Yawl-rigged Swan 55 from 1970. We also interviewed Lehtinen in Las Palmas (click here for the report).
Yachts on average just under 16 metres long and 14 years old
On average, the yachts taking part in the ARC 2025 are exactly 15.70 metres long and 14 years old. They sail under the flags of 29 nations. Great Britain is in first place in the nation ranking with 50 crews. The sailors from Germany are a long way behind in second place. The black, red and gold flag is flying on 13 boats. France follows in third place with eleven crews.
A total of 820 sailors are taking part this year. The oldest participant, who is also the skipper, is 80-year-old Murray Frederick Jacob on board the Australian-flagged "Aphrodite". The oldest participant is also 80 years old: Raija Alapeteri from Finland. She is skippering the Finnish "Carissa"; her fellow competitors form the only all-female crew at this year's ARC.
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At 21, the youngest skipper is the Italian Fedrico Pallesi on the "WhimSea". And the youngest co-sailor is two-year-old Samuel Dauber from Germany. He sails with his parents on the "Mathilda". A total of twelve children under the age of 16 are taking part in this year's ARC, spread across nine boats.
Moderate north-easterly trade winds do not promise a fast, but safe passage
After the first night at sea, the field of ARC yachts has scattered far and wide between the Canary Islands. Many are obviously trying their luck on a northerly course. In the coming days, the wind is expected to be more constant and somewhat stronger than on the traditional southern route. Overall, it currently looks as if the participants can look forward to a constant north-easterly trade wind blowing at between 15 and 20 knots. Although this will certainly not provide the racers with a record-breaking speed, it will allow the cruising sailors a comfortable and safe transatlantic passage.
The same applies to the almost 90 crews of the ARC+. They had already left Las Palmas two weeks earlier and first travelled to the Cape Verde Islands. After a few days in Midelo, they set off on their second leg on Saturday. Their destination is the Caribbean island of Grenada.
The positions of the yachts in the ARC and the ARC+
