Sailing-Argo smashes Antigua 360 record in 35-knot blitz

By Ossian Shine

Feb 21 (Reuters) - Jason Carroll's MOD70 Argo has smashed the course record for the Royal Ocean Racing Club Antigua 360 Race, screaming around the 48-nautical-mile circuit in 2 hours, 29 minutes and 20 seconds - a 25% improvement on the previous mark.

The trimaran slashed 45 minutes off Argo's own 2023 record of 3 hours, 14 minutes and 23 seconds, turning the turquoise waters off Antigua into a blur, during what Carroll described as "a beautiful day for sailing and a fantastic lap around Antigua."

Despite encountering rougher conditions on the island's eastern flank and approximately 20 knots of wind at the start, Carroll's crew opted for a conservative approach with one reef, to reduce maximum sail size and de-power the boat.

"We chose to go with one reef, which felt like the right call. I think we sailed it relatively conservatively and didn't leave much out there," Carroll said.

The only hiccup came during "one bad tack where we ended up in irons and had to back out, which probably cost us about a minute, but apart from that it was smooth sailing all the way around."

Crew member Sam Goodchild, who will also race on Argo for the upcoming RORC Caribbean 600, highlighted the spectacular nature of the course.

"The lap around Antigua is always spectacular on a MOD70, but it really comes alive once you turn at Green Island and light it up on the reach," Goodchild said.

At blistering speeds touching the mid-30s in proper trade wind conditions, precision becomes paramount.

"At those speeds, every manoeuvre has to be clean and everyone needs to be completely switched on, especially with other boats on the course," Goodchild said.

For Carroll, who missed the RORC Transatlantic, the record represents a triumphant return.

"It's great to be back on the boat ... it feels good to be back with the boys and pushing hard again. Setting a new course record around Antigua is special."