The challenge against Argo and PowerPlay starts tomorrow

Modena, 29th May 2019 - Maserati Multi 70 Giovanni Soldini's team will set sail from San Francisco for the first edition of the CA 500 tomorrow at 13:00 local time (20:00 UTC and 22:00 Italian time). The CA 500 is the last event of the California Offshore Race Week, a series of races organized by the Encinal Yacht Club, the Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club, the Santa Barbara Yacht Club and the San Diego Yacht Club.

The CA 500 course, from San Francisco to San Diego, is approximately 500 miles long: after crossing the starting line, off St. Francis Yacht Club, the fleet will have to leave Farallon Island Light to port before heading towards the finish line off San Diego.

This year for the first time the CA 500 has been added to the California Offshore Race Week. The series, started in 2016, includes 3 other races, with shorter courses: the Spinnaker Cup, the Coastal Cup and the SoCal 300.

There are 3 other boats entering the race alongside Maserati Multi 70: in the multihull category the American MOD 70 Argo, skippered by Jason Carroll, and the English MOD 70 PowerPlay, skippered by Peter Cunningham; in the monohull category Swan 461 Free.

Maserati Multi 70 will sail in flying mode, unlike her direct rivals, who will sail in classic MOD mode. Through continuous research and tests to improve the trimaran's flying performance, the Italian Team has developed new settings for the flying foils and T-shaped rudders. The two rudders, on starboard and port side, will be set to different compensation and foil area parameters, so the Team will be able to test these new configurations during the race.

Giovanni Soldini explains: 'We're very happy to participate in the CA 500, which is a great training for the Transpac (Transpacific Yacht Race) and a perfect opportunity to race against our competitors. During this race we will carry out many tests, we can't wait to try out the new configurations and settings both of the foils and rudders, and of the sails. Our attitude for this race will be different: we will be more focused on optimizing Maserati Multi 70's flying performance and less concerned about what our competitors are doing.'

During the first 12 hours of the race, weather forecasts show 25 knots of NW wind, with gusts up to 30 knots, and rough sea: it will be difficult for Maserati Multi 70 to fly steadily. Closer to the finish line, in the last 100 miles, the wind will drop abruptly, but at the moment the forecasts vary: the European models indicate a wind between 3 and 4 knots, whereas the American models are more optimistic.

For the CA 500, alongside skipper Giovanni Soldini, there will be 6 professional sailors aboard Maserati Multi 70:

•Willy Altadill (ESP), trimmer – born in 1992, he started sailing when he was very young and began racing in professional regattas at the age of 17. In 2011 he participated in the Rolex Fastnet Race aboard maxi yacht Leopard, conquering first place; he crewed aboard MAPFRE for the Volvo Ocean Race both in the 2014-15 and the 2017-18 editions.

•Guido Broggi (IT), mainsail trimmer – born in 1971, he is Maserati Multi 70's boat captain and has thousands of miles of ocean sailing under his belt. He has been working alongside Giovanni Soldini for many years, since he was team leader in the building and in the racing preparation of 60' Fila in 1998. He was part of Maserati Multi 70's crew for the Tea Route record from Hong Kong to London and, in 2019, for the RORC Caribbean 600.

•Oliver Herrera Perez (ESP), bowman – born in 1987, in his career he raced aboard Ims 500s, Swan 45s and Rc44s. He was previously part of VOR 70 Maserati's crew and now he continues to race as bowman aboard Maserati Multi 70. He crewed for Giovanni Soldini during the Tea Route record and the RORC Caribbean 600.

•Nico Malingri (IT), grinder and trimmer – born in 1991, he started sailing at a very young age and has conquered two double-handed records with his father Vittorio Malingri aboard a 20-foot-long catamaran: the Marseilles-Carthage in 2016 and the Dakar-Guadeloupe in 2017. Aboard Maserati Multi 70 he participated in the latest editions of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, the RORC Transatlantic Race and the RORC Caribbean 600.

•François Robert (FRA), pitman – born in 1967, he participated in many races, among which two Mini Transat and one Transat Jacques Vabre. He was part of the building Team for Giovanni Soldini's 60' Fila and Class 40 Telecom Italia. Aboard the Italian trimaran he participated in the latest edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race and the RORC Transatlantic Race.

•Matteo Soldini (IT), grinder and trimmer – born in 1993, he has been part of the Maserati Multi 70 project since its start and has participated in many offshore races, including one edition of the RORC Caribbean 600. He was part of the trimaran's crew for the latest Rolex Middle Sea Race, RORC Transatlantic Race and RORC Caribbean 600.

The CA 500 is the second regatta in Maserati Multi 70 and Giovanni Soldini's 2019 racing season, following the RORC Caribbean 600 in February. The Italian Team will then participate in the 50th edition of the Transpacific Yacht Race, from Point Fermin, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, starting on July 13th. After that, the Italian trimaran will set course towards Asia, to participate to the Hong Kong to Vietnam Race, starting on October 16th.

Photo credit: Maserati
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