Feel Good has landed, Vittorio and Nico Malingri have set a new Atlantic crossing record aboard an uninhabitable cat on the Dakar-Guadalupe route, with a time of 11 days 1 hour 15 minutes 15 seconds, about 95 miles ahead of the previous benchmark.
Although slowing down in the last 100 miles, the accumulated lead was such that the Malingrians had a final part with less psychological stress , trying to manage the margin miles and boat fatigue after 2500 miles of Atlantic ocean. A feat of great sporting and human value: father and son, the Old Man and the Dwarf and their Ocean to “climb.”
The record was never really in question, at least theoretically, as Feel Good from the start was able to sail virtually ahead of the benchmark time of Yves Moreau and Benoit Lequin. The Malingri, who are part of the Citroen Unconventional Team, sailed at a very steady pace, always maintaining a mileage over the 24h around 240 miles at an average of 10 knots; the French had completed the course instead with an average of 9.2.
“An indescribable lust,” began Nico Malingri on the dock at Pointe à Pitre as soon as he disembarked from Feel Good. ” The first 7-8 days were great, pure enjoyment, then the fatigue started but it was more mental than physical. We had worked a lot on comfort on board, so we were fine, but mentally the last few days and the last 200 miles in particular were very tough“.
“The hardest moment,” Vittorio recounts, “Was when we scuffed with about 200 miles to go. We were having a heated discussion about whether or not to put Code Zero. There was not much wind but it was quite gusty. We put on the Tails and scuffed. It was not yet daylight, but the situation was under control. We did the classic righting procedure, lowering the mainsail. Only to lower the sail I mistakenly straddled the mast and the boat was about to go 180 degrees and it would have been a disaster. Nico like a spider flew on the straightening tube followed by me and, very slowly, Feel Good came back straight“.
“How do we feel?” continued Vittorio, “We are very good, we had fun, but it was hard. Physically we are apposite, although of course the little problems we expected showed up: sores. Particularly in the groin, under the butt, and the ever-present ones on the hands. The last few days touching the water really hurt, but it’s all normal”
THE HISTORY OF THE RECORD
The record was held by Frenchmen Yves Moreau and Benoit Lequin who made the crossing in 11 days, 11 hours, 25 minutes and 42 seconds in 2007. Before them the benchmark time was set by Matteo Miceli and Andrea Gancia in 2005 in 13 days, 13 hours, 58 minutes and 27 seconds. After the French record, there were two Italian attempts: the first by Miceli himself paired with Tullio Picciolini in 2011, which ended with Biondina Nera’s scuffing and dismasting. The second was attempted in 2013 by Luca Tosi and Andrea Rossi, which ended in virtually similar fashion, but in both cases the Italian crews were sailing strong, with a good lead over the French record and a good chance of setting the new record. Vittorio Malingri in 2008 set the solo record on the same course with a time of 13 days, 17 hours and 48 minutes.
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