Controlling The Animal | Arrival of Volvo 70 L4 Trifork

At sunset on the tenth day of the RORC Transatlantic Race, the modified Volvo 70 L4 Trifork (DEN) finished the RORC Transatlantic Race in an elapsed time of 9 days 10 hrs 27 mins and 58 secs. L4 Trifork is the second monohull to finish the race and the first of three 70-foot hi-tech ocean racers. L4 Trifork’s IRC corrected time is not enough to beat the 100ft Maxi Comanche (CAY) for the overall lead. The L4 Trifork team had a warm welcome at Camper and Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, as every boat can expect in the RORC Transatlantic Race. Marina Manager Zara Tremlett and her staff provided ice cold beers and the Grenada Tourism Authority, represented by Chinel Sandy, presented L4 Trifork’s Joern Larsen with a basket of Grenada produce to welcome the team to Grenada. Andrew McIrvine, Secretary General of the IMA and RORC Race Officer Steve Cole were also on hand to congratulate the team. “It has been a long ride and we have had all kinds of weather along the way, especially when we went north into cold weather and up to 38 knots of wind,” commented Joern Larsen. “It is a relief to get here and the race has been an absolute pleasure. In total with this trip we have raced 4,000 miles in under 10 days and next we will do the RORC Caribbean 600. The boat is now part of the Trifork family. We take out Trifork employees, customers and partners to have a special experience. It is the first time I have come to Grenada and it warms my heart to have presents from local people, we love it.” L4 Trifork was originally Ericsson 4, the Juan K design that won the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race. Many consider Ericsson 4 as the best Volvo 70 ever built. The original intention was for L4 Trifork to be a fast cruiser, but working with boat captain Jens Dolmer, L4 Trifork has been modified into a turbo-charged offshore racer with a longer bow sprit and side foils. Race tactician Bouwe Bekking explains the concept behind L4 Trifork: “We had a good game plan, but Comanche is an amazing boat. Maybe if we didn’t have the rating hit for the side foils we would have been there on (IRC) corrected time,” commented Bouwe Bekking dockside. “But the owner doesn’t give a damn about the rating, the goal is to be the fastest 70-footer and we have achieved that, as we hope to also in the RORC Caribbean 600. It is always fun to race these boats and all credit to the experienced crew, and Jens Dolmer who has done a fantastic job preparing L4 Trifork. We didn’t have a single breakage. This boat is an animal and if we don’t keep in control, it can be dangerous.” Read more at https://bit.ly/3IwMLAL #RORCTransatlanticRace #RORCracing ©️ RORC/Arthur Daniel/Louay Habib/Pictures of Grenada. Trifork/Soeren Wiegand Kristensen