Maserati Sailing Team Begins Record Run from Miami to New York

[Ocean Racing]

[Ocean Racing]

For Immediate Release

Maserati Sailing Toward Newfoundland

Giovanni Soldini and his team ready to face winds of 25-30 knots

New York (May 10, 2012) - One day and 6 hours after crossing the starting line in front of Ambrose Light, in the bay of New York, Maserati is sailing at 20 knots toward Newfoundland. Last night went by without any problems on board but with many wind shifts caused by thunderstorms. In the past hours the wind has increased, reaching an intensity of 25-30 knots. This has allowed Maserati to sail even faster and to gain miles on the "virtual" race with Mari Cha IV, currently the world record holder of the monohull speed record from New York to England. The mapping online shows Maserati's position along with Mari Cha IV's historic sail in 2003.

Tomorrow morning Maserati expects to reach the southeastern coast of Newfoundland, a critical area due to the floating icebergs and the strong winds (30 knots are expected). Cape Race, at the southeastern tip of Newfoundland, is known for its dense fog, rocky coast and the Cape Race lighthouse which was in communication with the captain of the Titanic immediately before the great ship hit an iceberg and sank.

Giovanni Soldini, on board of Maserati, writes: "I am very pleased with the new crew that is getting along really well, more than I expected. Just after a few hours, it looked like we had been sailing together for years! We have finally caught the wind we were expecting and we are keeping a southern route so that when the wind increases we will be able to move quickly east. Heading north will be easier this way. I hope we don't come across too many floating icebergs tomorrow."

American navigator and watch leader Brad Van Liew adds: "Life on board is getting chilly and it is wet, but nothing like when we will sail through the North Atlantic cocktail in a couple days."

For more information contact:
info@oceanracing.org

[Ocean Racing]

Maserati Takes an Advantage of 80 Miles

11 May 2012

At 10.36 GMT (12.36 Italian time) Maserati flies at a speed 20 of knots, taking an advantage of 80 miles on Mari Cha IV, the 140 ft maxi yacht that set the New York-Lizard Point speed record.

In these hours, Giovanni Soldini and his crew of 7 members are facing the floating icebergs and the freezing 5° Celsius waters in front of Newfoundland. Due to these critical conditions, the navigation is really challenging.

Aboard Maserati, Giovanni Soldini explains: “We will shortly be sailing in the iceberg zone. The water temperature is currently at 5° Celsius. For security reasons we have decided to slow down a little. We will be entering the iceberg area in the next 85 miles and will be out of it in 220 miles. We have been forced to follow a northerly route that takes us through the floating icebergs because the Azores high pressure is really north. We will sail up to 49°N and then head towards Lizard Point. Both Maserati and the crew are doing great and we are really pleased with the advantage we have on Mari Cha IV. The next hours are crucial. We will keep our eyes wide open.”

Maserati left New York on May 9 at 7.20 GMT (9.20 Italian time) to try and break the New York – Lizard Point speed record set by Mari Cha IV that sailed the route in 6 days, 17 hours, 52 minutes and 39 seconds.

Today at 10.36 GMT Maserati still has to sail 1904 miles.

[Ocean Racing]

For Immediate Release

Maserati Takes an Advantage of Almost 200 Miles on the Atlantic World Record Set by Mari Cha IV

Giovanni Soldini and his team are facing intense conditions, sailing through the floating icebergs of Newfoundland

New York (May 11, 2012) - At 12.36 GMT (08.36 EDT) Maserati is flying at a speed of 23 knots, taking an advantage of 190 miles on Mari Cha IV, the 140 foot maxi yacht that set the New York-Lizard Point speed record in 2003.

Giovanni Soldini and his international crew of seven are facing floating icebergs and freezing 5° Celsius waters off the Newfoundland coast. Due to these severe conditions, the navigation is really challenging.

On board Maserati, Giovanni Soldini explains: "We will shortly be sailing in the iceberg zone and we will be out of it in about 130 miles. The water temperature is currently at 5° Celsius. For safety reasons we have decided to slow down a little. We have been forced to follow a northerly route that takes us through the floating icebergs because the Azores high pressure is really far north. We will sail up to 49°N and then head towards Lizard Point. Both Maserati and the crew are doing great and we are really pleased with the advantage we have on Mari Cha IV. The next hours are crucial. We will keep our eyes wide open."

Maserati left New York on May 9 at 7.20 GMT (3.20 EDT) to try and break the New York - Lizard Point speed record set by Mari Cha IV that sailed the route in 6 days, 17 hours, 52 minutes and 39 seconds. Today at 12.36 GMT Maserati still has to sail 1,862 miles.

The record attempt can be followed live on Giovanni Soldini and Maserati's website (www.maserati.soldini.it). The site contains news, videos and photos of the lifestyle of crew members on board, and provides continuous monitoring of the marine weather conditions, as well as online tracking to check the position and speed of Maserati in real time. Continuous updates are also available on Facebook (through Giovanni Soldini's official page) and Twitter (@giovannisoldini and Brad Van Liew @BradVanLiew).

The challenge is being sponsored by Maserati as main partner and inspiration for the boat's name, by the Swiss bank BSI (Generali Group) and by Generali itself as co-sponsor.

MASERATI
Maserati's support and participation in this major Italian challenge in sport and technology confirms the company's role as a world ambassador for that level of excellence for which Italy is universally known. Maserati gives zealous expression to that excellence every day in 65 countries worldwide, through successful high-quality cars like the Quattroporte, GranTurismo and GranCabrio. The performance of Maserati cars on the road matches that of Giovanni Soldini and Maserati on water.

BSI and Generali
BSI is one of Switzerland's oldest banks and specialises in private wealth management through top flight global management. BSI is a fully controlled member of the Generali Group, and fields a presence on all major international financial markets, especially in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Generali is one of the world's largest international insurance groups with offices in over 60 countries. The group boasts a robust footprint in Europe, EEC member states, Asia and Latin America, serving over 70 million customers. The Generali Group is a European leader in life insurance with assets of over 400 billion euros.

Suppliers for the attempt include Vodafone Italia, responsible for providing telecommunication services and developing the official website, the marine clothing brand Murphy&Nye, who have supplied the clothing for the entire Maserati team, official time keeper Bulgari, and Boero Bartolomeo S.p.A. producers of the special paints and enamels used on the hull.

Maserati is also sponsored by Eataly, suppliers to the boat's galley, Beta Utensili, who have provided all the professional tools, Corderia Lancelin, supplier of the special ropes and cables, FPT Industrial for technical assistance with the engines, Jeppesen for the cartography, B&G Navico for technical assistance with on board instrumentation, Cantiere Picchiotti of La Spezia, home of Maserati on dry land, and the Port of La Spezia, home of Maserati when at sea.

For additional information contact:
info@oceanracing.org

[Ocean Racing]

For Immediate Release

The North Atlantic Record Fades Away for Giovanni Soldini and his Maserati Team

Following Three Days of Extreme Conditions and Intense Speed the Weather Fails

New York (May 14, 2012) - "We didn't make it; the barometer has started to rise." With these words Giovanni Soldini, on board Maserati, said that the New York-Lizard Point record attempt has definitely faded away. After blasting through the first 1,500 miles of the course, at speeds which averaged more than 20 knots and placed Maserati ahead of the existing world record, the weather models changed and destroyed their charge to the finish line.

The team ended up in a dead calm zone caused by the high pressure that suddenly placed itself in the boat's route. The weather forecasts originally predicted just after Newfoundland, a north- westerly wind of 20-25 knots would push Maserati toward the finishing line. However, the weather models changed by the moment, and Maserati was a mere 30 miles away from the north-westerly wind that would have let them escape the high pressure. The high pressure moved faster than Maserati and the wind relentlessly started decreasing.

There was nothing left to do for Giovanni Soldini and his team. Once they entered the weak winds after rushing through Newfoundland's icebergs and fog, the "virtual" advantage of 200 miles on Mari Cha IV (a 140 foot maxi yacht which set the North Atlantic speed record in 2003 in 6 days, 17 hours, 52 minutes, 39 seconds) got thinner and thinner.

Giovanni explains: "It's a pity. I am really upset about it. A great opportunity missed in an instant, but as usual we were in the sea's hands and we couldn't command it. I hope to have the opportunity to try again. The North Atlantic record falls through and we have to wait for the southerly wind. We showed that Maserati can break Mari Cha IV's record, it only needs a better weather situation, more settled and steady than the one we faced."

Many boats have tried to break the challenging North Atlantic record. In 1999 Giovanni Agnelli's Stealth had to abandon due to technical problems. Virgin Money (Speedboat), a 100 foot monohull chartered and helmed by Richard Branson, abandoned in 2008 due to a huge storm with waves 40 feet tall that damaged the boat and hurt the crew. In 2010 ICAP Leopard 3 (skipper Chris Sherlock, owner Mike Slade) ended up in a dead calm zone caused by high pressure just 350 miles before the arrival at Lizard Point.

On board Maserati is an international crew of skilled sailors: Giovanni Soldini (skipper), American Brad Van Liew (navigator and watch leader), Spaniard Javier de la Plaza (helm, pit), Frenchmen Sebastien Audigane (helm, trimmer) and Ronan Le Goff (helm, bowman), Italians Guido Broggi (boat captain), Corrado Rossignoli (bowman), and Brit Tom Gall (second bowman).

For more information contact:
info@oceanracing.org