It was on 18th June that 11 yachts left US shores bound for Cowes in the West to East Transatlantic Race 2025, with predictions that the fastest boats would take between 1 and 3 weeks. Now, the first boat has crossed the line off the Isle of Wight.
Volvo 70 Tschüss 2 (USA), owned by Christian Zugel and co-skippered by Johnny Mordaunt, has taken Line Honours in the cross-Atlantic race in an elapsed time of just 7 days, 15 hours, 29 minutes and 10 seconds.
Christian Zugel may be relatively new to offshore racing, but his recent achievements with Tschüss 2 are nothing short of astounding. Since July 2024, Tschüss 2 has won 4 major offshore races overall under IRC and logged 22,000 nautical miles in the process. Tschüss 2 has been the overall winner for the 2024 Roschier Baltic Sea Race, the 2025 RORC Transatlantic Race, RORC Caribbean 600.
As well as these ocean races, back in 2023, Tschüss 2 was the winner of the Gold Roman Bowl in the Round The Island Race so the boat is no stranger to Cowes.
Christian Zugel, owner of Tschüss 2, has said:
“This was a phenomenal race – very fast and far beyond my expectations.
“We ended up beating the IRC corrected time record by 30 hours. That’s something I never imagined when we set out. In this campaign we’ve now sailed the same as one lap around the equator – including two transatlantic races. We’ve been pushing hard, but smart. Our boat is still in great shape, and our crew is motivated and injury-free. We could probably go sailing again tomorrow!”
Reflecting on the crossing itself, Zugel added:
“It’s hard to put into words. You leave Newport, Rhode Island (USA) in fog, thread your way through the Gulf Stream with bizarre wave patterns and bubbling 25°C water, and then make a break north just in time to ride a cold front across the Atlantic. I’ve flown over the ocean 150 times but sailing it is something else entirely.”
His advice to others…?
“Go for it – but be prepared. You need a serious boat and a professional crew. If you get caught in 55 knots unprepared, that’s trouble. But for me, this was the race of a lifetime.”
Tschüss 2 co-skipper Johnny Mordaunt has said:
“Now we turn our focus to the Rolex Fastnet Race. We’re picking up new sails and heading into the most competitive offshore fleet imaginable. With the race’s centenary and the return of the Admiral’s Cup, it’s going to be an incredible event – truly inspiring, even for someone like me who’s been doing this for decades.”
The Rolex Fastnet Race departs from Cowes on 26th July – a chance to see some great ocean racers.
