Displaying items by tag: Christened

29th August 2018

Belfast Refitted Azamara Pursuit Christened

Azamara Pursuit Afloat adds made a maiden call to Dublin Port last Saturday and Waterford the next day. The Irish calls took place prior to sailing to Southampton (above) where the cruiseship was officially christened yesterday.

#CruiseLiners - New to Azamara Club Cruises is the Azamara Pursuit which was officially named in Southampton yesterday, 28 August.

The 30,277gt Azamara Pursuit writes the Maritime Executive was previously P&O Cruises' Adonia, and she sailed her final voyage as Adonia in February 2018. She has since undergone a two-and-a-half-month refurbishment at Grand Bahamas Shipyard before sailing to the U.K. Here she received further enhancements at Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Azamara CEO Larry Pimentel says the line's third ship will enable it to visit all seven continents next year, notable South America, and to go to 400 ports annually. The ship is scheduled to visit 61 destinations, including 15 maiden calls for the line. The three ships will undertake a joint cruise together going from Slovenia to Venice in 2020.

The godmothers of the 702-passenger ship are Ellen Asmodeo-Giglio, executive vice president and chief revenue officer of Afar Media, and Lucy Huxley, editor in chief of Travel Weekly UK.

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Ireland & La Solitaire du Figaro

The Solitaire du Figaro, was originally called the course de l’Aurore until 1980, was created in 1970 by Jean-Louis Guillemard and Jean-Michel Barrault.

Half a decade later, the race has created some of France's top offshore sailors, and it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a new boat equipped with foils and almost 50 skippers Including novices, aficionados and six former winners.

The solo multi-stage offshore sailing race is one of the most cherished races in French sailing and one that has had Irish interest stretching back over 20 years due to the number of Irish stopovers, usually the only foreign leg of the French race.

What Irish ports have hosted The Solitaire du Figaro?

The race has previously called to Ireland to the following ports; Dingle, Kinsale, Crosshaven, Howth and Dun Laoghaire.

What Irish sailors have raced The Solitaire du Figaro?

So far there have been seven Irish skippers to participate in La Solitaire du Figaro.

In 1997, County Kerry's Damian Foxall first tackled the Figaro from Ireland. His win in the Rookie division in DHL gave him the budget to compete again the following year with Barlo Plastics where he won the final leg of the race from Gijon to Concarneau. That same year a second Irish sailor Marcus Hutchinson sailing Bergamotte completed the course in 26th place and third Rookie.

In 2000, Hutchinson of Howth Yacht Club completed the course again with IMPACT, again finishing in the twenties.

In 2006, Paul O’Riain became the third Irish skipper to complete the course.

In 2013, Royal Cork's David Kenefick raised the bar by becoming a top rookie sailor in the race.

In 2018, for the first time, Ireland had two Irish boats in the offshore race thanks to Tom Dolan and Joan Mulloy who joined the rookie ranks and kept the Irish tricolour flying high in France. Mulloy became the first Irish female to take on the race.

Tom Dolan in Smurfit Kappa competed for his third year in 2020 after a 25th place finish in 2019. Dolan sailed a remarkably consistent series in 2020 and took fifth overall, the best finish by a non-French skipper since 1997 when Switzerland’s Dominique Wavre finished runner up. Dolan wins the VIVI Trophy.

Dolan finished 10th on the first stage, 11th on the second and seventh into Saint Nazaire at the end of the third stage. Stage four was abandoned due to lack of wind.

Also in 2020, Dun Laoghaire’s Kenneth Rumball became the eleventh Irish sailor to sail the Figaro.

At A Glance – Figaro Race

It starts in June or July from a French port.
The race is split into four stages varying from year to year, from the length of the French coast and making up a total of around 1,500 to 2,000 nautical miles (1,700 to 2,300 mi; 2,800 to 3,700 km) on average.
Over the years the race has lasted between 10 and 13 days at sea.
The competitor is alone in the boat, participation is mixed.
Since 1990, all boats are of one design.