Line Honors for Tschüss 2 in Transatlantic Sprint

Tschüss powering toward the Transatlantic Race finish off the Royal Yacht Squadron Lloyd Images/RORC

The Volvo 70 Tschüss 2, owned by Christian Zugel and co-skippered by Johnny Mordaunt, claimed line honors in the West to East Transatlantic Race 2025 in an elapsed time of 07d:15h:29m:10s. Tschüss 2’s crew for the crossing was Zugel, Mordaunt, Al Fraser, Andrew McLean, Campbell Field, Christopher Welch, Edward Myers, Fredric Shanks, Neal McDonald, Nicholas O’Leary, Pete Cumming, Stefano Nava, Stu Bannatyne, Trystan Seal.

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 four 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 and looks untouchable for the West to East Transatlantic Race.

“This was a phenomenal race – very fast and far beyond my expectations,” said Zugel after finishing in Cowes. “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 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.”

Tschüss 2’s crew for the Transatlantic Race crossing was Christian Zugel, Johnny Mordaunt, Al Fraser, Andrew McLean, Campbell Field, Christopher Welch, Edward Myers, Fredric Shanks, Neal McDonald, Nicholas O’Leary, Pete Cumming, Stefano Nava, Stu Bannatyne, Trystan Seal. Lloyd Images/RORC

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.”

Full Speed Across

“Our watch system is pretty slick,” commented Nicholas O‘Leary, revealing what life is like on board in the North Atlantic. “We run four groups rotating every two hours with two watch captains—Stu Bannatyne and Neal McDonald. It means there’s always someone on deck who knows exactly what’s going on, and intel gets passed seamlessly.

“When you’re helming in zero visibility, spray flying, pitch dark and fog so thick you can’t see two boat lengths, you’ve just got to trust the numbers. You’re trimming for VMG constantly. Despite the brutal conditions, the mood on board was always positive. Everyone’s a pro, and even though most hadn’t sailed together before, we clicked fast.”

A Clean Run

Co-skipper Mordant attributes the team’s success to the highly experienced offshore sailors and a well-prepared boat with virtually no equipment failures. “The key to our success across has been the strength of our team,” he says. “We’ve got some of the best offshore sailors in the world, each bringing a wealth of experience. That knowledge trickles down and creates a solid foundation. The crew know what to expect, how to stay safe, and how to push performance. It’s about discipline and consistency, and it’s worked again.

“We push hard, stick to our plans, and execute well. From my side as boat captain I’m pleased to report virtually no equipment failures – just two minor issues, and neither were on me. The boat was fast, the team was sharp, and we were calm even in tough conditions like zero visibility at 22 knots.”

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