2001 Trophy
December 2, 2001
PRESS RELEASE: JANUARY 2002
PARIS, DECEMBER 12, 2001
The designer’s trophy was presented to Gino Morrelli and Pete Melvin for the firms design and engineering of record breaking Maxi-Catamaran “PlayStation”, which smashed the West/East Trans Atlantic record October 10, 2001. The trophy was awarded in the surroundings of the Paris Maritime Museum.
Probably the most prestigious sailing record, the Atlantic Record continues to fascinate. All the other existing maxi-multihulls have included it, or are going to include it, in their racing programs.
Former holder Gilles Ollier, Designer of Jet Service V said: “Some people think or suggest that I should be sad having lost the reference time on the Atlantic, that our boats have so many times beaten and held for 13 years. Well, not at all! I am happy that it has gone to the Americans and that our rather French omnipotence in large multihull matters, has taken a beating. So it is with great pleasure that I present this design cup to Gino Morrelli and Pete Melvin, because the time of 4 days 17 hours and 28 mn recorded on this course is an outstanding performance. It will force us into being more imaginative in the creation of our boats, so that we can go and fetch the trophy back from the USA.” To which Gino Morrelli replied: “With great pleasure. It revives the challenge. We’ll be waiting for you in New York, the starting place of the record.”
References / The Atlantic Records
*2001 – PlayStation, 38 m catamaran, 4d 17h 28m 06s, Morrelli and Melvin Inc. design
*1990 – Jet Services V, 22.85 m catamaran, 6d 13h 3mn 32s, Ollier design
*1988 – Jet Services V, 22.85 m catamaran, 7d 6h 30mn, Ollier design
*1987 – Fleury Michon VII, 22.50 m trimaran, 7d 12h 49mn, Irens design
*1985 – Royale II, 25 m catamaran, 7d 21h 5mn 42s, Graal design
*1984 – Jet Services II, 18.28 m catamaran, 8d 16h 36mn, Ollier design
*1984 – Jet Services II, 18.28 m catamaran, 8d 16h 36mn, Ollier design
*1981 – Elf Aquitaine 1,20m catamaran, 9d 10h 6mn 34s, Langevin design
*1980 – Paul Richard, 17 m tri-foiler, 10d5h 14mn 20s, De Berg design
*1905 – Atlantic, 56 m schooner, 12d 04h 01mn 19s, Gardner design
