In 1997 the re-run of the first official Transatlantic Race of 1905 left no doubt that the ‘Golden Age’ of sailing had returned. This was the best opportunity possible to establish the way this film series can combine current events with the history of yachting. Perhaps the most interesting element was the participation of Adix, a yacht very close in size and rig to the three-masted schooner Atlantic which won the 1905 race in the record time of 12 days – 4 hours from New York to the Lizard in England.

This was the great challenge for a fleet of the world’s finest yachts to beat. The main camera was on board the Max Oertz schooner Aello whose skipper pointed out to his crew that this would not be a race around the cans. He was right. Aello lost her topmast and encountered more structural problems later on. The action includes footage shot on several other yachts, and the overall effect can only be described as spectacular.

Atlantic Challenge won Gold Award at the WorldFest, Houston 1998

Filmed by Tom Nitsch

Narrated by Tom Cunliffe