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RORC myth of Malham (Round Eddystone) Race
@ Wed May 21 16:24:00 +0100 2008
Myth of Malham (Round Eddystone) Race
Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with the Royal Yacht Squadron
START: Saturday 24th May from the RYS Cowes, to the East. First warning Signal 0820
COURSE: Eddystone Lighthouse (P), North Head and finish. Approximately 245 miles
RORC POINTS FACTOR: 1.20
At 245 nautical miles, the race around the Eddystone Lighthouse can take the smaller yachts about 48 hours. The race is a test of physical and mental endurance for the fleet with every likelihood of two nights at sea. If last weekend’s racing is anything to go by, this will be a very tactical race. Getting a good start is always important in any yacht race and the fleet will have many options open to them as they make their way from the Squadron Line, East up the Solent.
Heading down the south side of the Isle of Wight, tacticians will be looking at sailing angles, to clear St.Catherine’s’ Point and head towards the south west of England. Each boat will need to work out the effects of tide and wind to decide which is the quickest path to the Eddystone Lighthouse, close to Plymouth. Rounding the lighthouse to port, the fleet will turn back towards the Solent. The course could result in an Olympic triangle with a windward and leeward leg and a reach to finish which would create a interesting race, at every point of sail to test the competitors.
From France; Philippe Delaporte’s J/122, Pen Azen has been in scintillating form this season and will be looking to better their second overall last year. Noel Racine’s JPK 9.60, Foggy Dew, was well placed overall last year and won class. From Britain, John Shepherd’s Ker 46, Fair Do’s VII could feature and the Army Sailing Association’s A40RS, British Soldier is in consistent form. Piet Vroon’s Breskens based, Lutra 56, Formidable 3 could also be one to watch. In the two handed division, Michael Boyd & Niall Dowling’s J/105, Slingshot will be looking to continue a solid start to their 2008 campaign.
Myth of Malham was built for John Illingworth in 1947, to exploit the RORC rule. Many consider Illingworth to be the founder of modern yacht racing and his use of sail plan measurement is, to some extent, echoed by bowsprits being fitted to TP52s today. Myth of Malham went on to compete in five Admiral’s Cups, a record that has been achieved by no other yacht.
RORC Season’s Points Championship 2008
The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Season’s Points Championship consists of a testing series of races which attracts an international and varied fleet. For the serious offshore sailor, trying to win the Season’s Points Championship is the real challenge. The Season’s Points Championship this year includes the tactically challenging BMW Round Ireland Race and a new addition to the RORC sailing programme, The Cowes Madeira Race which offers an exciting opportunity of a race to Madeira and back, some 1500 miles away in the Atlantic off the coast of Africa. For those with less time, the programme also includes a race to the charming port of La Rochelle.
For the full RORC racing programme go to:http://www.rorc.org
De Guingand Bowl Race
@ Wed May 14 16:59:00 +0100 2008
De Guingand Bowl Race
Saturday 17th May
Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with the Royal Yacht Squadron
START: Saturday 17th May from the RYS Cowes, to the West. First warning Signal 0850.
Report by Louay Habib.
In Class Super zero, Peter Harrison’s Farr 52, Chernikieff 2, is back to defend her class win from last year but faces stiff opposition from Peter Vroon’s Lutra 56, Formidable 3 which was class winner in this year’s North Sea Race. The young crew from the Volvo RYA Keelboat programme on TP52, John Merrick’s II will also be looking to shine.
In Class Zero, there is a high class field; John Shepherd’s Ker 46, Fair Do’s VII will be looking to add momentum to their season by building on their class win in the Cervantes Trophy, just two weeks ago. Nick Haigh’s DK46, Dark and Steamy is always difficult to beat, as is Jerry Otter’s Ker 39, Erivale 3. Poppy of Portland Marina is David Lancefield’s brand new, First 45 and the new Beneteau has had a fantastic start to the season. All four of these boats will be representing Britain in the forthcoming Rolex Commodore’s Cup.
In Class One, Nicolas Gaumont-Prat’s First 40.7, TFS Philosophie IV is back to defend last year’s class win. But Philippe Delaporte’s J122, Pen Azen is on form, having won the Cervantes Trophy earlier this month. Sailing Logic’s Reflex 38, Puma Logic will be looking to go one better than their second in class at this month’s Cervantes Trophy Race. The sailing school specializes in race training and is a consistent performer at RORC events. “We are looking to improve our boat speed for this race.” Commented, Puma Logic’s skipper, Philippe Falle. “Pen Azen were very fast in our last race and we see straight line speed as an area where we can improve. Our main goal for the season is the Cowes Maderia-Maderia Cowes Races.”
In Class 2, Noel Racine’s JPK 90, Foggy Dew, is another consistent performer. A new comer to RORC racing is J/109, Jaguar of Burnham who will be looking to build on their podium position in the Cervantes Trophy Race. The East Coast boat has been selected for the British Rolex Commodore’s Cup Team, much to the delight of owner, Adrian Lowers, as he explains; “Both myself and all of the crew are over the moon about selection, we have put a lot of hard work in and will continue to do so during the RORC offshore points series. Whilst, Jaguar is an east coast based yacht it is worth mentioning that all of the crew are members of the London Corinthian Sailing Club, based on the Thames in Hammersmith.”
Class 3, also features an east coast boat on form, Russell Walker’s Baltic 37, Cosmic Dancer III, was narrowly beaten into second place overall in this month’s North Sea Race. David Lees High Tension 36, Hephzibah should be hard to beat having won class in the Cervantes Trophy race.
There are eight entries in the two-handed division, John Loden’s HOD 35, Psipsina will be looking to defend last year’s class win in the De Guingand Bowl. Michael Boyd & Niall Dowling’s J/105, Slingshot could prove tough competition, having won class in this month’s Cervantes Trophy. Also competing for the first time, in the two handed division, are husband and wife team, Suzi and Nick Jones with their First 34.7, Astarte. “It is an area of sailing that I really think is on the up.” Explains, Nick Jones. “This is our first RORC race two-handed and we haven’t made many changes to the boat. Our long term goal is to compete in the 2009 Fastnet in the two handed class but it is early days yet, hopefully we will get some decent weather for our first outing.”
Chris Dunning’s Clarionet is one of many famous names that have been etched on the De Guingand Bowl Trophy. In 1977, Clarionet won the trophy and went on to retain the Admiral’s Cup for Britain against 18 other nations.
RORC Season’s Points Championship 2008
The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Season’s Points Championship consists of a testing series of races which attracts an international and varied fleet. For the serious offshore sailor, trying to win the Season’s Points Championship is the real challenge. The Season’s Points Championship this year includes the tactically challenging BMW Round Ireland Race and a new addition to the RORC sailing programme, The Cowes Madeira Race which offers an exciting opportunity of a race to Madeira and back, some 1500 miles away in the Atlantic off the coast of Africa. For those with less time, the programme also includes a race to the charming port of La Rochelle.
For the full RORC racing programme go to:http://www.rorc.org
For more information, please contact: –
RORC: Tel. 020 7493 2248, E-mail racingmanager@rorc.org.uk
CERVANTES TROPHY RACE
www.rorc.org @ Tue Apr 29 09:55:00 +0100 2008
Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with the Société des Régates du Havre and the Royal Yacht Squadron
The Cervantes Trophy Race is traditionally the first English Channel Race of the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) season and this year’s race from Cowes to Le Havre has attracted a variety of yachts from Britain, France and Belgium.
Jean-Yves Chateau’s, Iromiguy, is back to defend the Cervantes Trophy but will face tough competition from a fleet including, 2008 Rolex Commodores’ Cup competitor, Fair Do’s VII, owned by John Shepherd, as well as last year’s Assuage Trophy winner, Noel Racine’s, Foggy Dew. The British Army has won class in this race before and will be looking to do well in their brand new A40, British Soldier. In all there are over 25 different models of yacht racing for the Cervantes Trophy this year. Probably one of the oldest is Paul March’s, Clarionet, a classic Sparkman and Stephens one-off that was very successful in the 1960’s, but also won their class in the 2001 Fastnet.
RORC member, John Loden is racing his HOD 35, Psipsina in the two-handed division which is becoming a very popular form of offshore racing from mini-Transats to Open 60s.
The Trophée Guillaume Le Conquérant is organised by the Société des Régates du Havre in association with the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Island Sailing Club. The race starts on Sunday 4th May from Le Havre and finishes in Cowes.
The name Cervantes has historic connections with the Royal Ocean Racing Club: Bob Watson’s, Cervantes IV was part of the victorious British Team that won the Admiral’s Cup in 1971. The team included Ted Heath’s, Morning Cloud and Arthur Slater’s, Prospect of Whitby. It was also the first year a woman had been selected for the British Admiral’s Cup Team; Bob Watson’s daughter Liz was a regular member of the crew along with her husband. All of the British Team sported badges – Heath’s Ahead! Slater’s Greater! and Cervantes wears panties!
RORC Season’s Points Championship 2008
The Cervantes Trophy Race is part of The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Season’s Points Championship. The Championship consists of a testing series of races which attracts an international and varied fleet. For the serious offshore sailor, trying to win the Season’s Points Championship is the real challenge. The Season’s Points Championship this year includes the tactically challenging BMW Round Ireland Race and a new addition to the RORC sailing programme, The Cowes Madeira Race which offers an exciting opportunity of a race to Madeira and back, some 1500 miles away in the Atlantic off the coast of Africa. For those with less time, the programme also includes a race to the charming port of La Rochelle.
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