#RORC – The Morgan Cup is the first race of the 2012 RORC Season's Points Championship to take place in The English Channel. RORC racing appeals to a wide variety of yachts from cutting edge custom racers to traditional cruising yachts and boats from all over Europe will be competing for class prizes and overall honours. The race starts and finishes in the Solent and exemplifies the variety of courses in this year's RORC Season's Points Championship.
The Morgan Cup takes on particular significance for teams aspiring to represent their country in this year's Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup. The Morgan Cup has been confirmed as a trial event for RYA Team GBR and several teams with high hopes of selection are amongst the early entries.
In IRC One two Ker 40s will go head to head for the first time offshore, Andrew Pearce's Magnum III and Jonathan Goring's Keronimo.
Andrew Pearce's Magnum III was delivered just before Christmas and the team has been in training during for several months. "After sea trials in January, the team has been out every weekend taking coaching sessions with top racing coach, Jim Saltonstall. Our goal is a place on the England team for Commodores Cup 2012," commented Andrew Pearce.
In IRC Zero Julian Metherell's Class40, MAXVMG, skippered by Mark Denton, is looking forward to a full season of racing. "The Morgan Cup is the start of our preparation for our big goal of the season, The Round Ireland Race, in June. So we are going to be working everything up and doing some sail testing as well as getting the crew back into race mode."
IRC Two is expected to be popular with production yachts of around 40 feet and early entries include Reflex 38, Visit Malta Puma, crewed by Sailing Logic. "The Morgan Cup is the first race for our Round Ireland team and they have only been together a short while, so it will be a relatively new experience for them," commented Allie Smith. "The yacht is in great shape after a winter refit including a new loo! Our goals are to win the David Fayle Memorial Trophy for the 8th consecutive year and also to aim as high as we can in Class Two and the overall championship."
In IRC Four veteran Dutch skipper Harry Heijst will race his S&S 41, Winsome, which has been well prepared for the season, as Harry explains. "During the winter, we made some changes, painted her and bought some new sails. We trained at the RORC Easter Challenge and I have to say that the timing of the Morgan Cup, as well as the course, is ideal for us. Do not forget we have to travel for each race from Holland and go back again so for races which end in France, we first have to cruise or motor back to Cowes and then take the return flight from Southampton. A race which is not only starting on the Solent but also ending there, is ideal for us Dutchmen!"
The Morgan Cup is part of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's Season's Points Championship, consisting 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 a real challenge. The Season's Points Championship this year includes the RORC Caribbean 600, the North Sea Race and the Round Ireland Race.
