While the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) are reporting a near record turn-out for the British trials for July's Commodores' Cup there is still no update on an Irish team to defend the title it won in 2010.

The RORC more open rating bands for the 2012 Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup are having the desired effect: As the deadline closed for teams wishing to enter the British trials for this July's Cowes-based event, so 17 boats had registered - a near record compared to past trials.

Although Ireland is officially slated by the Royal Ocean Racing Club to be defending its 2010 title won on the Solent there is still no details of the compostion of an Irish team for July's Commdore's Cup.

Ireland face an uphill struggle to mount a credible defence, though Antony O'Leary's Antix is most likely to be a key part of any team, which is a major asset, there is still the job of completing the three boat line-up. A call to interested parties was made late last year by the Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA).

ICRA Commodore Barry Rose says that despite the current difficult environment ICRA remains hopeful of mounting a serious defence and have waited until last October to allow the maximum time to those who may consider supporting the challenge but since then there has been no further news of the team.

In addition to his important role as Chairman of the Royal Yachting Association, Stacey Clark is also Chairman of the Selectors for the British Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup team, a panel he sits on with professional sailor, Chris Mason, now Yachting Secretary of the Royal Yacht Squadron, and Cowes Week CEO, Stuart Quarrie.

Clark himself has been helmsman on the various Cutting Edge campaigns, including most recently a Farr 45 and a TP52. "I think given the world the way it is at the moment, we are pretty pleased," he says of the turn-out. "We have a healthy number of trialists and we are optimistic about being able to put forward very strong teams."

While 17 boats are entered in the trials, still unresolved is the number that will make it through, as the GBR selectors have yet to decide whether they will enter three or four teams (each comprising three boats). Clark says that originally the fourth had been allocated to go to a team from the north of England/Scotland, but this hasn't materialised. "We have the option to go to four teams, but we have decided that we'd like to see the trials before deciding whether to enter three or four. We want to enter teams that will do credit to the GBR name in this regatta, as well as look to build for the future."

This year the selection is focussing on the performance of the 17 boats at two events: the RORC's Morgan Cup offshore starting on 5th May and the Royal Corinthian YC's Vice-Admiral's Cup inshore series over 18-20th May. The latter will feature a 'Commodores' Cup class'. "With the wide rating band, these boats don't usually race each other on the same start line, on the same course, at the same time," explains Clark.

As to why so many boats have entered the trials in these austere times, one reason is certainly the RORC's amendment to the rating bands. For this year's Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup there is effectively one large rating band, with eligible boats required to have an IRC time correction co-efficient (TCC) of 1.020-1.230. Among each three boat team only one can be a 'big boat' (ie with a TCC of 1.150-1.230), so a team could field a team with no 'big boat'.

Clark believes this has opened up the competition, making it more even across all of the trialists. "Last time around there was strong competition for some of the smaller boat slots, but it was hard to find the right big boat," he says.

As present the British contenders include three Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup 'big boats' - the two Ker 40s, Jonathan Goring's Keronimo and Andrew Pearce's Magnum III, and Ian Blair's King 40, Cobra.

Several others are repeat customers from the 2010 British team. Former Commodore of the RORC, Andrew McIrvine is back with his First 40, La Réponse, while his co-2010 co-skipper Peter Morton has entered his own recently acquired Corby 33, Salvo. Steven and Jane Anderson are back, but on a different boat having bought the well known Corby 40, Cracklin Rosie, which Brian Wilkinson campaigned two years ago.

For Andrew Pearce this will be his third Commodores' Cup having previously competed in 2004 and 2008. This year he is greatly looking forward to campaigning his new Ker 40, one of three likely to be taking part, including Keronimo and another in the Hong Kong team.

"These boats are so unbelievably well matched," says Pearce, whose new Magnum III was delivered just before Christmas, replacing his previous IMX40. "We've been racing against Keronimo and they are just so even out on the water - it's very exciting racing. And the boat is awesome. Even in 10 knots, you get the kite up and get the boat well heeled, and you are doing 8-9 knots. Already we've had the boat doing 18 knots in flat water and we are going to get over 20 knots."

As to the trials this year, Pearce says it will be interesting because with the new rating band, the selectors have a more open hand. "When we have done it in previous times, generally we have been in what has been colloquially called 'the heavy weather team'. The IMX 40 I took down the non-overlapping route, so we were set up for stronger winds - 15 knots and above we were unbeatable, a real bandit, but below that it was a bit tricky. Now they can't end up with three Ker 40s, because there is a limit to the boats above 1.150, but they could end up with a team of three J/109s, if they felt that type of boat might have a niche in the weather patterns where they are going to excel. So it is a very different set-up this time around."

Like the selectors in previous years, Stacey Clark won't elaborate on how they will divide up the teams this time.

As to the competition in this year's Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup, Pearce concludes: "They have got the right level. I think it is going to be a brilliant Commodores' Cup. There has been a good level of interest from abroad, so I think it will be a very successful regatta.

Dun Laoghaire's Niall Dowling, who finished runner up in the Royal Ocean Racing Club's (RORC) 2011 overall IRC Championship, has replaced his J/111 with another, his new boat is called Jazzband. The boat has only recently reached the UK and the RORC Easter Challenge will be the boat's first outing.

"I was originally going to be getting one in the States and the plan was to do the RORC 600, but work-wise I am stuck in European ground," says Dowling, of why he's changed boats.

Dowling says that he is planning more of an inshore campaign this year with Jazzband, but is contemplating taking on the Round Ireland Race doubehanded, which he sailed four years ago on a J/105.

The RORC Easter Challenge, due to take place on the Solent over the first three days of the Easter Bank Holiday (6th-8th April), will offer crews a unique opportunity to jump start their sailing programmes.

As well as being the first fixture in the RORC's UK racing calendar, the RORC Easter Challenge doubles as a start of season training event, with on the water coaches providing immediate advice followed by expert post-race video debriefs in the Events Centre in Cowes Yacht Haven. In fact the coaching element of the regatta is taken so seriously that the Racing Rules of Sailing are modified for the event permitting coaches or sailmakers to climb on board during racing if, for example, a crew requests some expert assistance with their sail trim or rig set-up.

The coaching this year is being spearheaded by Barry Dunning, who points out that while owners typically spend considerable sums on gear for their boats, coaching is a feature of their campaigns often overlooked. "If they just spent some money and some time on coaching, they would be up the fleet by miles," he advises. Of course at the RORC Easter Challenge it is laid on for free.

Of the coaching due to take place at this year's event, Dunning continues: "We are going to do exactly the same format as previous years: ie do our coaching out on the water, come back and then do a debrief, with video of the starting and answering any questions. And we will do that each day."

Dun Laoghaire's Dowling says: "I find the coaching is very good, once you get used to being called a ferret by Jim Saltonstall! They and the sailmakers were brilliant jumping on and off the boat, and it was a good time to do it at the start of the season to set up everything. For us as a first sail and a first race it is great and all the video footage and so on, it is live without being too intense."

This year there will be one new feature to the coaching. With the start of racing on the Friday scheduled for 1300, so, from 1100, lines will be set up allowing participants to carry out practice starts.

But it is the on-the-water coaching that is really unique. Not only can coaches climb on board boats, but any crewmembers competing are also allowed to step on to the coach boats to see how their yacht's trim and set-up looks from off their boat and can even do this mid-race if they so desire - a opportunity rarely allowed in other events.

"I want to make sure that people use us," adds Dunning. "They can call on any of the coach boats to come and help them. So give us a wave and we'll be there with you."

Among the competitors a strong line-up is expected at the RORC Easter Challenge with 10 boats already entered in Class 1, ranging from the largest and fastest, Piet Vroon's 2010 RORC Boat of the Year-winning Ker 46, Tonnerre de Breskens, to Stephen Anderson's perennial Cracklin Rosie, the Corby 40. Also entered in Class 1 to date are three Farr 45s and Andrew Pearce's new Ker 40, Magnum III.

Many teams - including both Magnum III and Cracklin Rosie - are using the RORC Easter Challenge as an opportunity to get up to speed before the trials to earn a place in one of the four British teams for July's Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup. Managed by the RYA these trials start on 5 May with the RORC's Morgan Cup.

In Class 2, another triallist taking part in the RORC Easter Challenge is Jim Macgregor's Poole-based team on his Elan 410 Premier Flair. "I seem to spend half of my life helping girls get coached at the club, so I am very much in favour it, but I just don't apply it to myself!" says Macgregor whose two daughters, Lucy and Kate, will be representing Britain at the Olympic Games in the women's match racing.

"For people like us who have sailed a lot, when you own your own boat you don't go on other people's boats so you don't improve as much as you might. So it is a great opportunity to use the coaches and it is enjoyable as well."

Several new J/109 teams will also be taking part. From Brighton Robert Stiles will be campaigning Diamond Jem and is another gunning for Team GBR Brewin Dolphin Commodores' Cup selection, while for Jonathan Bevan's Jelenko it will be his first time at the RORC Easter Challenge. Having campaigned Richard Tolkien's Class 40, Tom Hayhoe has his new J/105 Mostly Harmless entered.

In addition to the four IRC classes, the RORC Easter Challenge will also feature a separate class for J/80s. With the J/80 Worlds due to take place in Dartmouth in June, the RORC Easter Challenge is an ideal opportunity for teams to get some free training in as they work towards this all-important event for the class.

Aside from being the first RORC race of the year in the UK, plus the coaching opportunity, the long range forecast is also suggesting sun and a light to moderate breeze, so the RORC Easter Challenge is lining up to be a perfect way to ease into the sailing season.

#CARIBBEAN 600 – A plan to secure line honours at the Caribbean 600 race on the world's largest carbon composite sailing yacht includes four Irish sailors on the 29–man crew. The Royal Ocean Racing Club race route circumnavigates 11 Carribbean islands and begins on February 20th.

The crew on the 200 foot long yacht is composed of many Volvo ocean race and Americas cup veterans and also includes Irish sailors James Caroll, Johnny Mordant, Aaron O'Grady and Mark O'Reilly.

The 67–metre yacht Hetairos was launched on June 2011 in Finland and last year the massive entry won line honours and finished second overall in the IMA Superyacht transatlantic race between Tenerife and the BVIs.

Hetairos is 200 feet long and carries up to 4400 Square metres of sail area.

With less than one month to go, to the fourth edition of the RORC Caribbean 600, the Royal Ocean Racing Club's 2012 programme kicks off with a sensational cast in Antigua.

The RORC Caribbean 600 is a truly international affair, with well over 500 hundred competitors from at least 24 different nations taking part. More than 30 impressive yachts are expected to take part in a high-speed, action-packed yacht race around 11 Caribbean islands. There can be few sporting events that can boast such a worldwide appeal with sailors taking part from all over the world including: Antigua, Australia, Austria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Croatia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Puerto Rico, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey and the United States of America.

The largest yacht in the Caribbean 600 fleet will have four Irish sailors onboard: The magnificent 67m Hetairos. Credit:Hetairos/Baltic Yachts

This astounding diversity of nationalities is matched only by the astonishing array of yachts and personalities. The largest yacht competing this year is the magnificent Hetairos with a waterline length of 200'. Hetairos is the world's largest carbon composite sailing yacht. The 29 crew on board is composed of many Volvo Ocean Race, America's Cup and Jules Verne around the world veterans. Hetairos is among the favourites to take line honours, but there are several other yachts more than capable of finishing in front.

In 2011 American George David skippered Rambler 100 to smash the monohull course record, taking line honours and overall victory. David's team is back, this time with the Reichel Pugh 90, Rambler and they are unlikely to give up the title without a fight. The Spanish Volvo 70, Gran Jotti will be dwarfed by Hetairos, but the former Telefonica Black has a venomous turn of speed and is quite capable of out pacing the entire fleet. On board there is a huge wealth of talent in the form of Spanish America's Cup and Volvo Ocean Race sailors. These three are likely to be contenders for line honours, but overall victory under IRC is far more difficult to predict. A hot contender is Niklas Zennstrom's Judel/Vrolijk 72 Rán, which will be making its debut in the RORC Caribbean 600.

"For me it's very refreshing to tackle a new race and the Caribbean 600 is a real fascination," explained Hayles. "It's unlike any other offshore race in that the average leg is only about 40 miles and for a navigator there is a lot to consider. Normally, a race is all about the weather and strategy but in addition to all that, this race takes you back to the basic problem of navigating around so many rocks and islands. Looking through all the legs, there is a broad mixture of sailing angles; there is a fair bit of reaching, but it is wrong to think that is not a challenge, especially with the speed sensitivity of modern high-performance boats. The course is more like a whole stream of complex coastal races. I have to say that it is a pretty unique race."

A dazzling variety of yachts crewed by some of the world's finest will be racing this year. However, not all of the competitors are seasoned professionals. One of the smallest yachts competing this year is J/39 Sleeper, which will be raced two-handed by a father and son team. Jonty Layfield and son Jack are both RORC members and hale from Brighton, UK. Last year with a full crew, Jonty's won class at Antigua Sailing Week:

"Sailing Two-Handed with my son, I don't expect to be very competitive, we are not going to go flat out but treat the race more like a delivery trip," admitted Jonty. "I have raced double-handed with my son back in England and I have been sailing with Jack since he was about five years old, we are more like friends than father and son. The great thing about sailing is that you have to get on with it; you can't have any histrionics. Jack is working in Brazil at the moment and the RORC Caribbean 600 is a great way to spend a few days together."

Close duels are expected right through the fleet, none more so than in the Class 40s where a hard fought and close encounter is expected. Tradewind sailing provides perfect conditions for Class 40s, with long reaches and downwind legs, these pocket rockets are capable of surfing at speeds of up to 25 knots. Peter Harding's 40 Degrees has Hannah Jenner as skipper, the only female to skipper the Clipper Round the World Race. Hannah was in fine form last year, gaining a podium position in the Class 40 Transat Jacques Vabre:

"Antigua is a beautiful place to start the season with some winter sunshine and I have heard that Antigua Yacht Club provides a great party!" smiled Hannah. " The race course has plenty of activity with sail changes and the competition should be really close. Making the right tactical decisions will also be very important if we are to be the fastest Class 40 around the track. I am really looking forward to the race."

Hannah Jenner on Peter Harding's 40 Degrees in the 2011 Transat Jacque Vabre/ Credit: Alexis Courcoux

RORC Chief Executive Eddie Warden Owen believes that the RORC Caribbean 600 is especially attractive to larger yachts, however the ethos of the club maintains equal status to every participant.

"A wide spectrum of yachts and competitors has decided that this is an event that is not to be missed. The club is delighted that people from all over the world want to take part. There is a mixture of world class sailors and corinthian enthusiasts, but they all have one thing in common, a passion for offshore racing."

"This average length of yacht for this year's entry is over 70'. When the Royal Ocean Racing Club started this race in 2009, we felt it would appeal to larger yachts and that has proved to be the case. This year we have a significant number of Racing Maxis, Super Yachts and Spirit of Tradition yachts. However, every yacht competing in the RORC Caribbean 600 is governed by the same set of rules. All of the competitors receive a warm welcome from the Antigua Yacht Club, regardless of their finish time or place. Since 1925, The Royal Ocean Racing Club has promoted offshore racing for all and in many ways the RORC Caribbean 600 typifies that cause."

The 2012 edition of the RORC Caribbean 600, organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club and hosted by the Antigua Yacht Club, will start on Monday 20th February 2012.

Past Results:

RORC CARIBBEAN 600 TROPHY - IRC OVERALL

2011 - George David, Rambler 100, JK 100 (USA)

2010 - Karl C L Kwok, Beau Geste, Farr 80 (HKG)

2009 - Adrian Lee, Lee Overlay Partners, Cookson 50 (IRL)

Records:

Multihull record holder - Region Guadeloupe in 40 hours 11 mins 5 secs (2009)

Monohull record held by Rambler 100 in 40 hours 20 mins 02 secs (2011)

The Royal Ocean Racing Club in London has awarded Niall Dowling's Royal Irish yacht Arabella (a J111)  the Alan Paul Trophy for consistent high performance in IRC, the Serendip Trophy for best series-produced Yacht in IRC, and the second place medallion in IRC overall for the 2011 RORC season.

Ireland's 2010 Commodore's Cup winning captain showed his relief at the news that Hong Kong have been tipped as favourites for next July's event, The Irish Times reports.

The announcement was made this week at the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) in London, and should lift a burden off an Irish squad which has long suffered under the weight of being pre-event favourites.

Ireland's concerns instead have turned to whether a team can even be assembled for next summer's event in light of the difficult economic environment - and despite the RORC opening the rating bands to allow for more flexible combinations of boat sizes.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the Irish Cruiser Racing Association (ICRA) is seeking expressions of interest to form an Irish team and remains hopeful of mounting a serious defence of the title won by last year's Anthony O’Leary-captained squad.

The next Commodore's Cup - which also has a new title sponsor in Brewin Dolphin - takes place from 21 to 28 July 2012 in Cowes.

Is there any way you could get away with saying that a sailing race in the Carribbean this winter is essential training for next June's Round Ireland Race? As unlikely a story as it may sound the warm water series is in fact gaining ground as a 'must do' event on the offshore calendar.

Of course the Carribbean regatta and our own 700-miler are both Royal Ocean Racing Club fixtures but for many of us that's as close as the connection may ever come but for those considering winter sunshine here's the details:

The RORC Caribbean 600, run by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with Antigua Yacht Club, is the only offshore race of the Caribbean series and since its conception in 2009, has become a firm favourite with offshore racers seeking a tactical challenge in warm Caribbean conditions. The 2012 edition will witness an impressive line-up of yachts starting from Antigua on Monday 20th February.

 

The fleet will battle the 600nm course which circumnavigates 11 Caribbean Islands starting from Fort Charlotte, English Harbour, Antigua and heading north as far as St Martin and south to Guadeloupe taking in Barbuda, Nevis, St Kitts, Saba and St Barth's. Perfect racing in perfect conditions.

RORC Commodore, Andrew McIrvine will be competing for the second year in the elegant 154.5ft classic schooner, Windrose of Amsterdam:

"The RORC Caribbean 600 is now well established on the international offshore racing calendar. We are excited about the quality of the boats intending to race in 2012 and expect to follow this year's record entries which represented 15 different countries. The race has great appeal to offshore sailors as it's a modern race in every sense; the course is designed to provide an exciting and inspiring race that compliments modern yacht design. The club is delighted that sailors from all over the world want to take part. The diverse fleet will be a mixture of world class sailors and corinthian enthusiasts, but they all have one thing in common, a passion for offshore racing and a challenge."

Attracting Top Boats
It's the Caribbean sailing conditions that attract highly competitive and successful racing teams such as Niklas Zennstrom's Rán. Their mythological sea goddess in the form of the 72ft Judel/Vrolijk, mini maxi Rán, are hoping to add to their silverware collection following overall wins in the Rolex Fastnet Race and Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship this year and Team Manager, Tim Powell explains why:

"The Rán team are looking forward to competing in the 2012 edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 as it's an event we have wanted to race in since its inception due to the fabulous sailing conditions that are the 'norm' in that area. It will be a great race."

Rambler Returns
George David is planning to return to the Caribbean to defend the 2011 title he won in Rambler 100. This time he will be using the water ballasted Reichel/Pugh designed Rambler 90 and this will be the first race the team will have done together since the capsize of Rambler 100 in the Rolex Fastnet Race that sent shivers through the yachting community. It is unlikely that he will be close to beating the race record he set, but he will have a battle on his hands for overall line honours with some of the super yachts that are expected to compete.

Super yachts
Interest has already been received from a diverse range of boats and crews: In the super yacht class - the 38m Philippe Briand designed, P2, skippered by Jonathan Kline and Peter Harrison's Farr 115, Sojana. Peter has been an admirer of the race since its conception and he competed for the first time this year finishing second in IRC Zero and third Overall.

Also planning to compete is the brand new 66.7m (219ft) ketch, Hetairos, built by Baltic Yachts. This incredibly luxurious, fast yacht designed purely for pleasure, will also compete in regattas where competition is fierce. She is currently undergoing sea trials and if all goes well she will be there.

Traditional
In the Spirit of Tradition class, the 180ft (55m) classic twin-masted schooner Adela will line up against the 155ft Windrose of Amsterdam whose classic hull and modern schooner rig was conceived to win races of this type.

Other Entries
Other interesting entries include: Brad Van Liew's Le Pingouin, winner of the 2010/11 Velux 5 Oceans. Charleston-based Brad sailed the Open 60 to victory in the race around the world, winning every ocean sprint of the 30,000 mile race and becoming the first American to ever officially complete three solo races around the globe.

Also intending to compete: Idea, the Reichel Pugh-designed 78ft maxi, Peter Aschenbrenner's 63ft trimaran Paradox, Amanda Hartley's Swan 56 Clem, Christian and Lucy Reynolds Swan 51, Northern Child and the Swan 48, Scarlet Oyster. Ondeck will enter Farr 65s and a Beneteau 40.7, First 40 and Santa Cruz 37 for charter. The Grand Soleil 46, Belladonna Logic has been entered by Sailing Logic, winners of the RORC 'Sailing School Boat of the Year' for the past six years.

Once again, the RORC Caribbean 600 has seen increased enquiries for the charter of yachts from individuals who wish to enjoy winter sunshine racing in the Caribbean and from companies who are selling places on their yachts. For more information about boats available for charter, check out the race website: http://caribbean600.rorc.org/entries/entries/charter-opportunities.html

After a wet and windy season the weather gods conjured up a new and unusual challenge for the finale of the RORC 2011 season: light airs and thick fog. Speaking after the race the overall winner, RORC Vice Commodore, Mike Greville said that it was a good and challenging tactical race. "The combination of thick fog and light patchy breeze made it really difficult to sail to the wind. The instruments were not a lot of help because of the wind sheer and we struggled to see the tell tales in the thick fog in the dark. The secret of our success, apart from keeping the boat moving, was our decision to go west. There was more breeze and at a better angle particularly as we closed the finish at Cherbourg".

The fog also caused the race committee problems at the start and the RIB at the outer distance mark was invaluable in checking for OCS boats. The wind was westerly force 3 and the fleet were just able to carry their kites. Exiting the Solent to the East there were large holes in the wind to spot and avoid off Bembridge.

The light wind prevailed throughout the race and the first boat to finish was the Carroll Marine 60, Venomous, owned by Derek Saunders, which took over 14 hours to complete the 78 nautical mile course to win IRC Zero. Erivale, Mike Greville's Ker 39 took class honours in IRC One and IRC Overall finishing at 1026. David Ballantyne's J/133 Jings took second in both IRC One and IRC Overall finishing at 1057. She was followed by Class 40 winner Marc Lepesqueux sailing Les Conquérants de Normandie at 1134. Then there was a long wait until the rest of the fleet trickled into Cherbourg over the course of the afternoon.

Steven Anderson sailing his 40.7 Encore two-handed claimed a win in IRC Two, with Ed Broadway's First 40 Carpe Diem second and RORC Commodore Andrew McIrvine's La Réponse third.

In IRC Three Nikki Curwen triumphed in her J/105 Voador from sister ship Diablo-J sailed by Rear Commodore Nick Martin. Peter Olden's A35, Solan Goose piped Noel Racine's Foggy Dew to get third place by four minutes on corrected time.

Jean-Yves Chateau's Iromiguy won IRC Four by over two hours from Ian Braham's Enigma. Kirsteen Donaldson sailing her X332 Pyxis, took third place in IRC Four but was delighted to win the Two-Handed Class beating Steven Anderson's Encore by just four and a half minutes. The win meant all the more to Kirsteen after her disappointment at having to retire in the Rolex Fastnet Race with standing rigging failure.

The race proved a suitable end to a challenging Season. The Season's Point's and other Trophy winners will be announced within the next few days.

After a record breaking Rolex Fastnet Race, the final race of the RORC Season's Points Championship takes place this weekend writes Louay Habib. After a scintillating season of racing with the Royal Ocean Racing Club, current weather models pAfter a record breaking Rolex Fastnet Race, the final race of the RORC Season's Points Championship takes place this weekend. After a scintillating season of racing with the Royal Ocean Racing Club, current weather models predict a light airs race, in sharp contrast to a very windy season.

In IRC Zero Derek Saunders' CM 60, Venomous, has already clinched the class title but no doubt the team will be celebrating in style in Cherbourg, as this is their first series win with the yacht after three years of trying.

Piet Vroon's Ker 46, Tonnerre de Breskens, has already wrapped up the class win in IRC One and after competing in nine races this season, the sky blue flyer is sitting out the race to Cherbourg. However, in IRC Two Neil Kipling's J/122, Joopster, needs to get a result against Ross Appleby's Oyster 48, Scarlet Oyster, to be sure of the season win. Neither of these yachts has won their class for the RORC Season's Points Championship before but the conditions and the points favour Joopster to take their first RORC Season's Points Championship win.

Noel Racine's JPK 10.10, Foggy Dew, has an unassailable lead in IRC Three after picking up maximum points in the Rolex Fastnet Race but the team from Le Havre are still competing in the final race of the season.

IRC Four has been incredibly competitive and after a long and exciting season, the class title looks like going to French JPK 9.60, Ultreia!, skippered by Matthias Kracht. However Harry Heijst's S&S 41, Winsome, and Nigel Goodhew's Sigma 38, Persephone of London, are also racing to Cherbourg and will have a close battle for the runner up spot in IRC Four.

Matthias Kracht, skipper of Ultreia!, is a surgeon but he is obviously proficient in mathematics as he explained:

"By my calculations Ultreia! has a good enough points score in the Two-Handed Class to win the title for the season but we can still be beaten in IRC Four by two yachts, Jean Yves Chateau's Iromiguy, and also Ian Braham's Enigma, so we have decided to race to Cherbourg with a full crew to try to get a good result in IRC Four. Only two yachts have won both the Two-Handed Class and their IRC Class in the same season and they were both British yachts, Slingshot and Psipsina. So it would be a great achievement if we can add a French yacht to that."

Late entries for the RORC Cherbourg Race are possible until Thursday, 1st September, for more information visit: www.rorc.org <http://www.rorc.org>

While it might be an exaggeration to say that all of the 21 crew members of Rambler 100 owe their lives to the Irish Search and Rescue service, there are certainly five people whose future prospects were greatly improved by the operation off the Fastnet Rock on August 15th. A lot of media focus has been on Coxswain Kieran Cotter and the crew of Baltimore Lifeboat as well as lifeboat mechanic Jerry Smith, whose dive boat, on charter to the media team of one of the competitors, was on hand to search and recover the five drifting crew. There is no question that this focus is appropriate. RNLI crews all over the UK and Ireland deserve the attention, not only because of their extraordinary voluntary dedication to the cause, but also because such publicity helps swell the coffers of the charity. The service could not operate without the generosity of the donors and incidents such as these help fill the blue boat-shaped boxes held by even more RNLI volunteers.

Saved: Ireland's Rescue Services Answered the Call of the capsized Supermaxi Rambler 100 off the Fastnet Rock. Photo: Team Phaedo

The dramatic stories and pictures dominating the media show the front line of a quite wonderful resource that is Search and Rescue in Ireland today. Baltimore Lifeboat was at the coal face of an intricate network of operations, triggered by the crew's EPIRBs. Irish Coast Guard radio officers in Valentia responded almost immediately tasking the rescue resources, working the phones and computers to confirm that this was not an accidentally triggered EPIRB, contacting RORC HQ, determining search patterns and relaying the information to the scene. It was the backroom contacts between RORC and the Coast Guard in endeavouring to contact Rambler 100 using satellite phones that confirmed the possibility of a catastrophic incident involving the Supermaxi. The subsequent tasking of the Shannon and Waterford based Sikorsky helicopters led to the medevac of crew member Wendy Touton and timely treatment of her hypothermic condition, initially by the on-board paramedics and later at Tralee General hospital. And Coast Guard involvement didn't end with the successful rescue – the shoreside operation to provide food and shelter in Baltimore was coordinated by Coast Guard personnel and the salvage operation of the hull of Rambler 100 was overseen by the Irish Coast Guard.

Rambler crew are recovered from the water after a SAR operation by the Irish Coastguard Photo: Team Phaedo. More photos here.

That Ireland has probably one of the best Search and Rescue services in the world goes back to the campaign initiated in 1988 by Joan McGinley, following the death, within sight of land of Donegal fisherman John Oglesby, whose leg was severed in a trawl winch. Eamon Doherty, the late former Garda Commissioner chaired the review group established in response to the campaign and his report led to the establishment of the Irish Marine Emergency Service, subsequently the Irish Coast Guard. Under the guidance of Director Capt Liam Kirwan, the new service moved quickly to become not only the central co-ordinating body for Search and Rescue, but developed its own resources, notably the helicopters, previously tasked in from Irish Air Corps and UK SAR.
Another element that will feature in the Rambler 100 incident is the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB), set up from recommendations arising from a review of the handling of investigations into marine casualties.

It might be thought that the incident is now closed, but there are many unanswered questions and the investigation will be looking at these and making recommendations that should improve safety in this sector. These questions will include EPIRB performance, liferaft deployment and grab bag usage, but perhaps the key issue yet to be determined is why the response from fellow competitors didn't appear to happen. Even if Channel 16 wasn't being actively monitored, and if not why not, shouldn't the Mayday set off by the Coast Guard have set off the DSC alerts on the radios of Rambler 100's fellow competitors? Had the incident occurred several hours later or earlier when Rambler 100 could have been up to 100 miles from the nearest land, when conditions worsened, we could be looking at much more serious consequences.

It is heartening to think that, in this small country of ours in troubled times, not only do we have a shining star in our search, rescue, recovery and restore system, involving professionals and volunteers cooperating for the greater good, we also have a system that determines the nature of incidents so that we can all learn from the experience.
And let us not forget those people and services, such as the Gardai, Navy, Army and the community of Baltimore who are outside the media spotlight who contributed to this happy ending.

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After an extremely quiet 24 hours, from last night boats have been streaming into Plymouth, with over 50 boats finishing between midnight and noon. There have been some tight finishes in this Rolex Fastnet Race between the Volvo Open 70s and the IMOCA Open 60, but the closest by far occurred in the early hours this morning in the Class 40, where the top five boats arrived within six-and-a-half minutes of one another.

Having led for the majority of the race, there was a deserved win for Tanguy de Lamotte aboard his Rogers-designed Initiatives - Alex Olivier (FRA), which arrived two and a half minutes ahead of the new Kiwi 40 Peraspera (ITA), in turn just 30 seconds in front of Red (GER), skippered by Mathias Mueller von Blumencron, former Editor in Chief of Der Spiegel magazine.

Having led for most of the race, Initiatives - Alex Olivier was overtaken by Peraspera at the last headland coming into Plymouth and it was only because their last tack into the finish took them further south of the Plymouth breakwater, that they won. "We could go on one tack to the finish line and that is where we pulled away and overtook them again," recounted de Lamotte. "It was a literally a few hundred metres before the finish line. So it could have gone any way, anyone could have won it."

Finishing 3 hours and 13 minutes astern of the Class 40 leader and 12th in Class 40 was the Class 40 Dragon (USA), skippered by Michael Hennessy, who recently sailed his boat in the Transatlantic Race 2011. "It is pretty exciting stuff," said Hennessy of the close finish. "We had a tough race. It is challenging because no one on the boat knows English waters at all and local knowledge played a big part from Bishop Rock on. We had a couple of lead changes after that and the last one went against us."

Hennessy is a regular competitor in the US-equivalent of the Rolex Fastnet Race, the Newport Bermuda Race. "That is great, but this is far more tactically challenging. You break it down and there are eight segments to this race and each has its own unique challenge to it. This was a really tactically challenging race and far more competitive than I had anticipated. It is the best race I have ever done."

Overnight the leaders in IRC 1 arrived in Plymouth, welcomed this morning by a prolonged and torrential rain. At present, French boats are looking to be the strongest contenders on handicap with the familiar Grand Soleil 54 Codiam (FRA) of Nicolas Loday and Jean Claude Nicoleau ahead of the Laurent Gouy's Ker 39, Inis Mor (FRA).

Inis Mor skipper Laurent Goyh said, "It was good. Going out of the Solent was fast and quick, but it was hard getting to the Fastnet (rock)." Goyh, whose last Fastnet Race was in 1997 aboard a Grand Mistral one-design maxi, said he felt they had sailed an extremely good race, despite running out of wind for 30 minutes at Bishop Rock, and was frustrated that their result wasn't better.

Peter Rutter's Quokka 8 (GBR), the UK IRC National Champion, arrived in at 07:31:12 this morning in IRC2, the boat on this occasion part of the seven-strong fleet entered by charter company Sailing Logic. Rutter and Sailing Logic's Philippe Falle were sailing Quokka 8 with a youth crew. "We did very well indeed," said Rutter on his arrival. "It was superb racing, as always with the Fastnet. It was quite a rough second night. After Bishop Rock we watched the whole fleet sailing up to us, we stopped and we managed to get slightly inshore of the rest of the fleet and then got 4 miles ahead in the space of about 1.5 hours, which was pleasing."

Just ahead of them on the water but sailing in IRC 1, was the Scheveningen-based Swan 42 Baraka Gp (NED) skippered by Piet de Graaf and sailed by a crew comprising many family members. "I think we sailed pretty well, especially in the first part of the race," said elder son Dirk de Graaf. "We worked well and our navigator and tactician did good preparation. We were off Land's End in a good position. In the Irish Sea we had some tough conditions and we saw 30 knots."

The Swan 42 is not known for being an offshore boat and it was the boat and the crew's first Rolex Fastnet Race. However the team had prepared extensively including competing in the North Sea Race earlier this year, along with some other qualifiers. "We have sailed some offshore (races) before, but not as big as this one. This is the best race I have ever done," concluded Dirk de Graaf.
At present the weather is being dominated by the Azores high bringing northerly winds across the race course. Over the next 24 hours the high pressure is expected to turn more into a ridge, and by tomorrow morning this will be on an NE-SW axis straight across the middle of the race track, with precious little wind in its vicinity through until Saturday, making for a slow finish for the tailenders.
As of 1200 BST today, 82 boats have finished the race; approximately 200 were still racing, and 32 have retired.