Starting on the 16th June, over 90 boats are set for the Morgan Cup Race from Cowes, IOW to Dartmouth, Devon.

The Morgan Cup is the tenth race of the RORC Season’s Points Championship, the largest racing series in the world of offshore racing.

The impressive RORC fleet will gather off Cowes IOW about an hour before the first start at 1800 on June 16th. Race fans will get a superb view of all three starts from Cowes Parade.

Close to 500 sailors will be taking part from Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Morgan Cup Race Entry List

Cowes resident Peter Morton will be racing his Maxi 72 Notorious, which took Line Honours in this month’s De Guingand Bowl Race. Notorious will be favourite to be the first monohull to finish. James Harayda’s IMOCA Gentoo will be racing with a crew of seven and poses the biggest threat to Notorious.

Two Multihulls will be in action, James Holder’s Dazcat 1295 Slinky Malinki and the Roger Hill designed Nica, skippered by Gorm Gondesen.

Full Speed in RORC's IRC Zero

Niklas Zennstrom’s Carkeek CF 52O Rán (SWE) returns to RORC racing and carries one of the highest ratings in IRC Zero along with Ross Hobson’s Open 50 Pegasus of Northumberland (GBR). (who is also planning a round Ireland speed record bid). Mark Emerson’s A13 Phosphorus II (GBR) has the lowest IRC rating in IRC Zero and could go second in class for 2023 with a good race to Dartmouth. The de Graff family racing Ker 43 Baraka GP (NED) are hoping for a top result to put the team into the top three in class for the season. RORC Commodore James Neville will be taking part in his second race with his Carkeek 45 Ino Noir (GBR).

Iceni 39 Andrasta Photo: Paul Wyeth

Making their IRC debut for the season will be Henry Bateson’s Iceni 39 Andrasta, skippered by Bill Edgerton with the RORC Griffin Team.

JPK 1180 Sunrise Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Hot Racing in IRC One

The Morgan Cup is the first event in the newly established Performance 40 offshore programme, Twenty-six boats are entered in IRC One. The race sees the rekindling of the rivalry between the 2021 Rolex Fastnet champion, Tom Kneen’s JPK 1180 Sunrise (GBR), and Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader (GBR). High performers for the season racing to Dartmouth include Michael O’Donnell’s J/121 Darkwood (IRL), Derek Shakespeare’s J/122 Bulldog (GBR), and Gilles Fournier & Corinne Migraine’s J/133 Pintia (FRA). Bruce Huber & Hugh Doherty’s JND 39 Xanaboo (GBR) will be on the start line. Five Beneteau First 40s will be in action; Susan Glenny’s Olympia’s Tigress (GBR) is currently top First 40 for the RORC Season’s Points Championship by a slender margin from Richard Powell’s Rogan Josh (GBR).

Sun Fast 3600 Tigris Photo: James Tomlinson

Eight of the top boats for the season in IRC Two are racing Two-Handed, bucking the trend is Ross Applebey’s Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster (GBR), which is second in class for the season. Scarlet Oyster is no stranger to the Morgan Cup, winning it in 2011. A notable fully crewed dual in IRC Two is between the Army and the Navy. The British Army Sailing Association’s Sun Fast 3600 Fujitsu British Soldier (GBR) is skippered by Lt Col Will Taylor, while the Royal Navy Association will be competing in their newly purchased Sun Fast 3600 Yoyo (GBR), skippered by Vincent Pietersz. The Britannia Royal Naval College has been in Dartmouth since 1863. To say there will be a rivalry to be first to finish between the Army and the Navy would be a colossal understatement!

The RORC Fleet Photo: Paul Wyeth

The many flavours of IRC Three

With at least 12 different designs racing in IRC Three, the class is the most diverse in the race. Rob Cotterill’s J/109 Mojo Risin’ has a chance to move up to second in class for the season with a good Morgan Cup result. The Morgan Cup will be the first RORC race of the season for Johnathan Wade’s X-362 Xocet (GBR), which is the lowest IRC rated boat in the class. The Xocet team are from the Royal Dart Yacht Club and purchased the boat last year for a 2023 Rolex Fastnet Campaign. One of the most experienced skippers in the race is Neal Brewer, who has been racing offshore for forty years, including 20 Fastnet Races. Neal Brewer will skipper Modified Humphreys 30 Bespoke (GBR) in the Morgan Cup, racing with Andrew Baker, Bespoke is the smallest boat in the race.

Sun Fast 3300 Chilli Pepper Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Tilting at Dartmouth in IRC Two-Handed

Jim & Ellie Driver racing Sun Fast 3300 Chilli Pepper will be defending the Morgan Cup, won by just 35 seconds after IRC time correction last year. Chilli Pepper is one of five British Sun Fast 3300 in the Morgan Cup Race. Rob Craigie’s Sun Fast 3600 Bellino, racing with Deb Fish, is leading the double-handed class for the 2023 season, and is one of 21 teams racing with two crew in the Morgan Cup Race. Gavin Howe’s Sun Fast 3600 Tigris is second for the season, just ahead of third place Sun Fast 3200 Cora, raced by Tim Goodhew and Kelvin Matthews.

Dehler 33 Sunhill III Photo: Rick Tomlinson

IRC Four passion and diversity

Samuel Duménil’s JPK 960 Casamyas (FRA), racing with Ludovic Bernard, leads IRC Four for the season after placing third in class for the Myth of Malham Race. Francois Charles Dehler 33 Sunhill III (FRA) will be taking part in their first RORC race of the season, Sunhill III will be defending their win in IRC Four for the 2022 Morgan Cup Race.

While over half the boats racing double-handed to Dartmouth are from the Sun Fast design board, there are unique entries racing two up in IRC Four. Joph Carter & Robbie Southwell will be racing Peter Morton’s 1968 Swan 36 Scherzo of Cowes (GBR), the lowest rated boat in the class. George Isted’s Westerly Sealord 39 Liberta (GBR), racing with Jamie Stott, has the second lowest IRC rating of the double-handers. George Isted describes Liberta as a ‘floating bungalow’ but he has completed two Atlantic crossings in the Ed Dubois design, and under IRC, Liberta has an equal chance of winning the race.

Royal Dart Yacht Club in Devon Photo: Neal Theasby

A warm welcome awaits the RORC fleet at the Royal Dart Yacht Club. Founded in 1866, the Royal Dart Clubhouse is located in Kingswear on the banks of the River Dart. Competitors are welcome to the club bar and dining area with a riverside terrace. The overall winner after IRC time correction will be awarded The Morgan Cup at the Royal Thames Prizegiving Dinner. The sterling silver trophy dates back to 1929 and was donated to the Royal Thames Yacht Club by the JP Morgan family. The Morgan Cup Race first appeared in the RORC programme in 1958.

Carkeek CF 52O Rán Photo: Tim Wright

The Royal Ocean Racing Club Season’s Points Championship continues with the eighth race of the series, the Morgan Cup Race. Starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line at 1800 BST on the 17th of June.

The intention is to start the RORC fleet to the east and around the southside of the Isle of Wight. The final destination will be Dartmouth where a warm welcome awaits from the Royal Dart Yacht Club. 44 teams have entered the Morgan Cup Race competing for the overall win under the IRC Rating Rule and for IRC Class Honours.

The full entry list is downloadable below

Palanad 3, Class40 sailed by Antoine Magre Photo: Carlo Borlenghi

Favourite for Line Honours will be Antoine Magre’s Class40 Palanad 3, one of the world’s fastest Class40s. Palanad 3 won her class in the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race and the 2021 RORC Transatlantic Race overall. Magre will also be taking on the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race this August. For the Morgan Cup Race Palanad 3 is also entered under IRC, it will be very interesting to see how the team fair against the fleet after time correction. Joining Antoine Magre for the Morgan Cup will be the highly accomplished young British navigator Will Harris and Dutch protégé Rosie Kuiper, both are destined to compete in The Ocean Race 2022-23.

Tom Kneen's JPK 1180 Sunrise Photo: Rick Tomlinson

The largest and highest rated boat in IRC One for the Morgan Cup Race is Jonathan Butler’s Swan 62 Coco de Mer. Returning to the UK offshore arena is Tom Kneen’s JPK 1180 Sunrise, overall winner of the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race and class winner for the 2022 RORC Caribbean 600. Fresh from winning the North Sea Race overall under IRC with a full crew, Astrid de Vin & Roeland Franssens’ JPK 1180 Il Corvo is back in action. This time Two-Handed for the Morgan Cup. Top teams from France include Jacques Pelletier’s Milon 41 L'Ange De Milon, which is one of the class leaders for the season, along with Sport Nautique Club’s Xp 44 Orange Mecanix2, skippered by Maxime de Mareuil. RORC Honorary Treasurer Derek Shakespeare will be racing his British J/122 Bulldog. A good result will put the team into pole position in IRC One for the season. Richard Powell’s Rogan Josh is one of three First 40s racing; Ronan Banim’s Galahad Of Cowes and Sailing Logic’s Lancelot II, skippered by Cameron Ferguson, will also be in action.

Richard Palmer's JPK 1010 Jangada and Jacques Pelletier’s Milon 41 L'Ange De Milon Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Ronan Banim’s Galahad Of Cowes Photo: Paul Wyeth

22 teams have entered the Morgan Cup Race racing in IRC Two-Handed including nine Sun Fast 3300s. The top five double-handed teams for the 2022 season will be racing to Dartmouth: Jangada - Richard Palmer & Rupert Holmes , Diablo - Nick Martin & Calanach Finlayson, Purple Mist - Kate Cope & Claire Dresser, Sea Bear - Peter Bacon & Antonio Martinez, and Tigris - Gavin Howe & Rosie Hill.

Tim Goodhew and Kelvin Matthews racing Sun Fast 3200 Cora, class winner for the Cervantes Trophy Race, is back in action.

Diablo - Nick Martin & Calanach Finlayson Photo: Paul Wyeth

Classic yachts racing in IRC Two-Handed include Stuart Greenfield & Louise Clayton with S&S 34 Morning After and Joe Walters & Evie Herrington racing the wooden-hull Channel 32 Wavetrain.

 Joe Walters & Evie Herrington Channel 32 Wavetrain

Fully crewed entries in IRC Three include three J/109s, a fourth is the highly successful JAGO raced Two-Handed by Mike Yates & Will Holland. The Royal Navy Association’s Jolly Jack Tar is second in class for the season, less than 11 points ahead of Rob Cotterill’s Mojo Risin'. The Royal Armoured Corps Yacht Club’s White Knight 7 will also be racing skippered by Matthew Pollard. IRC Four includes Francois Charles’ French Dehler 33 Sun Hill 3, which was third in class for the 2019 and 2021 Rolex Fastnet Races.

A warm welcome awaits from the Royal Dart Yacht Club © Neil Theasby

Competing boats in the Morgan Cup Race can be tracked using AIS data.

There is also a YB Races App for available free to download on smart devices.

Tom Kneen’s JPK 1180 Sunrise scored the best corrected time under IRC to win the 2021 Morgan Cup, the third race of the Royal Ocean Racing Club Season’s Points Championship.

The impressive RORC fleet got away on a spinnaker run, exiting the Solent to the east before turning upwind to race in the English Channel to finish at Dartmouth, Devon.

After one of the hottest days of the year, the overnight race was held in the comfort of a warm south-westerly breeze. However, dense fog greeted the fleet as they tacked around the southside of the Isle of Wight.

Tom Kneen’s JPK 1180 Sunrise scored the best corrected time under IRC to win the Morgan Cup | Credit: Rick Tomlinson/RORC

By morning on Day Two, with the race leaders closing in on the finish, high pressure arrived over the racecourse. The teams that could maintain their optimum velocity reaped the rewards. See the full race results on the RORC website HERE.

“The early part of the race was pretty intense with lots of manoeuvres in thick fog, but we knew it was going to get light and funky towards the finish, so we all tried to get as much sleep on the light wind beat on the first night, so that we would all be fresh and up for it in the morning,” Sunrise skipper Tom Kneen said.

“The breeze shut down 10 miles before Dartmouth, but we were ready for it. Our navigator, Tom Cheyne got it absolutely spot on, gybing us southwest to where the breeze would be coming from. Although we did have zero on the speed for a short while, we fared better than the boats who went for the land.

“Sunrise is a twin-rudder wide-hulled boat, not designed for light airs, but we just managed to keep her moving. The crew have been together for a while, and we have invested a lot of time understanding the boat.

“We are really pleased with our results so far, and it is very encouraging for the Fastnet. I hope we get lots of breeze, then we can really let her rip for the big race in August!”

Michael O’Donnell’s J/121 Darkwood was the winner of IRC One and placed second overall | Credit: Rick Tomlinson/RORC

Michael O'Donnell’s J/121 Darkwood was the winner of IRC One and placed second overall, while Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader was third overall. Former RORC Commodore Andrew McIrvine’s Ker 39 La Réponse was fourth overall, just over a minute off the podium after IRC time correction.

Richard Palmer’s JPK 10.10 Jangada was the winner of IRC Four and IRC Two-Handed. Racing with Jeremy Waitt, the pair are highly experienced and successful offshore duo. Winning two-handed races with the RORC has become increasingly difficult, with many professional sailors competing; Palmer and Waitt are both Corinthian sailors.

“We really enjoy racing against this level of competition,” Palmer said. “Probably our best tactic was to ignore the routing software and instead race instinctively. We kept with the fleet to see what our pace was like against the competition. We did 64 tacks in 90 minutes after Ventnor – just bonkers!

“It was fantastic to be on a destination race, meeting up with people at the end, airing our stories, it was just great!”

Richard Palmer’s JPK 10.10 Jangada was the winner of IRC Four and IRC Two-Handed | Credit: Rick Tomlinson/RORC

J/112E Xanaboo, winner of IRC Two, is owned by Bruce Huber who lives in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight. On the first night, local knowledge and great crew work paid great dividends for the team, as Huber explains.

“I could actually see my house from the racecourse, it’s where we sail Bembridge Illusions, so we know where the rocks are. While the fleet were tacking for tidal relief, we managed to hold a lane and get a high line without tacking, so a big gain there.

“As with the rest of the fleet, the Xanaboo crew worked really well to put in many tacks to stay out of the tide after Ventnor. There was the added complication of staying in the best pressure with a lot of sailcloth around us, plus there was dense fog.

“The end of the race was very frustrating; we were in contention for the overall win but hit a wind hole. We did everything we could to tweak the boat to the finish, but the overall win was not to be.”

Bruce Huber’s J/112E Xanaboo, winner of IRC Two | Credit: Rick Tomlinson/RORC

The RORC offered congratulations to all of the class winners for the Morgan Cup Race: CM60 Venomous, skippered by James Gair; Michael O'Donnell’s J/121 Darkwood; Bruce Huber’s J/112E Xanaboo; Richard Palmer’s JPK 10.10 Jangada; and Charles Emmett’s Class40 Manic. Ed Fishwick’s Farr 42 Redshift took line honours for the 110-nautical-mile race.

The next event for the RORC will be inshore. The IRC National Championship will be held in the Solent from this Friday 18 to Sunday 20 June. The RORC Season’s Points Championship continues offshore with the De Guingand Bowl, starting from the RYS Line on Saturday 26 June.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club Season’s Points Championship continues with the Morgan Cup Race, which starts tomorrow, Friday 11 June in Cowes and will finish at the historic town of Dartmouth in Devon.

One of the jewels in the crown among England’s West Country harbours, Dartmouth has a shipbuilding heritage the dates back to the 13th century. Over 70 yachts are expected for the Morgan Cup racing under IRC, MOCRA and Class40 rules.

“The race will start to the east at 1800, so it will be a different scenario to the Myth of Malham,” RORC deputy racing manager Tim Thubron said. “Weather forecasts show a variety of wind in both speed and direction for the race. A light to moderate westerly is predicted for the start, making for a spinnaker run east in the Solent.

Venomous, the Carroll Marine 60 which is the largest yacht racing in IRC Zero | Credit: Tim Wright/RORC

“The fleet should be hardening up on the south side of the Isle of Wight with crews readying themselves for an overnight sail to Dartmouth. The wind is due to abate in the early hours of Saturday morning, which will add another dimension to the tactics.

“A big thank you to the Royal Dart Yacht Club, which has been extremely helpful in assisting the RORC. I am sure it will be a popular venue for teams that visit Dartmouth after the race.”

Racing in IRC Zero, the highest rated and largest yacht will be the Carroll Marine 60 Venomous. Cowes-based skipper James Gair is a previous winner of the Morgan Cup, and will be in charge of Venomous for his 14th Rolex Fastnet Race this August.

xP44 Orange Mecanix2, skippered by Maxime de Mareuil | Credit: Rick Tomlinson/RORC

IRC One has numerous proven race winners in action including Myth of Malham Class winner xP44 Orange Mecanix2, skippered by Maxime de Mareuil. The highly competitive class includes Ed Fishwick’s Redshift, Mark Emerson’s Phosphorous II, Andrew Hall’s Pata Negra, Andrew McIrvine’s La Réponse, Michael O'Donnell’s Darkwood and David Cummins' Rumbleflurg.

IRC Two will feature two British JPK 1180s in action, Ed Bell’s Dawn Treader and Tom Kneen’s Sunrise — the latter fresh from an overall win in last weekend’s East Coast Race. Christopher Daniel’s J/122 Juno will also be racing, as will Ross Applebey’s internationally successful Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster.

Over 30 teams are expected to be racing in IRC Three, including many teams racing two-handed. Fully crewed entries include Trevor Middleton’s Sun Fast 3600 Black Sheep. Skippered by Jake Carter, Black Sheep was the overall winner of the 2019 RORC Season’s Points Championship.

Tom Kneen’s JPK 1180 Sunrise | Credit: Rick Tomlinson/RORC

Five J/109s will be racing fully crewed, including the Royal Naval Sailing Association’s Jolly Jack Tar, skippered by Thomas Reed. The Royal Navy has been training service men and women in Dartmouth since 1863, and the Britannia Royal Naval College is a majestic landmark above Dartmouth.

The Morgan Cup Race in 2019 was dominated by teams racing in IRC Two-Handed. William McGough, racing J/109 Just So, won the last edition of the Morgan Cup Race. Runner up was Tim Goodhew racing Sun Fast 3200 Cora and third was Rob Craigie’s Sun Fast 3600 Bellino.

All three will be racing in the 2021 edition of the race, which will feature 22 teams racing Two-Handed. James Harayda’s Sun Fast 3300 Gentoo, racing with Dee Caffari, is the in-form team. Gentoo has won the Two-Handed Class for the RORC Spring Series and the Myth of Malham Race.

William McGough, racing J/109 Just So two-handed, will be defending the 2019 Morgan Cup overall win | Credit: Rick Tomlinson/RORC

IRC Four includes Morgan Cup holder Just So and 2020 RORC Yacht of the Year Jangada, raced by Richard Palmer with Jeremy Waitt. Four Sun Fast 3200s will be in action and will have their own skirmish along the South Coast to Dartmouth. Classic yachts racing in IRC Four include Mike Greville’s Bowman 44 Skadi, Giovanni Mazzocchi’s Swan 44 Ithaka, Oliver Hughes’ S&S 41 Easy Glider, and Stuart Greenfield’s S&S 34 Morning After.

Yachts taking part in the Morgan Cup Race will start to gather off Cowes Parade from around 1700 tomorrow. The RORC fleet can be tracked using the YB App for smartphones and tablets. For more information including the full entry list go to

Results will be available with live updates at the RORC website and for more information, including the full entry list, visit the Morgan Cup Race microsite HERE.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club's race to Dieppe for the Morgan Cup started in the Solent on midsummer's day in superb conditions. The RORC fleet enjoyed a spectacular downwind start off the Royal Yacht Squadron Line, heading east for the English Channel. During the night, the wind evaporated and as high pressure enveloped the race course, competitors were searching for the best of the breeze and tidal conditions. By morning, clear skies and an early sunrise conspired to enhance sea breeze conditions, giving a fantastic downwind finish for the fleet into Dieppe. The slow-down during the night meant that the race to the finish was a close one, with many classes being decided by minutes, even seconds. The 2019 Morgan Cup Race was notable for British yachts which won all seven classes.

William McGoughand Christian Jeffrey, racing J/109 Just So in IRC Two Handed, won the 2019 Morgan Cup Race, winning overall in a fleet of 86 yachts racing under the IRC Rating System. McGough and Jeffrey are both corinthian sailors in their 30s, and this is their first season racing Two-Handed. Monohull Line Honours for the race went to Botin IRC 52 Tala, skippered by Robbie Southall. After time correction, IRC Zero was won by Ker 46 Lady Mariposa, skippered by Nigel King. Joel Malardel's Normanni 34 Tancrède took Multihull Line Honours.

The top three yachts in IRC Overall for the Morgan Cup Race were all racing Two-Handed. Just So won by 27 minutes from Sun Fast 3200 Cora, sailed by Nigel & Tim Goodhew. Sun Fast 3600 Bellino, sailed by Rob Craigie & Deb Fish, was third by less than a minute.

“We have been sailing together for 11 years with fully crewed teams in RORC races but this is the first time we have won a RORC trophy so we are absolutely delighted,” agreed McGough and Jeffrey, the Two-Handed team racing Just So. “We got one of the best starts along with Bellino and we were going well out of the Solent. Probably the biggest tactical decision that paid off was to go east. If you look at the results of the pack of boats that went that way, they have all done well. When we finished the race, we looked at the boats around us and knew we had done well, but to win overall is amazing! Just So will be competing in the Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race fully crewed but this was the last race before we take on the Rolex Fastnet Race Two-Handed.”

In IRC One, Corby 45 Incisor, skippered by James Gair and sailed by the Cowes Race School, was the winner. Didier Gaudoux's 2017 Rolex Fastnet Race champion, JND 39 Lann Ael 2 was second and proven winner Maxime de Mareuil's XP-44 Orange Mecanix2 was third.

In IRC Two, Gavin Howe's Hamble, UK based Sun Fast 3600 Tigris was the winner racing Two-Handed with Sam Cooper. After IRC time correction, Tigris was ahead of 2015 Rolex Fastnet champion Gery Trentesaux racing JPK 11.80 Courrier Recommande, and 2017 IRC Two champion, Gilles Fournier's J/133 Pintia.

The podium for IRC Three was all British yachts, Bellino was the winner. Trevor Middleton's Sun Fast 3600 Black Sheep, sailed by Jake Carter, continue to lead the RORC Season's Points Championship with second in class for the Morgan Cup. The Royal Navy Association's J/109 Jolly Jack Tar, skippered by Tom Thicknesse, was third in class for the Morgan Cup. In IRC Four, Just so, and Cora took the top two places. Cooper & England's Dehler 38 Longue Pierre was third in class, and just four seconds off the podium for the Morgan Cup.

The eighth race of the 2019 RORC Season's Points Championship will be the East Coast Race, organised by the West Mersea Yacht Club and the Royal Ocean Racing Club. The 125nm race across the North Sea finishing in Ostend, Belgium will start on Friday 28th June 2019.

#rorc – 108 yachts crossed the start line for the 2015 Morgan Cup Race, the seventh race of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's season points championship writes race reporter Louay Habib. Although the race started at 7pm on Friday evening, due to the Summer Solstice, the fleet barely sailed more than a few hours in darkness. The gentle northerly wind, which eventually backed to the west, gave a spinnaker run for most of the 125 mile course. The majority of the fleet finished the race on Saturday afternoon, perfect timing to enjoy the hospitality of the Guernsey Yacht Club. Tide always plays a part in races to the Channel Islands and this year's Morgan Cup Race was no exception.
Piet Vroon's Dutch Ker 51, Tonnerre 4, sailed by Frank Gerber, was the overall winner after IRC time correction, with British IMOCA 60, Artemis Ocean Racing, skippered by Mikey Ferguson, taking Line Honours and second overall under IRC. Arnaud Delamare and Eric Mordret's French JPK 10.80, Dream Pearls was third overall.
"Piet was on the phone virtually as soon as we crossed the line" commented Tonnerre 4's Frank Gerber, referring to Piet Vroon, who has had a back operation. "He was absolutely delighted, it has been a month since we raced Tonnerre and we have some new faces on board, as well as some new sails. We saw a lot of our FR0 (fractional code zero), we put it up when we left the Solent and it came down when we got to St. Peter Port. Recently we have not had the luck of favourable tide in races, but I have to admit, this one was almost perfect. We did however park up off Guernsey for close to an hour. We had visions of the yachts behind catching us up, but the tide stayed positive and we made the new breeze on that."
In IRC 1, Steven Anderson's British Corby 40, Cracklin Rosie was the victor and leads the class for the season. Adrian Lower and David Smith's classic Swan 48, Snatch, was second just 36 seconds ahead of former RORC Commodore, Mike Greville, racing his Ker 39 Erivale III.
In IRC 2, there was a terrific battle between several yachts during the latter stages of the race, with a gybing duel between half a dozen or so, rock hopping along the Guernsey shore to escape the tide. Peter Newland's First 40.7, Anticipation, sailed by Charles Linard, won the class. RORC Admiral, Andrew McIrvine, racing First 40 La Réponse, was second by less than five minutes after time correction with Patrick Ponchelet's French X-40, Exception in third.
"It was all down to superb navigation!" laughed Richard Hammond, navigator for Anticipation. "Seriously, we really had great boat speed throughout the race, I can't really put a reason to that, it was a great all round effort from the entire crew. We knew we were in the hunt when we saw the boats around us near to the finish and the big factor was that we decided to go all the way inshore. Not only did we get out of the tide, we found a back eddy, which really worked like a dream. Our twin goals this season are the RORC Fastnet Race and the Season's Points Championship and we have had a highly successful weekend of racing towards those objectives, now time for a beer!"
In IRC Three, Arnaud Delamare and Eric Mordret's JPK 10.80, Dream Pearls, had a first class race, winning the class ahead of two extremely well sailed JPK 10.10s; Richard Searle's Pincer Movement and Pascal Loison's Night and Day. The light conditions will have suited the lighter two-handed teams. The Dream Pearls team, from St.Malo, won the class by five minutes and eight seconds after IRC time correction from Pincer Movement, with Night and Day in third.
14 yachts raced in the IRC Two Handed class and Richard Searle's British JPK 10.10, Pincer Movement was the winner, defeating the Rolex Fastnet champion, Night and Day, skippered by Pascal Loison. "We're still learning how to sail the boat, and how to work together Two Handed, so this is a fantastic result for us" commented Richard Searle, skipper of Pincer Movement, "co-skipper is Joe Banks, who would appreciate it if he gets a mention as I remember the lack of glamour the 'other guy' experiences on two-handed entries and it is very much a joint effort! Brilliant to be looking behind us, at the front of the French boats for a change! Those guys (Night & Day, Raging Bee) were fighting hard the whole way; definitely one of the most stressful races we've done, but perhaps that comes with winning." Louis-Marie Dussere's French JPK 10.10, Raging Bee was third and still retains the overall lead for the season.
In IRC 4, Noel Racine's French JPK 10.10, Foggy Dew was the winner, and extends their lead at the top of IRC 4 for the season. Class victory in the Morgan Cup Race was Foggy Dew's third win of the season. Christopher Spray's classic S&S 53, Stormy Weather of Cowes, was second. Launched in 1934, Stormy Weather of Cowes won the 1935 Fastnet Race. The beautiful yacht, designed by Olin Stephens will be taking part in the historic Rolex Fastnet Race once again this year, and will be competing against other classics, including Griff Rhys Jones' S&S 57, Argyll, which placed fourth in class for the Morgan Cup Race. Chris & Vanessa Choules' Sigma 38, With Alacrity was third in IRC 4 and will be celebrating as winners, having won the battle of the five Sigma 38s taking part in the race to Guernsey.
Tony Lawson's yacht racing stable continues to grow and impress, Class40 Concise8, skippered by Jack Trigger, won the Class40 division. Concise 2 skippered by Phillippa Hutton-Squire, and sporting an all-girls team, was second with Forty Shades Of Grey, sailed by David Pearce in third.
As Afloat.ie reported earlier, racing for the RORC Season's Points Championship continues with the 100 mile Lyver Trophy Race, from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire across the Irish Sea. 

The RORC Season's Points Championship continues this weekend with what looks like a tough race to Cherbourg writes Louay Habib.

Although Dun Laoghaire's Niall Dowling's J/111, Arabella currently leads the class for the season he is not competing in the Morgan Cup this weekend. Dating back to 1929, the solid silver trophy is one of the oldest and most prestigious prizes. But the 100-boat fleet may have to battle against strong winds to reach Cherbourg.

Weather models are predicting a wet beat to Cherbourg; it could well suit those yachts and crew that can best handle the tough conditions. Tactical weather expert Mike Broughton will be in the afterguard of pocket rocket Keronimo for the race.

"A large area of low pressure has been stationary 200 miles west of Ireland all week. By Friday morning it looks like a secondary low pressure system will be riding around its southern flank, moving like a slingshot towards the south western approaches. There will be gales in the western channel with Force 6/7 in the central channel from the westerly quadrant. However, it all depends on the final track of this system; even a little change in its direction will make a big change in the conditions for the race. It certainly looks like being windy on Saturday morning with potentially 25 to 30 knots from the west at dawn. If the low pressure system tracks south or intensifies, we could see significantly more wind and a difficult sea state," commented Broughton.

IRC Zero will be a match race between two high performance racing yachts: Derek Saunders' Venomous and Rob Gray and Sam Laidlaw's Bob. IRC One could well be a skirmish between Piet Vroon's Ker 46, Tonnerre de Breskens, and Jonathon Goring's Ker 40, Keronimo. However Chaz Ivill's Grand Soleil 54, John B, and Mike Greville's Ker 39, Erivale, are also proven race winners.

IRC Two has 32 yachts entered and the largest class could probably be described as the most competitive racing to Cherbourg. Niall Dowling's J/111, Arabella currently leads the class for the season but is not competing in the Morgan Cup. However, RORC Commodore Andrew McIrvine's First 40, La Réponse will, no doubt, be in fierce competition with Neil Kipling's J/122 Joopster. They are currently second and third in IRC Two. IRC Two has a wide variety of well-sailed boats including ten First 40.7s who will also have their own private battle. IRC Three has eleven J/109s racing, and they are fast exciting boats; especially off the breeze. However this race looks like it could well favour the heavier displacement boats.

The current holder of the Morgan Cup is John Loden's HOD 35, Psipsina, who looked back at last year's race with fond memories. "Absolutely elated and very surprised to win!" exclaimed John. "My co-skipper Paddy and I knew that we had won the Two-Handed Class but we had no idea that we had won the race overall until we went for a beer in the yacht club bar. I have been racing double handed for eight years and I am delighted to see the class is becoming so popular. To do well, it is very important that the boat is well set up; this allows you to concentrate on sailing rather than fixing problems. It gave us immense satisfaction to win the prestigious cup last year, we had never set out to win overall but it just shows that everybody has a chance."

Seventeen yachts are entered in the Two-Handed Class. Nick Martin's J/105, Diablo-J, leads the 2011 Season's Points Championship with Matthias Kracht's JPK 9.6, Ultreia!, lying second. The Le Havre based Ultreia! will be looking to continue their winning ways, having won class and second in IRC overall in last month's Myth of Malham Race.

RORC Racing Manager Ian Loffhagen believes that heavy weather sailing experienced this season by the competitors has provided ideal preparation for the highlight of the championship, the forthcoming Rolex Fastnet Race.

"The Morgan Cup Race is the seventh race of the RORC Season's Points Championship and nearly all of them have been tough. Many of the yachts competing this weekend will be taking part in the Rolex Fastnet Race," commented Loffhagen. "The Club's Notice of Race clearly states that each yacht shall exercise her responsibility under RRS Fundamental Rule 4 and decide whether or not to start or to continue to race. The responsibility for a boat's decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone."

The Morgan Cup Race starts at the Squadron Line at 1900 BST on Friday June 17th. Late Entries are possible until Thursday 16th 1900 BST.