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The Royal Ocean Racing Club in London announced that Holland's Piet Vroon's Ker 46 Tonnerre de Breskens 3 is the 2010 Yacht of the Year.

Piet has been racing with the RORC for 50 years and during that time has achieved many notable successes including winning the Rolex Fastnet Race. Now 80 years young, he competed in eight RORC races this season including the Conway Media Wicklow's Round Ireland and the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race.

Tonnerre de Breskens 3 takes the Jazz Trophy for the overall winner of the Season's Points Championship (when all races count); the Trenchemer Cup for winning IRC Zero; the Stradivarius Trophy for the best overseas yacht in IRC and also the Somerset Memorial Trophy for outstanding racing achievement by a yacht owned or sailed by a RORC member as voted for by the Main Committee. It was a spectacular season from a veteran campaigner and great supporter of RORC racing.

Niklas Zenstrom's JV72, Rán 2, was awarded the Dennis P Miller Memorial Trophy for a British Yacht Overseas. Rán travelled all over the world and has an impressive list of victories which included the Mini-Maxi Rolex World Championships, winning her divisions in the 2009 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race; Antigua Sailing Week; Newport Bermuda Race; Onion Patch Series and Copa del Rey.

Also of note are the team on British Soldier who were second overall in the Season's Points Championships and won the Serendip Trophy for the best series produced yacht in IRC. The boat provides much needed 'R and R' for war veterans and through the Toe in the Water tri-services initiative, introduces many disabled servicemen to sailing.

A full list of all the RORC trophy and award winners: 

RORC Annual Challenge Trophies and Special Awards

2010 YACHT OF THE YEAR - TONNERRE DE BRESKENS 3 (KER 46) PIET VROON

Winning the SOMERSET MEMORIAL TROPHY
For outstanding racing achievement by a yacht owned or sailed by a RORC member as voted for by the Main Committee.
In recognition of not only winning IRC Overall by a huge margin, but in particular for supporting and winning RORC races for over 50 years.

ASSUAGE TROPHY - FOGGY DEW (JPK 10.10) NOEL RACINE

CHAMPIONSHIP FOR RORC MEMBERS
For the yacht with the most points in IRC overall in the Cherbourg Race plus her best three races taken from Cervantes, Morgan Cup, Myth of Malham and Cowes-Dinard-St. Malo races

ALAN PAUL TROPHY - BRITISH SOLDIER (A 40) ARMY SAILING ASSOCIATION, LT COL TIM HILL

For consistent high performance in IRC. Based on consistent high scores plus a bonus for number of races completed.

Class Championship Tropies

IRC Overall Jazz Trophy Tonnerre de Breskens 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon
IRC Super Zero Europeans Trophy John Merricks II (TP 52) British Keelboat Academy
IRC Zero Trenchemer Cup Tonnerre de Breskens 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon
IRC One Emily Verger Plate Visit Malta Puma (Reflex 38) Sailing Logic, Philippe Falle
IRC Two Grenade Goblet Foggy Dew (JPK 10.10) Noel Racine
IRC Three Cowland Trophy Iromiguy (Nicholson 33) Jean Yves Chateau
Two-Handed Division Psipsina Trophy Psipsina (HOD 35) John Loden & Patrick Cronin
David Fayle Memorial Cup For the best Sailing School Yacht in IRC Visit Malta Puma (Reflex 38) Sailing Logic, Philippe Falle
Haylock Cup For the best British Service Yacht in IRC British Soldier (A40) Army Sailing Association, Lt Col Tim Hill
Stradivarius Trophy For the best Overseas Yacht in IRC Tonnerre de Breskens 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon
Serendip Trophy For the best Series-produced Yacht in IRC British Soldier (A40) Army Sailing Association, Lt Col Tim Hill

Special Awards

Freddie Morgan Cup For a Classic Yacht in IRC Winsome (S&S 41) Harry Heijst
Dennis P Miller Memorial Trophy For a British Yacht Overseas Rán 2 (JV 72) Niklas Zennström
Arambalza Swan Cup For the highest scoring Swan in the race season Selene (Swan 44) Adrian Lower
Peter Harrison Youth Trophy John Merricks II (TP 52) British Keelboat Academy
Duncan Munro-Kerr Youth Challenge Trophy For the youngest crew member on board a yacht which on
Season's Points finishes in the top three of her IRC Class
Floris R. W. Oud sailing on Winsome
Red Funnel Prix D'Elegance Antix (Ker 39) Anthony O'Leary
RORC Salver Morgan Cup Race - First Yacht Home Tonnerre de Breskens 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon

2010 RORC Points Championship

RORC Medallions: Gold – 1st, Silver – 2nd, Bronze – 3rd, 4th & 5th

IRC Super Zero
1st John Merricks II (TP 52) British Keelboat Academy
IRC Zero
1st Tonnerre de Breskens 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon
2nd John B (Grand Soleil 54) Charles Ivill
3rd Erivale III (Ker 39) Mike Greville
IRC One
1st Visit Malta Puma (Reflex 38) Sailing Logic, Philippe Falle
2nd British Soldier (A 40) Army Sailing Association, Lt Col Tim Hill
3rd Coup de Coeur (First 40) Marc de Saint Denis & Géry Trentesaux
IRC Two
1st Foggy Dew (JPK 10.10) Noel Racine
2nd Psipsina (HOD 35) John Loden & Patrick Cronin
3rd Winsome (S&S 41) Harry Heijst
IRC Three
1st Iromiguy (Nicholson 33) Jean Yves Chateau
2nd Ultreia! (JPK 9.60) Matthias Kracht
3rd Pyxis (X 332) Kirsteen Donaldson & Judith Eastwood
Two-Handed Division
1st Psipsina (HOD 35) John Loden & Patrick Cronin
2nd Solan Goose of Hamble (A 35) Peter Olden
3rd Diablo-J (J 105) Nick Martin
Class 40 Division
1st Concise 2 Ned Collier Wakefield
2nd Orca Tom Hayhoe & Natalie Jobling
3rd Merena Alexis Guillaume
IRC Overall
1st Tonnerre de Breskens 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon
2nd British Soldier (A 40) Army Sailing Association, Lt Col Tim Hill
3rd Visit Malta Puma (Reflex 38) Sailing Logic, Philippe Falle
4th Psipsina (HOD 35) John Loden & Patrick Cronin
5th John Merricks II (TP 52) British Keelboat Academy
Assuage Tankards
Cervantes Trophy Race Visit Malta Puma (Reflex 38) Sailing Logic, Philippe Falle
Myth of Malham Race Tonnerre de Breskens 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon
Morgan Cup Race Psipsina (HOD 35) John Loden & Patrick Cronin
Cowes-Dinard-St. Malo Race John Merricks II (TP 52) British Keelboat Academy
Published in RORC

Although there is a record fleet for the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland race there is no Irish entry for what is one of the most challenging races in the world. For the 2010 edition, more competitors than ever will be racing around Great Britain, Ireland and all of the outlying islands. Irish fans will have to make do with supporting June's Round Ireland Race winner, Tonnerre de Breskens 3, Piet Vroon's Ker 46 when the race starts in seven days time.

The non-stop race has 29 entries and has attracted a diverse range of ocean-going yachts, with world-class professional teams rubbing shoulders with corinthian crews. They all have one thing in common: to take on this iconic race and everything that mother nature can throw at them.

Nine Nations Compete
Yachts flying the ensigns of Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Lithuania, Spain and Sweden will cross the Royal Yacht Squadron start line off Cowes, Isle of Wight on Monday 23rd August. The course takes them through a myriad of different conditions and crews will have to cope with a huge number of elements which make this race just so compelling.

RORC CEO, Eddie Warden Owen explains: "Crews will face the vagaries of the tides and unpredictable weather; dodging oil rigs and container ships as well as relying on tactical and navigational decisions and great seamanship to get them round the course! Most sailors agree that this race is one of the toughest tests as it is nearly as long as an Atlantic crossing, but the changes of direction at headlands will mean constant breaks in the watch system for sail changes and sail trim."

Course record breaker on ICAP Leopard
The out and out favourite for line honours and perhaps a course record, is Mike Slade's 100ft Maxi, ICAP Leopard who will also have previous course record holder, Sam Davies on board. Slade is sure to have a set of numbers duct-taped to the navigation station: 06:11:30:53 - the current course record which was set in 2009 by Sam Davies and Dee Caffari in Dee's Open 60, Aviva.

Round the World Sailors Volvo 70 duel
It has been over a year since the finish of the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race and the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race sees the return of two canting keel Volvo 70s to the racing arena. There is the mouthwatering prospect of Groupama locking horns with Telefonica Azul for a duel, which could well go to the wire. Both teams will be racing around the world in October 2011 and this is the first time the two teams have done battle together. Jules Verne winner, Frank Cammas, skippers Groupama. His opposite number on Telefonica Azul is Iker Martinez and the crew on both boats reads like a 'who's who' of round the world sailors, including Neal MacDonald, who will be racing on Telefonica Azul:

"I have very fond memories of the race," commented Neal MacDonald who first competed on Sticky Fingers in 1994. "I had a fantastic time, great sailing on a good boat with a fun crew. The race course is shorter than say an Atlantic crossing, but can be a lot tougher and often far more complex. The main reason it is so much harder is that there are so many corners to go round, each one normally associated with a change of weather conditions. Lots of tacks and gybes, lots of sail changes and a massive variety of weather conditions. For the entire race, it is impossible to get into a proper routine or watch system. It is a rewarding but very tiring race. It is always a pleasure to sail in home waters but to sail round your home country is fantastic, a real experience. I'm very much looking forward to it. It will also be a proper race with some great competition. All in all it has the makings of a terrific race."

Corinthian Entries
Whilst the bigger boats may be crewed by seasoned professionals, there are many corinthian entries in the race. Adrian Lower is a gynaecologist and father of three and will be racing the Swan 44 Selene under the burgee of the Royal Burnham Yacht Club: "I have put together a great team of East Coast sailors and we look forward to the challenge. Our sights are set particularly on Winsome, another Sparkman and Stephens design from the 1970's. She is extremely well sailed and their team has sailed together for a number of years. Winsome has been our benchmark in the 2009 Rolex Fastnet and North Sea Race this year.

Spectators can follow the race as each boat is supplied with an OCTracker beacon. Synchronised position reports will be displayed graphically at regular intervals on the race website. The media and general public are able to see at a glance the relative positions of all boats in the fleet and where they stand on handicap. The competitors will also be sending messages, pictures and videos of their adventures, which will be screened, on the main event web site: http://sevenstar.rorc.org/.

Following the success of the Virtual Fastnet Race last year, when 27,000 players entered online, the Royal Ocean Racing Cub is working with online race experts Virtual Regatta to provide a virtual race round the British Isles for the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race. Armchair experts around the world can test their skills against the sailors racing on the yachts. The course will mirror the 1802 n mile race which tests inshore and offshore skills, preparation and speed potential. The virtual race will be no different! Sign up via the website: (http://sevenstar.rorc.org/). 

Entries for the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race 2010:

Flag Boat Name Owner/Skipper Design
1 SWE Alicia Jonas Sandberg First 50
2 LTU Ambersail Simonas Steponavicius VO60
3 NED Arethusa Cornelis Mijs J 109
4 GBR Artemis Ocean Racing Andrew Tourell IMOCA 60
5 NED Beluga Floris Ingen Housz Baltic 45
6 GBR British Soldier Army Sailing Assoc/Tim Hill A 40
7 AUT Celox 40 Gottfried Pössl Class 40
8 GBR Change of Course Keith Gibbs C & C 115
9 GBR Cheeki Rafiki Stormforce Coaching/Doug Innes First 40.7
10 GBR Concise 2 Tony Lawson/Tom Gall Class 40
11 GBR Hull and Humber Clipper Ventures Clipper 68
12 GBR Edinburgh Inspiring City Clipper Ventures Clipper 68
13 GBR Encore Steven Anderson First 40.7
14 GBR Fair Do's VII John Shepherd Ker 46
15 FRA Groupama Franck Cammas Volvo Open 70
16 ITA In Direzione Ostinata E Contraria Luca Zoccoli Ostar 35
17 GBR John B Charles Ivill Grand Soleil 54
18 GBR John Merricks II British Keelboat Academy/Luke McCarthy TP 52
19 GBR ICAP Leopard Mike Slade Maxi 100
20 GER Norddeutsche Vermögen Hamburg Hamburgische Verein Seefahrt e.V. Andrews 56
21 GBR Playing Around Logic Sailing Logic/Peter Robson First 40.7
22 GBR Relentless on Incisor Chris Radford/James George Corby 45
23 GBR Selene Adrian Lower Swan 44
24 GBR Sonic Boom II Simon Brady Figaro II
25 ESP Telefónica Azul Equipo Telefonica / Iker Martinez Volvo Open 70
26 NED Tonnerre de Breskens 3 Piet Vroon Ker 46
27 FRA Vecteur Plus Nicolas Groleau Mach 45
28 GBR Visit Malta Puma Sailing Logic/Philippe Falle Reflex 38
29 NED Winsome Harry Heijst S&S 41

Published in Rd Britain & Ireland

About The Middle Sea Race

The Rolex Middle Sea Race is a highly rated offshore classic, often mentioned in the same breath as the Rolex Fastnet, The Rolex Sydney–Hobart and Newport-Bermuda as a 'must do' race. The Royal Malta Yacht Club and the Royal Ocean Racing Club co-founded the race in 1968 and 2007 was the 28th Edition. Save for a break between 1984 and 1995 the event has been run annually attracting 25–30 yachts. In recent years, the number of entries has rissen sharply to 68 boats thanks to a new Organising Committee who managed to bring Rolex on board as title sponsor for the Middle Sea Race.

The race is a true challenge to skippers and crews who have to be at their very best to cope with the often changeable and demanding conditions. Equally, the race is blessed with unsurpassed scenery with its course, taking competitors close to a number of islands, which form marks of the course. Ted Turner described the MSR as "the most beautiful race course in the world".

Apart from Turner, famous competitors have included Eric Tabarly, Cino Ricci, Herbert von Karajan, Jim Dolan, Sir Chay Blyth and Sir Francis Chichester (fresh from his round the world adventure). High profile boats from the world's top designers take part, most in pursuit of line honours and the record – competing yachts include the extreme Open 60s, Riviera di Rimini and Shining; the maxis, Mistress Quickly, Zephyrus IV and Sagamore; and the pocket rockets such as the 41-foot J-125 Strait Dealer and the DK46, Fidessa Fastwave.

In 2006, Mike Sanderson and Seb Josse on board ABN Amro, winner of the Volvo Ocean Race, the super Maxis; Alfa Romeo and Maximus and the 2006 Rolex Middle Sea Race overall winner, Hasso Platner on board his MaxZ86, Morning Glory.

George David on board Rambler (ex-Alfa Romeo) managed a new course record in 2007 and in 2008, Thierry Bouchard on Spirit of Ad Hoc won the Rolex Middle Sea Race on board a Beneteau 40.7

The largest number of entries was 78 established in 2008.

Middle Sea Race History

IN THE BEGINNING

The Middle Sea Race was conceived as the result of sporting rivalry between great friends, Paul and John Ripard and an Englishman residing in Malta called Jimmy White, all members of the Royal Malta Yacht Club. In the early fifties, it was mainly British servicemen stationed in Malta who competitively raced. Even the boats had a military connection, since they were old German training boats captured by the British during the war. At the time, the RMYC only had a few Maltese members, amongst who were Paul and John Ripard.

So it was in the early sixties that Paul and Jimmy, together with a mutual friend, Alan Green (later to become the Race Director of the Royal Ocean Racing Club), set out to map a course designed to offer an exciting race in different conditions to those prevailing in Maltese coastal waters. They also decided the course would be slightly longer than the RORC's longest race, the Fastnet. The resulting course is the same as used today.

Ted Turner, CEO of Turner Communications (CNN) has written that the Middle Sea Race "must be the most beautiful race course in the world. What other event has an active volcano as a mark of the course?"

In all of its editions since it was first run in 1968 – won by Paul Ripard's brother John, the Rolex Middle Sea Race has attracted many prestigious names in yachting. Some of these have gone on to greater things in life and have actually left their imprint on the world at large. Amongst these one finds the late Raul Gardini who won line honours in 1979 on Rumegal, and who spearheaded the 1992 Italian Challenge for the America's Cup with Moro di Venezia.

Another former line honours winner (1971) who has passed away since was Frenchman Eric Tabarly winner of round the world and transatlantic races on Penduik. Before his death, he was in Malta again for the novel Around Europe Open UAP Race involving monohulls, catamarans and trimarans. The guest list for the Middle Sea Race has included VIP's of the likes of Sir Francis Chichester, who in 1966 was the first man to sail around the world single-handedly, making only one stop.

The list of top yachting names includes many Italians. It is, after all a premier race around their largest island. These include Navy Admiral Tino Straulino, Olympic gold medallist in the star class and Cino Ricci, well known yachting TV commentator. And it is also an Italian who in 1999 finally beat the course record set by Mistress Quickly in 1978. Top racing skipper Andrea Scarabelli beat it so resoundingly, he knocked off over six hours from the time that had stood unbeaten for 20 years.

World famous round the world race winners with a Middle Sea Race connection include yachting journalist Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Les Williams, both from the UK.

The Maxi Class has long had a long and loving relationship with the Middle Sea Race. Right from the early days personalities such as Germany's Herbert Von Karajan, famous orchestra conductor and artistic director of the Berliner Philarmoniker, competing with his maxi Helisara IV. Later came Marvin Greene Jr, CEO of Reeves Communications Corporation and owner of the well known Nirvana (line honours in 1982) and Jim Dolan, CEO of Cablevision, whose Sagamore was back in 1999 to try and emulate the line honours she won in 1997.

THE COURSE RECORD

The course record was held by the San Francisco based, Robert McNeil on board his Maxi Turbo Sled Zephyrus IV when in 2000, he smashed the Course record which now stands at 64 hrs 49 mins 57 secs. Zephyrus IV is a Rechiel-Pugh design. In recent years, various maxis such as Alfa Romeo, Nokia, Maximus and Morning Glory have all tried to break this course record, but the wind Gods have never played along. Even the VOR winner, ABN AMro tried, but all failed in 2006.

However, George David came along on board Rambler in 2007 and demolished the course record established by Zephyrus IV in 2000. This now stands at 1 day, 23 hours, 55 minutes and 3 seconds.

At A Glance - Middle Sea Race 2024

First held: 1968

Organising Authority: Royal Malta Yacht Club

Start

The 45th Rolex Middle Sea Race will start on Saturday, 19 October 2024.

Grand Harbour, Valletta: seven separate starts, at 10-minute intervals, from 11:00 CEST Saturday, 21 October 2024

Start Line: between the Saluting Battery, Upper Barrakka Gardens (Valletta) and Fort St Angelo (Birgu)

Various vantage points all around the Grand Harbour, high up on the bastions or at water level. Harbour access for spectator boats is restricted during the period of the start.

Course

Set in the heart of the Mediterranean and is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. It starts and finishes in Malta, passes two active volcanoes and takes in the deep azure waters surrounding Sicily, and the Aeolian and Egadi Islands, as well as lonelier outposts of Pantelleria and Lampedusa, both closer to the African continent than Europe.

Length: 606 nautical miles (1,122km)

Outright Race Record: 33h 29m 28s, Argo, United States, Jason Carroll

Monohull Race Record: 40h 17m 50s, Comanche, Cayman Is, Mitch Booth

Main Trophies

Rolex Middle Sea Race Trophy – overall race winner under IRC Time Correction

Boccale de Mediterraneo – winner of ORC category

RLR Trophy – winner of monohull line honours

Captain Morgan Trophy – winner of multihull division on corrected time (MOCRA)

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