Racing got underway at the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Vice Admiral’s Cup on Saturday 22nd May with four highly competitive races for all eight classes. The gale that had blown through the Solent the previous day had passed, but there was a moody sky as the 55-strong fleet headed out to the combat zone. A gentle breeze from the southwest, oscillated during the day providing shifty conditions. The wind speed varied under a pewter sky with glimpses of sunshine breaking through.

Over 20 knots blasted in from the Western Solent for the final race of the day to create a thrilling, full-on foam up finale.

Quarter Tonner Class
Sam Laidlaw’s BLT leads the class having claimed two race wins today. Olivia Dowling’s Catch won the last two races to finish the day in second place. Julian Metherell’s Bullit is third. Stories resonate throughout the fleet, but one that really tells the tale behind the return to racing after lockdown, is from the Quarter Tonner Class.

Olivia Dowling’s Catch is a beautifully prepared yacht, but due to family commitments, she has not had the time to sail her for a while. Racing in the highly competitive fleet, Olivia was especially keen to get the better of her husband Niall Dowling (Royal Irish Yacht Club), racing Per Elisa in the same class.

Niall commented after racing: “I made the mistake of tacking on Olivia in the first race and that obviously got her going, because it was the last time we got anywhere near her for the rest of the day! I have to say a big ‘thank you’ to the RORC Race Team that produced a really professional performance in difficult conditions. 

Cork Harbour sailmaker Tom McWilliam (black hat, centre) on board Niklas Zennstrom's Rán. One point separates the top three in the FAST40+ fleet, with Rán holding onto top place after one day of racing Photo: Rick Tomlinson

FAST40+ Class
Niklas Zennström’s Rán won two of today’s races to finish the day top of the leaderboard. Peter Morton’s Jean Genie is in second place, no doubt enjoying his first race victory in his new boat, beating Rán by just over a minute in Race 3. Christian Hamilton & Guy Gillon’s Fast40+ Khumbu got off to a great start, taking line honours and the corrected time win in Race 1. Khumbu finished the day in third place, just two points ahead of Ino XXX, with RORC Commodore James Neville at the helm.

Performance 40 Class
Rob Bottomley’s Mills 42 Sailplane 3 had a spectacular day, scoring three bullets to top the class after four races. Michael Blair & Stevie Beckett’s King 40 Cobra is second having scored all podium finishes. David Cummins’ Ker 39 Rumbleflurg is third having scored a win in Race 2 by just nine seconds after IRC time correction. Andrew McIrvine’s Ker 39 La Réponse is just a point off the podium.

J/111 Class
Tony Mack's McFly leads the class by just one point from Cornel Riklin's Jitterbug with both boats scoring a pair of wins each. Chris Jones & Louise Makin’s Journeymaker II had a very consistent day to finish the day in third place.“We knew where we wanted to go on the racecourse and getting a good start in a one design fleet meant we didn’t have a bigger boat taking our lane,” explained Jitterbug’s Ritchie Hinde-Smith. Full credit to the race team for laying excellent windward-leeward courses which gave us all thrilling racing where you had to be at the top of your game. This is our fourth outing as a team this year and it all clicked together, plus our new North 1.5 headsail was really fast straight out of the bag.”

J/109 Class
David Richards’ Jumping Jellyfish leads the J/109 class after four races, finishing the day in style by winning the final two races. Christopher Burleigh’s Jybe Talkin' scored a second place in the final race to move up to second for the class. Mike Yates’ Jago was scoring well but had to retire before the start of the final race with a minor crew injury. Jago is third on countback from Mojo Risin' skippered by Rob Cotterill.

Cape31 Class
Russell Peters’ Squirt had a perfect start to the Cape 31 UK season winning all of today’s races. Lance Adams’ Katabatic came within 20 seconds of winning Race 2 and finished the day in second place. Simon Perry’s Jiraffe is third on countback from Tor McLaren’s Gallivanter III.

HP30 Class
Glyn Locke’s Toucan opened their defence of their Vice Admiral’s Cup title with three straight bullets. In the final race, a real ripper, with the HP30s planing at terrific speed. Jerry Hill & Richard Faulkner’s Farr 280 Moral Compass took the win to finish the day in second place. Three boats are within a point of each other for third. Jamie Rankin’s Farr 280 Pandemonium scored a third in the final race to place just a point ahead in the series from Lucian Stone’s Fareast 28 Vendetta and Jonathan Powell’s Farr 280 Peggy.

SB20 Class
The SB20 Class was an awesome sight today, especially in the final race, scorching downwind in a ball of spray. Stephen Procter’s Xcellent scored three race wins, but a seventh place in Race 3 means that Xcellent only leads the class on countback from Tom Neilson’s team. Richard McAdam’s Breaking Bod is third.

After racing, a dinner was held at the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Cowes Clubhouse with social distanced dining for over 70 competitors, members and guests. The RORC Vice Admiral’s Cup will conclude on Sunday 23rd May.

British sailing team Alex Thomson Racing will begin their 2021 competitive season with the Fastnet Race on August 8th.

Three months out from the start of the prestigious race, the team this week returned their IMOCA 60 yacht, HUGO BOSS, to the water, with training set to commence in the coming days.

As regular Afloat readers will know, Thomson, a pre-race favourite in the Vendee Globe, quit the round the world race last November due to rudder damage.

"The boat has had a full inspection, NDT and service, and two new rudders installed" said Skipper Thomson. "Restrictions here in the UK due to the pandemic have meant that we've worked at a steady pace to keep our team safe. Now, with the work complete and restrictions set to ease, we're looking forward to getting back out there to train again".

The 695 nautical mile Fastnet Race will begin on Sunday 8th August from Cowes, UK with a record 450+ boats - across multiple classes - set to compete. The fleet will sail via the Fastnet Rock off southwest Ireland and will finish, for the first time in the race's 96-year history, in Cherbourg, France.

Sailing onboard HUGO BOSS, Thomson - joined for the double-handed race by a co-skipper yet to be decided by his team - will aim to better his previous second-place finish in the race: "This will be my 11th Fastnet, I believe, so we've got a lot of experience in this race. I'm really looking forward to sailing the new course and finishing in Cherbourg. I think it adds a new tactical dimension to the race".

High-performance racing with the Royal Ocean Racing Club is back with the Vice Admiral’s Cup taking place in the Solent from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd May. The 2020 event was cancelled due to the pandemic, but over 50 teams have taken up the challenge for 2021. Eight classes will compete on technical windward-leeward courses, with adrenalin-packed action for FAST40+, Performance 40, J/111, J/109, Cape31, HP30, Quarter Tonner and SB20.

FAST40+ Class

The Grand Prix class returns to racing for the first time this year. Whilst the class follows a box rule, the carbon fibre flyers have very similar IRC Ratings. Niklas Zennström’s Rán is the boat to beat having won the class at the 2019 Vice Admiral’s Cup. Peter Morton returns to the FAST40+ arena with a new boat, Jean Genie which has been tricked up for action. In contention for the Vice Admiral’s Cup will be Christian Hamilton & Guy Gillon’s Khumbu with several rigging upgrades. RORC Commodore James Neville racing Ino XXX has innovative sails in the wardrobe. Ed Fishwick’s Redshift has a lower IRC rating as a result of modifications over the winter layoff.

“Rán have been out training in all conditions and it will be a breath of fresh air to be back out racing,” commented Rán’s Tim Powell, “The weather is looking changeable for the regatta, so we are keeping an open mind as to what the conditions will be. A lot of boats have spent time over the winter improving their boats. As this is the first race of the season it will be very interesting to see where everybody has got to in terms of performance.”

The impressive sight of the Grand Prix FAST40+ fleet Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Back to defend their class win from 2019 - Niklas Zennström’s FAST40+ Rán Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Performance 40 Class

The Vice Admiral’s Cup will be the first round of the 2021 Performance 40 Series. Under tight IRC Rating rules the class provides intense racing for a variety of performance cruisers. Teams will be racing designs from the drawing boards of Jason Ker, Mark Mills, Beneteau and X-Yachts. Proven winners include Michael Blair & Stevie Beckett’s Cobra, David Cummins’ Rumleflurg and James Gair’s Zero II. Past RORC Commodore and Admiral, Andrew McIrvine will be competing with La Réponse.

Rob Bottomley’s Sailplane 3 will be relishing the prospect of pure windward leeward racing as navigator Nick Jones explains: “We have set up Sailplane for windward leeward racing for the Bottomley family. Although the Rolex Fastnet Race is very important, the vast majority of the crew are youngsters that are into weekend racing. The biggest change for this event is that we are back to a full crew, which will change how we sail the boat. This should be a huge leap forward in slick manoeuvres and the way that the boat can perform.”

Rob Bottomley’s Sailplane 3 will be competing in the Performance 40 class in the three-day Vice Admiral's Cup Photo: Rick Tomlinson

The J/111 fleet Photo: Rick Tomlinson

J/111 Class

Racing inshore and offshore, the J/111 class has been established in the Solent for about 10 years. The fast 36' (11.1m) One-Design is recognised by World Sailing and will host their World Championship in the Solent in 2022. Competing at the Vice Admiral’s Cup will be UK National Champion Tony & Sally Mack’s McFly and J/111 World President Chris Jones, racing Journeymaker II with Louise Makin.

J/109 Class

For 20 years the J/109 has been a familiar sight racing in the Solent. More recently the 35ft (10.7m) racer cruiser has been one of the largest one-design classes for the Rolex Fastnet Race. Top J/109 teams for the Vice Admiral’s Cup include Mike Yates’ Jago, David Richards’ Jumping Jellyfish and Rob Cotterill racing Mojo Risin'.

Tony & Sally Mack’s J/111 McFly is UK National Champion Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Mike Yates’ J/109 Jago Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Cape31 Class

Designed and built for Table Bay, Cape Town, the 31ft (9.6m) Mills One-Design is a new class in the Solent. Four will be racing at the Vice Admiral’s Cup; the first official event for the 2021 Cape31 UK Series. Russell Peters will be on the helm of Squirt and the crew includes his daughter Suzy as navigator.

“It is an awesome boat to race,” commented Suzy. “So far, we have only raced in a mixed IRC fleet, but we have managed to hang in there to the top mark with the bigger boats and then wave goodbye at 20 knots downwind! We are so excited to have four boats out for a one-design regatta and we hope to have eight by Cowes Week.”

HP30 Class

The HP30 Class has a box rule for powerful planing boats of around 30ft that race under a tight IRC Racing band. Exotic materials are restricted, making for thrilling racing at an affordable price. The Vice Admiral’s Cup will be Round 2 of the 2021 Championship Series. The fleet of HP30s in action include Farr 280s, FarEast 28s and one Lutra 30. Glyn Locke’s Toucan, with son Alex driving, is the defending champion from 2019.

Four Cape31's will competing this coming weekend on the Solent, including Squirt Photo: Warsash Spring Series  

Action on board Glyn Locke’s Farr 280 Toucan competing in the HP30 class Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Quarter Tonner Class

The first Quarter Tonner Worlds was in 1967 and since 2005 the diminutive keel boat has seen a resurgence in the Solent, racing under the IRC Rule. Nine teams have entered the Vice Admiral’s Cup, including three winners of the Quarter Ton Cup under IRC. Bullit, Espada, and Protis. Sam Laidlaw has won the Quarter Ton Cup twice in a previous boat and will be racing BLT for the regatta. Louise Morton’s Bullet was the class winner for the Vice Admiral’s Cup in 2019.

“I am really excited to race in the Vice Admiral’s Cup, especially after last year was cancelled. Bullet is inundated with crew which is always a good sign,” commented Louise Morton. “It is going to be very competitive; the standard in the class is very high. There is very little between us and short, sharp racing is what we all enjoy. The Quarter Ton Cup will follow this regatta so it will be fascinating to see where we all are.”

SB20 Class

The British built 20ft (6.15m) keelboat has been racing in the Solent for about 20 years. Conceived by Tony Castro, the SB20 is designed for three or four crew with no hiking allowed. Weighing just 685 kg with a max. downwind sail area of 790 sq. ft, the SB20 is a pocket rocket capable of over 20 knots. 2019 Vice Admiral’s Cup champion, Breaking Bod is back to defend their title.

Louise Morton’s Quarter Tonner Bullet was class winner in the last RORC Vice Admiral’s Cup Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Tiger and Joker will be racing in the competitive Quarter Tonner class Photo: Rick Tomlinson

The pocket rocket SB20 class will include Richard McAdam's Breaking Bod - back to defend their class win from 2019 Photo: Rick Tomlinson

The Notice of Race for the Vice Admiral’s Cup reminds all competitors to comply with all Government regulations, Harbour Authorities and RYA guidance in respect of COVID19.

During the Vice Admiral’s Cup, the Royal Ocean Racing Club welcomes members and competitors to the RORC Cowes Clubhouse. A prizegiving will take place each day and tables will need to be reserved in advance.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club organised two races over the May Bank Holiday weekend. 58 boats entered, including a 91nm race for IRC Two Handed, the first overnight race of the year. Giovanni Belgrano’s Classic Whooper won the race for crewed IRC boats. Mike Yates’ J/109 Jago, racing with Eivind Boymo-Malm, was the winner for IRC Two-handed. 

Giovanni Belgrano’s Classic Whooper Photo: Rick Tomlinson

A race of approximately 24nm was set for the IRC Crewed boats, essentially a windward leg from the Squadron Line to Bembridge Ledge Buoy with a reciprocal downwind leg back. David Collins’ Botin IRC 52 Tala took line honours in just over four hours. However, the breeze built during the latter part of the race, giving an advantage to the smaller boats. Whooper won the race after time correction by a big margin. The smallest boat in the race, Ross Bowdler’s J/80 Justify, was second. The Army Sailing Association’s Sun Fast 3600 British Soldier, skippered by Henry Foster, was third.

“it was an awesome tactical race against all the forecast odds!” explained Whooper’s Giovanni Belgrano. “The wind speed ranged from 5 knots at the start to 20 knots in a rain squall. We had to use every trick we know to win the race. Going inshore on the return leg was the biggest gain. Whooper weighs about the same as Tala, but we only draw one metre, so we could go right over Ryde Sands.”

“A big thank you to the RORC for the race,” commented J/80 Justify’s Ross Bowdler. “It is so cool to race against the big boats and get a great result. Congratulations to Whooper, they sailed an impeccable race.”

Congratulations should also go to Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader. With all three races completed, Dawn Treader is the overall winner of the RORC Spring Series for IRC Crewed boats. Second is Rob Bottomley’s MAT12 Sailplane 3 skippered by Nick Jones. Michael O'Donnell’s J/121 Darkwood was third overall.

Mike Yates’ J/109 Jago, racing with Eivind Boymo-Malm Photo: Rick Tomlinson

29 teams racing in IRC Two-Handed were set a separate 91 nautical mile course with crews racing through the night for the first time this year. Starting from the Squadron Line the fleet raced upwind to the east. After exiting The Solent, the fleet were off the breeze for a spinnaker run along the South Coast of the Isle of Wight. After passing The Needles, a broad reach into Poole Bay was followed by a harden up to finish at North Head.

Mike Yates’ J/109 Jago, racing with Eivind Boymo-Malm, was the winner for IRC Two-handed. Sun Fast 3200 Mzungu, sailed by Sam White and Sam North was second by just 12 seconds in a race lasting almost 17 hours. Richard Palmer’s JPK 1010 Jangada, racing with Jeremy Waitt, was third.

“It was a very complex race, with many sail changes and tactical decisions from beginning to end,” commented Jago’s Mike Yates. “A big cloud at the Nab Tower caused a split in the fleet and we just managed to hold our kite. Our jib top was very effective on the southside of the island and the decision to go offshore at St Catherine's worked well with a breeze filling in from the southwest. We also just made several tidal gates in the latter part of the race. We are delighted to win and all credit to Elvind, two-handed racing is heavily reliant on teamwork, so he deserves just as much credit.”

“ A great race, with lots of opportunities for people to get back ‘into it’ if they had been unfortunate enough to find a hole, as there were a lot around.” commented Mzungu’s Sam White.

Racing with the Royal Ocean Racing Club goes inshore for the Vice Admiral’s Cup Friday 21st – Sunday 23rd May. Offshore racing is scheduled to resume on Saturday, May 29th with the Myth of Malham Race. The 230nm race around the Eddystone Lighthouse is expected to have a substantial RORC fleet, as the start mirrors the Rolex Fastnet Race.

Results here

After a year and a half of disruptions to offshore racing due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Royal Ocean Racing Club has confirmed an overnight race for Two-Handed teams starting on May 1st.

The combined entry list for May 1st has a fleet of 48 yachts, including all the top Two-Handed boats from the inshore RORC Spring Series. The three-race series came to a dramatic conclusion on April 17th. James Harayda racing Sun Fast 3300 Gentoo with Dee Caffari, was just one second ahead of Kelvin Rawlings, racing Sun Fast 3300 Aries with Stuart Childerley.

The result in the last race gave Gentoo victory in the series by a single point from Aries. Rob Craigie’s Sun Fast 3600 Bellino racing with Deb Fish was third.

Dee Caffari shares her thoughts about the takeaways from the RORC Spring Series and the return to offshore action in the vid below.

“The Spring Series had a super-competitive fleet which just literally proved that every second counts,” commented Dee Caffari. “We have had the chance to blow the cobwebs off in The Solent, and on May 1st we will finally stretch our legs offshore. The next race is about preparation and also boat speed rather than the manoeuvres. We have seen how challenging this fleet is, so I am assuming we will all be testing each other to the max.”

For crewed entries, the RORC Spring Series will come to a conclusion this weekend. Two teams are tied for first place going into the deciding race. Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader and RORC Commodore James Neville, racing HH42 Ino XXX, have equal points. Michael O'Donnell’s J/121 Darkwood is just two points behind the leaders, whilst Rob Bottomley’s MAT 12 Sailplane 3 is five points off pole-position.

“Safety always comes first, it is just too early to run an overnight race for fully crewed teams, however when the club offered to run an offshore race for Two-Handed teams, the response was an overwhelming – Yes Please!” commented RORC Racing Manager Chris Stone. “Details of the course for IRC Two-Handed will be determined by the weather, but our intention is to set an overnight race, taking the Two-Handed fleet out of the Solent. For crewed teams racing under IRC, the final race of the Spring Series will be inshore with a target time of 6-8 hours.”

The RORC fleet are scheduled to start racing from the Squadron Line Cowes from 10:00 BST on Saturday 1st May.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club has launched an updated Crew Match portal that aims to simplify the process of matching boat owners and crew wherever they race in the world.

The RORC Crew Match website has been upgraded to work with modern communication systems and is easy to use and anyone can register, whether a RORC member or not.

“Finding crewing opportunities can often be quite difficult if you are new to the sport or new to a particular sailing area. For boat owners finding experienced crew can often be trial and error through recommendation and often a time consuming and unsatisfactory exercise for both parties,” said RORC Commodore James Neville. “RORC Crew Match will simplify the process allowing crew to post their experience and owners to advertise crewing positions they are looking to fill and hopefully lead to more boats out on the water competing. It’s a one-stop-shop to find available crew and boats to race.”

Sailors are encouraged to log their details on the website posting their previous experience and their availability for a particular location and can view crewing opportunities being advertised before making the initial contact that will lead to being part of a committed race team.

For more go here

The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Spring Series continued on Saturday 10th of April with the second race of the series.

The RORC Race Team set an inshore race in the Solent, approximately 38 nautical miles for the IRC fleet, and 32 nautical miles for IRC Two Handed. A north-easterly wind of 10-13 knots provided sub-planing conditions. Tactics and boat handling were the keys to performance. Class winners were Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader and James Harayda’s Sun Fast 3300 Gentoo.

Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader the winner of the IRC Class. Michael O'Donnell’s J/121 Darkwood was second. RORC Commodore James Neville, racing HH42 Ino XXX took line honours for the class and after IRC time correction was third by just 13 seconds.

“We are delighted especially as this is our first RORC win,” commented Dawn Treader’s Ed Bell. “It was a great race with a good course, which suited us very well. Dawn Treader is a crew that has been racing together in the Contessa class including our kids, plus some friends who have offshore miles. I got the boat with a view to do the Fastnet, and at the moment we are trying to build our offshore experience. It is difficult to celebrate in the current circumstances, but I will definitely be having a drink with my wife this evening!”

James Harayda & Dee Caffari Sun Fast 3300 Gentoo. Photo: Paul Wyeth

In the IRC Two-Handed Class, James Harayda racing Sun Fast 3300 Gentoo, with Dee Caffari, was first across the line and won IRC Two-Handed by 53 seconds. Kelvin Rawlings racing Sun Fast 3300 Aries with Stuart Childerley was second. Rob Craigie racing Sun Fast 3600 Bellino with Deb Fish was third.

“It’s great to back racing and the Two-Handed Class is getting more and more competitive,” commented Gentoo’s James Harayda. ”There is a really good atmosphere in the class, it was especially nice to get congratulated by Kelvin and Stuart after a really good tussle with Aries.

We had so much downtime over the winter so it’s great to be busy competing. It was close race the whole way, almost one design racing and that really does push you. Great fun and really exciting.” 

IRC Two Handed Coach

The Royal Ocean Racing Club provided Olympic coach Hugh Styles to assist the IRC Two-Handed class. “The main aim of today’s coaching was to look at rig settings and sail trim,” commented Hugh Styles. “At this early stage in the season, teams are a little rusty, that is understandable. Understanding mast tune and sail trim techniques is a good way to start the development that can continue through the year. We will have a Zoom debrief to analyse today’s racing for all of the class.”

Olympic coach Hugh Styles assisted the IRC Two-Handed class

The RORC Spring Series comes to a conclusion with Race 3, scheduled to start on Saturday, 1st May. The Notice of Race requires that all crew shall comply with current Covid-19 guidelines, and with respect to social distancing at all times.

Full Results here

The Royal Ocean Racing Club Spring Series continues this weekend with Race 2 of the three-race series, designed to get teams back racing for the 2021 RORC Season. The RORC Spring Series is open to IRC rated boats including an IRC Two-Handed Class and MOCRA rated multihulls. 

The Lombard 46 Pata Negra has been one of the most successful boats racing with the RORC in recent years. Pata Negra is returning to RORC racing in the Spring Series, under the new ownership of Andrew Hall. RORC Commodore, James Neville will be racing HH42 Ino XXX and will be the boat to beat having won last weekend’s race. Past RORC Commodore, Steven Anderson will be racing Corby 40 Cracklin Rosie. Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader was just 44 seconds off the podium for last weekend’s race.

Ian Handley and Tim James' Mustang Mk2 Gr8 Banter. Photo: Paul Wyeth

One of the lowest-rated boats racing under IRC will be Ian Handley’s Mustang Mk2 Gr8 Banter, which is crewed by friends and family with co-owner Tim James. Gr8 Banter showed impressive form in last year’s Race the Wight, placing third overall in a fleet of over 100 starters.

“Time on the water is our aim for the race, especially to shake the rust off,” commented Ian Handley. “We have some really competitive boats that have a similar rating, especially Whooper and BLT. Our aim is always to do our best but at this stage of the season, we are looking to become familiar with the boat once more and look to improve our performance, especially with our set up which needs some improvement. It is looking quite windy this weekend and it will be a long race but above all we are just delighted to be able to race again.”

Sun Fast 3200 Cora will be sailed Two-Handed by Tim Goodhew and Kelvin Matthews. Photo: Rick Tomlinson

14 teams have entered the race in IRC Two-Handed including Tim Goodhew, racing Sun Fast 3200 Cora with Kelvin Matthews. The pair are firm friends looking to increase their performance with their gunsights set on this year’s Rolex Fastnet Race.

“I have sailed with my father, Nigel Goodhew, since I was a child and raced doublehanded together for ten years, but this will be the first race this year with Kelvin in Two-Handed mode,” explained Tim. “Over the last ten years, the Two-Handed Class has become really competitive and we find that very exciting. This weekend’s race is the start of our racing programme for the Rolex Fastnet Race, which is going to be amazing with a huge class of the best Two-Handed teams in the world.”

The RORC Spring Series Notice of Race requires that all crew shall comply with current Covid-19 guidelines, and with respect to social distancing at all times. 

The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) has announced Jeremy Wilton as the new Chief Executive of the London and Cowes based Club from 6th April 2021. He will take over the leadership and development role of one of the world’s most influential yacht clubs from Eddie Warden Owen, who has helped shape the success of the Club through its international offshore racing programme for the past 12 years.

“We look forward to welcoming Jeremy who has an excellent understanding of leading membership-based clubs and a proven record of delivering strong financial and commercial results,” says RORC Commodore, James Neville of the new CEO, soon to head the 4,000-strong worldwide membership.

“Having held senior leadership positions in the world of rugby, where he spent over seven years working at Bath Rugby and Wasps, as well as over a decade at Whitbread PLC and founded and developed a marketing communications agency, we are certain that Jeremy’s experience and vision will be a huge asset, ensuring that the RORC is in a strong position as it nears the Club’s centenary in 2025,” continues Commodore Neville.

“I understand what it means to be part of a successful culture and together with the RORC Committee, management and staff, I am determined to continue the Club’s evolution and make it the best it possibly can,” says incoming CEO Wilton of his new role.

Talking of the Club and the sport of sailing coming out of the current epidemic, Wilton comments: “It is clear that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a massive effect on business practices and social life in London and the sailing programme and clubhouse in Cowes and as we emerge from the pandemic we are going to have our challenges, but with these will bring exciting opportunities and new avenues for innovation.”

Wilton is no stranger to the world of sailing. During his time at Whitbread PLC, he oversaw and developed a sponsorship portfolio that covered two Whitbread Round the World Races, and having been introduced to sailing at a young age, it has featured heavily throughout his life, both in Australia and the UK.

Starting in dinghies of various shapes and sizes and graduating to offshore racing. He has competed in the Fastnet, Sydney to Coffs Harbour and nearly all of the RORC’s long-distance races; numerous Cowes Week regattas, and narrowly missed out on representing Great Britain in the Admiral’s Cup.

Warden Owen will step down from the overall running of the RORC in April, but will continue to work on delivering the Club’s flagship event – the 49th Rolex Fastnet Race starting from Cowes, UK on Sunday 8th August and finishing for the first time in Cherbourg, France.

Joining this prestigious Club at a significant time, both in terms of shaping the way forward and ensuring it remains in high revere is something Wilton relishes: “It is a privilege and honour to be appointed as the new CEO of RORC. I am looking forward to guiding the Club into a new era and to be part of the team that will chart the next chapter of this esteemed Club’s history.”

The Royal Ocean Racing Club 2021 season got underway on Easter Saturday with an inshore race in the Solent of approximately 38 nautical miles, the first of three races in the 2021 RORC Spring Series. The top three boats included the fastest and slowest rated boats under IRC as well as the top Two-Handed team. RORC Commodore James Neville, racing HH42 Ino XXX took line honours and the overall win after IRC time correction. Kelvin Rawlings racing Sun Fast 3300 Aries, Two-Handed with Stuart Childerley, was runner up by just six seconds on corrected time from Sam Laidlaw’s Quarter Tonner BLT. Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader was just 44 seconds off the podium.

James Neville and the Ino XXX crew were enjoying the sunshine in Cowes Yacht Haven after the race. “It was a good day out in great conditions, and you can’t win and complain!” laughed James. “We had a reduced crew of nine which we are trying out as our offshore configuration. We have much the same team as before and we practised for a couple of days before the race. I was a pity not to race the Easter Challenge which has been going strong for 30-years, but everyone was desperate to get out after a long winter and it was fantastic to see all the boats out. All credit, especially to BLT, it was pretty choppy in places with wind against tide and that would have been a hard race in a Quarter Tonner.”

Starting downwind from the Royal Squadron Line, the fleet split evenly between the island and mainland shores. Sailplane, Tigris, Stormwave and Just So got away well close to the Squadron Platform. A north easterly breeze of 13 knots built during the course of the race, gusting up to 20 knots. After a slack tide at the start, the incoming tide produced ever-increasing, classic Solent chop. With eight legs at every point of sail, the RORC Race Team set a course that tested boat handling, as well as tactical skills.

Kelvin Rawlings racing Sun Fast 3300 Aries, Two-Handed with Stuart Childerley. Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Aries was the winner of the IRC Two-Handed Class, James Harayda’s Sun Fast 3300 Gentoo, racing with Dee Caffari was runner-up and Rob Craigie’s Sunfast 3600 Bellino, racing with Deb Fish was third.

“It was all down to Stuart Childerley, I am only the labourer on the bow!” joked Kelvin Rawlings after Aries won the 13-strong IRC Two-Handed Class with a combined crew age of 126 years. “Our aim was to win it by sailing as best and as hard as we can. The race was really good in terms of the course and the conditions – I enjoyed every second of it. We feel confident in our tactical ability, but our boat handling is not very special, and we need to improve on that.”

Sam Laidlaw's Quarter Tonner BLT Photo: North Sails/Ronan Grealish

“40 miles is a long old way in a Quarter Tonner, especially when it’s windy” commented BLT’s Brett Aarons. “The beats were pretty bumpy, wet and cold. Having said that it was great to get racing again. Competing in a fleet of bigger boats can be frustrating at times, but it is a good way to really improve our positioning on the racecourse and that will raise our performance against other Quarter Tonners.”
Sam Laidlaw’s Quarter Tonner BLT will be racing in the RORC Spring Series. Laidlaw has won the Quarter Ton Cup twice and BLT won the Quarter Ton Cup in 1980. The vintage Jacques Fauroux design is currently the smallest boat entered for the race. “We usually compete at the RORC Easter Challenge, as it’s a good start to the season. This is a low-key series with no stress. A perfect opportunity to shake the cobwebs away, do some training, and test the modifications to the boat over the winter.”

The RORC Spring Series continues with the second race, scheduled to start on Saturday 10th April. The Notice of Race requires that all crew shall comply with current Covid-19 guidelines, and with respect to social distancing at all times.

Full results here