#rorc – Two Irish linked Ker campaigns – among seven such designs in the top ten – showed the potency of Irish offshore sailing in a marathon edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's (RORC) Myth of Malham race with both Ker 39 sisterships finishing in the top ten. 2012 Round Ireland race winner Inismor (Bernard Guoy) sailing under French colours but with links to Clifden Boat Club and Royal Cork's Commodore's Cup winner Antix (Anthony & Peter O'Leary) were sixth and seventh respectively in IRC overall in the 120–boat fleet.
After last year's extremely windy Myth of Malham Race, this year's edition provided a far more tactical race for the fleet in the 230-mile race around the Eddystone Lighthouse.
Staying in the breeze and calculating the best route for tides made all the difference. The wind conditions ranged from zephyrs during the first night to 25 knot gusts on the last day of racing. Most of the fleet used the full complement of their sail wardrobe and, as many crews were exploiting the race route as a Rolex Fastnet qualifier, the Myth of Malham Race was a fine test of man and machine.
Edward Broadway's Ker 40, Hooligan VII, was declared overall winner after time correction under IRC. Broadway has been a member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club for over 20 years but only started campaigning his Ker 40 this year.
"We were the last Ker 40 out of the Solent," admitted Broadway. "We chose to play the island shore and the two other Ker 40s, Magnum andBaraka, went to the mainland shore and they were both just ahead at the Hurst Narrows. However, we caught up and virtually match raced all the way to Eddystone with Magnum. This is the first season with our Ker 40 and it is such a fantastic boat to sail; really responsive and very fast. I am an old man but just about all the crew have come from the British Keelboat Academy, including Aaron Cooper who has built the sails.
I can't really single out any defining moment in the race, save Magnum's kite ripping, which was a big gain for us. However, my crew were magnificent; totally committed and extremely respectable sailors. Between the three Ker 40s, after three RORC races, each one of us has come out on top, it looks like a fantastic season ahead."
Hooligan VII was also the winner of IRC One for the Myth of Malham, Andrew Pearce's Ker 40, Magnum 3, was second by less than 15 minutes and Piet Vroon's Ker 46, Tonnerre de Breskens, was third in class but still retains the overall lead of the RORC Season's Points Championship, albeit by just 2.4 points.
With 31 yachts IRC Two was the largest class in the race. RORC Admiral Andrew McIrvine's First 40, La Réponse, took line honours for the class but after time correction missed out on a podium place by less than two minutes. Patrick Ponchelet's French X40, Exception sailed a stunning leg back from Eddystone to over take two British First 40.7s to win the class. Ifan James' Cheeki Rafiki was second by just over 19 minutes on corrected time, whilst Peter Newlands' Anticipation took third.
Benoit D'Halluin's A35, Dunkerque Plaisance, took line honours in IRC Three and the class win on corrected time. "We had a great start out of the Solent, we were really pleased with our performance and the boat was going really well. However, between Start Point and Eddystone, we had foul tide and the wind faded. It was difficult and frustrating because as we are one of the highest rated boats and the fleet around us was gaining all the time. Once round Eddystone we went inshore at Start Point on the way back and it really worked for us, especially as the tide changed in our favour a little earlier than predicted. The run to the finish was dead downwind and we used our symmetrical spinnaker to great effect, whilst the J/109s in our class could not. All of the crew is absolutely delighted with our result."
Richard Palmer's J/109, Jangada Too, was second in IRC Two and won the highly competitive Two-Handed Class. With Jeremy Waitt as co-skipper, Jangada Too won against a 22 strong fleet containing many proven race winners in past RORC and Transatlantic races. "A very tough race, I doubt whether either of us got more than two hours sleep," admitted Richard. "The wind was so fickle that we were constantly raising and dropping the spinnaker and we didn't use the autopilot at all. The race was very stop-start and required a huge amount of mental concentration to work out the ever-changing scenario, especially with regards to the tide. It is great to get our first win of the series."
The runner up in the Two-Handed Class was Bernie Bingham's Rogers 30, Brightwork. A terrific battle for third place was won by Rob Craigie's J/122, J Belllino, by just seven seconds on corrected time from Simon Mitchell's Sunfast 3200, Roxanne. The racing in the Two-Handed class was incredibly close with less than an hour, after time correction, separating 2nd place from 10th.
The Class40 division produced a photo-finish: after 230 miles of racing Yvon Berrehar and Stephan Theissing racing Al Bucq were just 32 seconds ahead of Emma Creighton and Dan Dytch's Momentum Ocean Racing.
In IRC Four this was the first RORC race of the season for Jean Yves Chateau's Nicholson 33, Iromiguy, and the French crew won class ahead of Christophe Affolter's French Sigma 33, 4 Déci. Noel Racine's JPK 10.10, Foggy Dew, was third. The podium finish was just enough to put Foggy Dew at the top of the leader board in IRC Four for the RORC Season's Points Championship.
The Championship continues on Friday 14th June with the De Guingand Bowl Race from Cowes to Guernsey.
IRC Overall
Sail No | Boat | Type of Boat | Owner |
GBR741R | Hooligan VII | Ker 40 | Edward Broadway |
GBR39R | Magnum III | Ker 40 | Andrew Pearce |
NED46 | Tonnerre de Breskens 3 | Ker 46 | Piet Vroon |
GER6840 | Sjambok | Reichel Pugh 48 | Jens Kuehne |
NED40010 | Baraka GP | Ker 40 | Harmen J de Graaf |
FRA35439 | Inis Mor | Ker 39 | Laurent Gouy |
IRL3939 | Antix | Ker 39 | Anthony O'Leary |
GBR5355N | Phosphorus | Rodman 42 | Mark Emerson |
GBR236R | Erivale III | Ker 39 | Michael Greville |
FRA6770 | Iromiguy | Nicholson 33 | Jean Yves Chateau |
FRA19630 | 4 Déci | Sigma 33 | Christophe Affolter |
FRA35080 | Dunkerque Plaisance - Gill Racing Team | A 35 | Benoit D'halluin |
FRA37310 | Foggy Dew | JPK 10.10 | Noel Racine |
GBR4733 | Baloo | Sigma 33 OOD | Jonathan Power/Rob Harnan/Ben Redhead |
GBR8537R | Jangada Too | J/109 | Richard Palmer |
GBR8352 | Mefisto | Sigma 38 | Kevin Sussmilch |
GBR8338 | With Alacrity | Sigma 38 | Chris Choules |
BEL1383 | Wasabi | JPK 10.10 | Vincent Willemart |
FRA25767 | Exception | X 40 | Patrick Ponchelet |
GBR9793T | Cheeki Rafiki | First 40.7 | Stormforce Coaching |
GBR1509R | JIBE | J/109 | Robin Taunt |
RUS1 | Monster Project | Volvo 70 | Andrew Budgen and Fred Schwyn |
GBR3111N | Mostly Harmless | J/105 | Tom Hayhoe |
GBR521R | Toe in the Water | Farr 52 | Toe in the Water |
GBR7041R | Anticipation | First 40.7 | Peter Newlands |
GBR42N | La Réponse | First 40 | Andrew McIrvine |
GBR1264 | Marinero | Swan 46 | David Gower and Ken Newman |
GBR3234L | Relentless on Rocketdog 2 | First 40 | Sailing Logic/James George |
GBR9030R | Brightwork | Rogers 30 | Bernie Bingham |
GBR9868T | J Bellino | J/122 | Rob Craigie |
GBR2539L | Roxanne | Sun Fast 3200 | Simon Mitchell |
GBR8380R | Elixir | Elan 380 | Felicity Gabbay |
GBR2091R | Je Vante | J/109 | Todd Wells |
GBR4690R | Fastrak IX | Sun Fast 3200 | Nigel de Quervain Colley |
GBR8191R | British Soldier | J/111 | Army Sailing Association |
GBR7848T | Storm Trooper | Sun Fast 37 | Stormforce Coaching |
GBR9205R | Diablo-J | J/105 | Nick Martin |
GBR8146 | Vitesse | Sigma 38 | Jon England |
GBR7909R | Jolene II | J/109 | Philip Nelson |
GBR6709R | J-T'Aime | J/109 | Christopher Palmer |
GBR5963T | Pyxis | X 332 | Kirsteen Donaldson |
GBR8275 | Pandanova II | Sigma 38 | Andrew Gordon |
GBR9956 | Draig O'R Mor | Dehler 36 | Kay & Kevin Stibbs |
GBR8809R | Inspara | J/109 | Tor McLaren |
GBR7383R | Puma Logic | Reflex 38 | Sailing Logic |
GBR3708R | One Life | Sun Fast 37 | James Pearson |
GBR1415R | Kokomo | Prima 38 | Steve Trigwell |
FRA38485 | Courrier Vintage | MC34 Patton | Sam Marsaudon and Géry Trentesaux |
GBR6525N | Revive | Prima 38 | Paul A Farrands |
GBR979R | Malice | HOD 35 | Mike Moxley |
GBR9503T | Jamira | J/109 | Mark Tracey |
GBR1921L | Yoda | Sigma 38 | Trevor Hails |
GBR3142L | Zonpuka | JPK 9.60 | Giles Mayley |
GBR8367 | Rho | Sigma 38 | Nick Woolven |
GBR7382R | Jaguar Logic | Reflex 38 | Sailing Logic |
GBR8529R | Jazzy Jellyfish | J/109 | Kevin Armstrong |
GBR5464R | Right Royal Of Upnor | Dehler 32 | REYC |
GBR922R | Juno | X 34 | Charles Whittam |
GBR8643T | Arcsine | Arcona 370 | Kathy Claydon |
GBR3135L | Jumbuck | J/109 | John Allison |
GBR9939 | Flame | Sweden 38 | Martin Fordham |
GBR7360T | Quinta | First 40.7 | Stan Davies |
GBR9885T | Profile Logic | First 40.7 | Sailing Logic/Barclays Capital |
GBR6504N | Talisman | Prima 38 | Simon Harwood |
RUS6262 | Krasotka | Sinergia 41 | 600nm Racing Club |
GBR1346R | Belladonna | Grand Soleil 46 | Andrew Howard |
GBR1715T | Breakout | Swan 42 | Simon Crawford |
GBR1575L | Pure Attitude | X 37 | Pure Latitude Ltd |
GBR8908R | Annika | Malo 43 Classic | John Burns |
GBR9388R | Lion Logic | Reflex 38 | Sailing Logic |
GBR8799T | Wild Spirit | Sun Odyssey 40 | Paul Jackson |
GBR1603R | Jubilant | Moody S38 | Martin Johnson |
21 | Artemis 21 | Figaro II | Artemis Offshore Academy |
GBR43 | Artemis 43 | Figaro II | Artemis Offshore Academy |
GBR9383R | Intuition | Reflex 38 | Yuri Fadeev |
GBR735R | Comedy Of Errors | HOD 35 | Tony White |
GBR2460L | Run | First 35 | David Mossman |
RUS404 | Knyaz | A 40 | Artem Brum |
GBR641 | Hope & Glory/UNICEF | Humphreys 50 Custom | Robert Gibson |
GBR9109T | Red Arrow | J/109 | RAFSA |
GBR6388T | Marta | Sigma 38 | Brian Skeet |
GBR1329R | Thumper | Grand Soleil 39 | Julian Johnson |
GBR4709R | Jambo! | J/109 | Stephen Morris |
GBR9029 | Rainmaker | Oyster LW395 | James Porter |
GBR4973T | Exocet | IMX 38 | Janet Pilkington |
GBR9023T | Arcadian | Arcona 370 | Simon Grigg |
GBR9481R | Lancelot | First 40.7 | Simon Boulding |
GBR4001N | Sunsail 4001 | First 40 | Girls For Sail |
GBR6643R | Nightfall | Arcona 430 | Tom Sperrey |
GBR7657T | Castalia | Sun Fast 37 | Andrew Butler |
GBR1385L | Buccaneer Logic | First 40.7 | Sailing Logic |
GBR5236R | Rare | Figaro II | Ian Hoddle |
GBR1602R | Parallel Blue | First 40.7 | Ivan Snell |
GBR3L | Me Julie | J/109 | Dom Monkhouse |
GBR7388R | Leopard Clipper | Reflex 38 | Mark Osborn |
GBR8972T | Inseyandra | Bavaria 46 C | Solent Sail Ltd |
GBR7950R | Loco | Sydney 40 | John Reivers |
GBR809 | Lutine | Swan 53 | Lloyd's Yacht Club |
BEL11111 | Djinn | J/111 | JUST 4 SAILING |
GBR3390T | Gentle Zephyr | Bavaria 390 | Neal Martin |
GBR8520R | Flying Fish Hot Stuff | First 40.7 | Andy Hunt |
US43545 | Echo Zulu | Frers 45 | David Rider |
GBR8750R | Bella of London | Grand Soleil 50 | Mike Surridge |
GBR2899 | Freebird | Sadler 34 | Jonti Clews |
GBR2311L | Zephyr | First 45 | Marinos Pappas |
GBR6944R | Smoke N' Oakum | Grand Soleil 44 Race | Steven Winstanley |
GBR8873R | Challenger 3 | Challenge 72 | Tall Ships |
GBR8871R | Challenger 1 | Challenge 72 | Tall Ships |
GBR8874R | Challenger 4 | Challenge 72 | Tall Ships |
GBR7732T | Mardy Gras | X 332 | Fred Mundle |
GBR6687T | Skywave | Elan 333 | Royal Signals Yacht Club |
GBR6995T | Javelin | Sweden 390 | Peter Hurley |
NED118 | Winsome | S&S 41 | Harry Heijst |
GBR981R | St Barbara V | Rustler 42 | Royal Artillery Yacht Club |
FRA36859 | Stamina III | A 40 | Michel Peretie |
GBR8633R | Jings | J/133 | David Ballantyne |