More than 5,000 sailors from around the world, racing in a dazzling variety of 570 yachts, took part in the 2019 RORC Season's Points Championship. The world's largest offshore racing series comprised 14 testing races and every race had its own coveted prize for the overall winner and for IRC class honours. The 2019 RORC Season's Points Championship destinations included the Caribbean islands of Antigua and Grenada, and the Spanish island of Lanzarote. There were six European destinations: France, Great Britain, Belgium, Ireland, Malta, and the Netherlands.
The 2019 Royal Ocean Racing Club Annual Dinner and Prize Giving was held in the Grand Connaught Rooms with 250 guests attending the spectacular black tie event. Prize winners, competitors, crews, RORC members and guests celebrated the year's achievements with the Royal Ocean Racing Club.
A champagne reception was followed by dinner and the prize giving in the Grand Connaught Rooms. Dating back to 1775, with its grand Georgian architecture and art-deco interiors, the historic building has hosted some of the world's leading politicians, royalty and celebrities. There was a huge ovation for the overall winner of the 2019 RORC Season's Points Championship, Black Sheep, and for the RORC Yacht of the Year, Wizard.
Winning the Jazz Trophy for first overall in IRC was Trevor Middleton's Sun Fast 3600 Black Sheep. Skippered by Jake Carter, the team collected five more awards: Jacob Carter was awarded the Keith Ludlow Trophy for the Navigator on the yacht that is First in IRC Overall, and the Duncan Munro Kerr Youth Challenge Trophy. Black Sheep also won the Grenade Goblet for first in IRC Three, the Serendip Trophy for Best Series Produced Yacht, and the Alan Paul Trophy for Consistent High Performance.
Trevor Middleton and team on Sun Fast 3600 Black Sheep collect the overall winners trophy, along with a hoard of silverware at the RORC Season's Points Championship © Sportography.tv
Black Sheep was crewed by friends who met during the Clipper Round the World Race and their debut race for the RORC season was the RORC Transatlantic Race. Black Sheep was the smallest yacht in the race, taking just under 17 days, and after IRC time correction, was second overall. During the season, Black Sheep's main rival for IRC Three, and for the overall season win, was another British Sun Fast 3600, Bellino. Bellino was raced Two-Handed by Rob Craigie and Deb Fish. Bellino beat Black Sheep by one place in the Rolex Fastnet Race, to set up a winner take-all final encounter in the Rolex Middle Sea Race. Black Sheep won the duel, winning the 2019 RORC Season's Points Championship overall and IRC Three by a small margin; just 2.2 points.
"We set out to win the Championship, but it was not until halfway through the season that you realise how big a commitment it is," commented Trevor Middleton. "Black Sheep has done close to 10,000 miles of racing and deliveries. The team come from the Clipper Race and this has been a fantastic, yet different experience. Whilst the RORC races are shorter, the Clipper experience made us stronger for the longer races. A big thank you to the RORC, their organisation is excellent, their entry system and race procedures are second to none. Also, when you get to places like Lanzarote, Grenada and Antigua, the shoreside logistics and parties are so very well done."
The 2019 RORC Yacht of the Year, winning the Somerset Memorial Trophy was Peter and David Askew's Volvo Open 70 Wizard, which is the first American yacht to win the accolade for over 20 years. Wizard's overall win in the RORC Caribbean 600 and the Rolex Fastnet Race in the same season is unprecedented. This double victory has never been achieved before by any other yacht.
Wizard, Peter & David Askew's Volvo Open 70 - RORC Yacht of the Year Photo: Rolex/Kurt Arrigo
"The Fastnet Challenge Cup is now at the New York Yacht Club - being able to display the Cup at the NYYC is really special. At the NYYC annual awards last weekend we got a chance to study the inscribed names of the previous winners. It was an "oh my" moment to see the name Wizard in close proximity to names like "Imp" and "Tenacious", boats of immense historical importance," commented David and Peter Askew. "When Peter and I were young boys we idolized these boats and the sailors that crewed them and dreamed of having our own success someday. We think a real measure of success is to earn the recognition of your peers. To be recognized by a group of peers on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean is a true honour! To be awarded the Somerset Memorial Trophy is something we will always be very proud of.
"Peter and I have always operated on the principle to have the best tool possible for the job. That being said, everything else counts too, plus a little luck. We had the perfect storm of all of the above. We set out to win the Atlantic Ocean Racing Series and we felt the VO 70 would be the best platform. Charlie Enright, Mark Towill, Will Oxley and the rest of the guys did the real work. All said and done, we think our success is proof that our process works.
"We are disappointed to not be able to personally accept the Somerset Memorial Trophy. Peter has foot surgery some days prior and I must remain in the States to receive an award from my local Yacht Club (Annapolis Yacht Club) that same night. We will have a crew member, Roy Disney in attendance to accept on behalf of the entire Wizard team."
After the prize-giving, guests partied until the early hours with a live set from Brando, courtesy of RORC partner Sevenstar Yacht Transport. Fastnet Marine Insurance also supported the event, as they have done for the last 11 years, along with William Grant & Sons Distillers and Ocean Safety.
The 21st edition of the RORC Season's Points Championship will start on 23rd November 2019 with the RORC Transatlantic Race.
List of 2019 RORC Season's Points Trophy Winners
Season's Points Championship Overall Winner - Jazz Trophy for 1st in IRC Overall: Sun Fast 3600, Trevor Middleton with Black Sheep
Also winning: Keith Ludlow Trophy for the Navigator on the yacht that is First in IRC Overall: Duncan Munro Kerr Youth Challenge Trophy - Jacob Carter from Black Sheep, 1st in IRC Three winning the Grenade Goblet, Serendip Trophy for Best Series Produced Yacht, Alan Paul Trophy for Consistent High Performance,
The 2019 Yacht of the Year winning the Somerset Memorial Trophy: Wizard, Volvo Open 70, David & Peter Askew
2019 Class winners:
Multihull: Buzz, Seacart 30, Ross Hobson
Class40: Eärendil, Catherine Pourre
IRC Zero: Tala, Botin IRC 52, David Collins
IRC One: Ino XXX, HH42, James Neville
IRC Two: Courrier Recommandé, JPK 1180, Gery Trentesaux
IRC Three: Black Sheep, Sun Fast 3600, Trevor Middleton
IRC Four: Foggy Dew, JPK 10.10, Noel Racine
IRC Two-Handed: Bellino, Sun Fast 3600, Rob Craigie & Deb Fish
Special Trophies:
Seamanship Trophy for an Outstanding Act of Seamanship: Roy Disney with Pyewacket
Meritorious Award for outstanding keelboat performance by a RORC member:
Grant Gordon, Louise Racing (Dragon) - 1st King Juan Carlos Trophy, 2nd Dragon World Championship, 5th Dragon Gold Cup
Arambalza Swan Cup for the Best Swan: Swan 38, Jonathan Rolls, with Xara
Beken Trophy for Concours d'Elegance: Fred Shepherd Yawl from 1939 Paul Moxon with Amokura
Assuage Tankard for 1st Overall in the Morgan Cup Race and Winning the J/109 RORC Trophy J/109: David McGough with Just So
Assuage Tankard for 1st Overall in the Myth of Malham Race and 1st Overall in the Cervantes Trophy Race: Farr GP42, Ed Fishwick with Redshift
David Fayle Memorial Cup for Best Sailing School Yacht: First 40, Yuri Fadeev of Capstan Sailing School with Skylander
Haylock Cup for Best British Service Yacht: X-41, Army Sailing Association with British Soldier
Multihull (26 boats):
1st Multihull: Seacart 30, Ross Hobson, with Buzz
2nd Multihull: Normanni 34, Joel Malardel, with Tancrède
3rd Multihull: Dazcat 1295, James Holder, with Slinky Malinki
4th Multihull: Trimaran, Andrew Fennell, with Morpheus
5th Multihull : Ts42, Christian Guyader, with Guyader Gastronomie
Class40 (29 boats):
Concise Trophy for 1st Class40: Catherine Pourre with Eärendil
2nd Class40: Ian Hoddle with Manic
3rd Class40: Luke Berry, with Lamotte - Module Création
4th Class40: Renaud Courbon, with Boogie Down
5th Class40: Henrik Bergesen, with Hydra
IRC Zero (65 boats):
Europeans Cup for 1st in IRC Zero: Botin IRC 52, David Collins, with Tala
2nd in IRC Zero: Cookson 50, Franco Niggeler, with Kuka 3
3rd in IRC Zero and Winning the Highwayman Cup for best elapsed time of an IRC yacht in the Cervantes Trophy, Morgan Cup, Cowes Dinard St Malo and Cherbourg races:Volvo Open 70, Lance Shepherd, with Telefonica Black
4th in IRC Zero: Carroll Marine 60, Derek Saunders - Windward Sailing, with Venomous
5th in IRC Zero: Ker 46, Van Uden Holding B.V. with Van Uden
IRC One (124 boats):
Trenchemer Cup for 1st in IRC One: HH42, Rear Commodore, James Neville with
Ino XXX
2nd in IRC One, 4th in IRC Overall and also winning the Peter Harrison Youth Trophy for a yacht racing under IRC with a minimum of 33% of the crew under 25, and winning an Assuage Tankard for 1st Overall in the Cherbourg Race: A13, Mark Emerson, with Phosphorus II
3rd in IRC One: Ker 40, Lars & Birgitta Elfverson , with Keronimo
4th in IRC One: XP 44, Arto Linnervuo, with Xtra Staerk
5th in IRC One: JND 39, Didier Gaudoux, with Lann Ael 2
IRC Two (97 boats):
Winning the Emily Verger Plate for 1st in IRC Two and Winning the Stradivarius Trophy for the Best Overseas Yacht and also Winning a medallion for 5th in IRC Overall:
JPK 1180, Gery Trentesaux, with Courrier Recommandé
2nd in IRC Two and 3rd in IRC Overall: JPK 1180, Tom Kneen with Sunrise
3rd in IRC Two and winning the Dillon Perpetual Ladies' Trophy: J/133, Gilles Fournier & Corinne Migraine, with Pintia
4th in IRC Two and Winning an Assuage Tankard for 1st Overall in the Cowes Dinard St Malo Race: Oyster 48, Ross Applebey, with Scarlet Oyster
5th in IRC Two and 4th in IRC Two-Handed: Sun Fast 3600, Gavin Howe, with Tigris
IRC Three (147 boats):
1st in IRC Three winning the Grenade Goblet (+ overall winner of 2019 and other trophies - see above): Sun Fast 3600, Trevor Middleton with Black Sheep
2nd in IRC Three and 2nd in IRC Overall, plus 1st in IRC Two-Handed, winning the Psipsina Trophy and also Winning the Boyd Trophy for 1st in the Mixed Two-Handed Division: Sun Fast 3600, Rob Craigie & Deborah Fish, with Bellino
3rd in IRC Three and 3rd in IRC Two-Handed: JPK 1080, Louis-Marie Dussere, with Raging-bee²
4th in IRC Three and 5th in IRC Two-Handed: Sun Fast 3600, Vice Commodore, Nick Martin, with Diablo
5th in IRC Three: A35, Richard Elliott, with Eaujet
IRC Four (141 boats):
Winning the Assuage Trophy for RORC Members and Winning the Cowland Trophy for 1st in IRC Four: JPK 10.10, Noel Racine, with Foggy Dew
2nd in IRC Four: JPK10.10, Emmanuel Pinteaux, with Gioia
3rd in IRC Four and 2nd in IRC Two-Handed: Sun Fast 3200, Nigel Goodhew, with Cora
4th in IRC Four and Winning the Freddie Morgan Trophy for a Classic Yacht in IRC: S&S 41, Harry Heijst, with Winsome
5th IRC Four and Winning the Oldland/Watts Aquadanca Trophy for the Sigma 38 with the highest Season's Points: Sigma 38, Chris Choules, With Alacrity
