The 2026 RORC Cervantes Trophy Race was decided by just 13 seconds after more than 20 hours of racing from Cowes to Le Havre. Nicolas Dezeustre’s Sun Fast 3600 Princesse Gotionude II secured overall victory under IRC, narrowly beating Nick Martin’s Diablo. The result capped a tightly contested race, with the top four boats separated by less than two minutes on corrected time.
Fleet fight: Princesse Gotionude II leads tight pack. Photo: Rick Tomlinson/RORC
Sam White’s Mzungu! finished third, while Derek Shakespeare’s Bulldog placed fourth. The 110-nautical-mile race was marked by light airs, shifting winds and key tactical decisions across the English Channel. “We are very, very happy,” said Nicolas Dezeustre. “To win a RORC race like this, against such a strong fleet, is something special.” He added, “Everyone worked hard and stayed focused all the way to the finish.”
Pink push: Mzungu powers on under spinnaker. Photo: Rick Tomlinson/RORC
Nick Martin, who finished second racing double-handed with Joe Slipper, reflected on the narrow margin. “Thirteen seconds is just bizarre,” said Nick Martin. “I am thrilled, but also wondering where we lost that time.” Martin praised his crew. “Joe was fantastic, especially overnight. He has huge energy and a real desire to win.”
Line honours in the monohull fleet went to Greg Leonard’s Class40 Swift, while Graeme Lewis’ Venomous was the first IRC finisher across the line. Peter Coote’s Slinky Malinki claimed multihull line honours and class victory.
Further down the fleet, Jake Carter’s Black Sheep won IRC One on its debut outing, while Zanzibar took IRC Four after the breeze faded late in the race. “It was a tricky, mostly light-air race,” said Derek Shakespeare. “We stuck to our strategy, and it paid off.”
The race concluded in Le Havre, hosted by the Société des Régates du Havre, continuing a long-standing cross-Channel tradition. The Cervantes Trophy Race marks the opening round of the RORC Cowes Offshore Series, with the North Sea Race next on the calendar.
