Thanks to Suzanne and Alan for this latest sailing report. Ed
Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is undoubtedly one of the toughest yacht races in the world.
Entries for 2014 include an amazing variety of yachts and sailors all of which have been gathering in Cowes ready for the start.
Entry for The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s 2014 season of races opened back in January and Ian Walker’s Volvo Ocean 65 Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing quickly confirmed its participation with Azzam (Determination) in the RORC’s toughest race of the year in home waters.
The ultimate test of endurance
Starting on Sunday 10th August at 12 noon from Cowes the course is the ultimate test of endurance for sailors and has been supported by leading Dutch specialist yacht transport company Sevenstar since 2006.
This race takes competitors non-stop around the coastline of Britain and Ireland. With the start at the RYS line the first part of the race will take the boats via Ryde and the forts before continuing along the south coast of Island.
Moving up to Ireland and Scotland
After sailing along the coast of the SW of England in a westerly direction the boats travel around Ireland and Scotland, with memorable landmarks which include the most northerly lighthouse – Muckle Flugga- off the Shetland Islands, Scotland, before returning to Cowes. All boats will have a tracker on board and their positions can be followed on the race web site.
The favourites
Two of the favourite boats to win the race have been in Cowes during Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week allowing crews to get ready.
Britain’s twice Olympic silver medallist Ian Walker will skipper Azzam (Determination 0 pictured), supported by Abu Dhabi, and he and the crew will take part in this race prior to their second successive Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015 which starts in October.
Pre-race programme for Volvo Ocean Race
Organisers of Volvo Ocean Race confirmed that the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is part of their pre-race programme.
This will give all teams the chance to compete for the first time against each other, offering valuable crew training and boat preparation before the start of their round the world race from Alicante, Spain. It will be the first skirmish between five professional teams: Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, Alvimedica, Dongfeng Racing Team, Team Campos and Team SCA and it presents a great opportunity for the to learn about the boat and themselves in advance of the Volvo Ocean Race.
Members of the public were invited to share some traditional Abu Dhabi hospitality at the Abu Dhabi Stand in Cowes Yacht Haven as Abu Dhabi will be the Christmas/ New Year stop-over for the Volvo Ocean Race where special events including arts as well as sports have been arranged.
Another favourite
MOD70 Musandam-Oman Sail is another favourite to be the first yacht to complete the course around GB and Ireland. Co-skippers Sidney Gavignet (FRA) and Damian Foxall (IRL) have put together a MOD70 crew selected from Oman Sail’s elite squad of sailors, plus well-known South African Volvo and America’s Cup sailor Jan Dekker.
Half of the crew will be Omani for the first time. Prior to the start of the race Oman Sail had a stand on Cowes Parade with displays of Omani costumes and samples of dates.
Since Oman Sail was launched, over 16,000 Omani children have learned to sail and as well as the MOD70 Oman Sail supports the Extreme 40 Series with two boats: The Wave, Muscat and Oman Air. During AAM Cowes Week Sarah Ayton, who is on board The Wave, Muscat with IW Skipper Leigh McMillan told us how exciting but tiring Extreme 40 racing can be adding that at the moment she had no plans for ocean races.
Artemis – Team Endeavour
The overall winner of the 2010 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race returns this year to the race. Now known as Artemis – Team Endeavour, the IMOCA 60 will be skippered by Mikey Ferguson, who was on the boat four years ago, and the crew includes Jules Verne winner, solo round the world sailor and multiple world record holder Brian Thompson who knows the waters off the Isle of Wight very well.
As well as the ‘big boats’ with crews of over 20 smaller yachts will sail with just two on board. Rare, skippered by Ian Hoddle with crew Conrad Manning, hopes to be the smallest yacht to ever complete the race. This bright pink Figaro II has been a familiar sight at RORC races for the past four years, including two Rolex Fastnet Races. Ian Hoddle said “We will be raising money for the children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent as my six year old nephew James was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour earlier this year. Both he and his family, who live at Wootton, Isle of Wight, have been supported extensively by this fantastic charity as James very bravely battles this disease. We have raised nearly £5000 so far and wish to exceed this target.”
A second two-hander is Liam Coyne and Brian Flahive’s First 36.7, Lula Belle, from Dublin they see the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race as their next big step having done two Round Irelands and two Fastnet Races .
Island sailor
One sailor setting out in home waters is John Jones from Newport. John is on a class 3 boat Change of Course owned by Keith Gibbs.
Back in 2010 Groupama returned to Cowes having sailed around the coast of England, Scotland and Ireland in the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race and smashed the previous monohull record by more than 14 hours. Volvo Open 70, Groupama, crossed the Royal Yacht Squadron Line at 11.26.55 (BST) to claim line honours in the race in a time of five days, 21 hours and 26 minutes, before going on to win the 2010-11 Volvo Ocean Race.
However, the outright record for the course will be a tough one to better. In 2011 Loïck Peyron’s Banque Populaire 5 completed the course in three days three hours 49 minutes and 14 seconds, at an astonishing average speed of 23.38 knots.
Will the record be broken again in 2014?
