ROYAL OCEAN RACING CLUB’S EASTER CHALLENGE THIS BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND

 Several sailing regattas organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) are planned to take place over the coming weeks.

Based in Cowes but with racing in the Solent, the Easter Challenge will take place over the Easter Weekend (Friday-Sunday). This weekend regatta has been organised by the RORC for over 30 years with the Easter Challenge offering crews the chance for some vital pre-season training.

With on the water coaching, teams will be guided by world class coaches from North U. Leading the coaching team will be Andrew ‘Dog’ Palfrey who lives in Cowes and is respected as one of the top coaches in the World.

The fleet will be divided into three IRC Classes, with windward leeward and round the cans courses; there will also be practice starts.

“Trophies will be presented to the class winners, and there will be plenty of Easter Eggs as daily prizes. However, the main aim of the RORC Easter Regatta is to get tuned up for the season ahead. The coaches will be giving their help right through the fleet, with top advice on rig set-up, trimming, driving and manoeuvres.”

RORCs Cowes Clubhouse will be regatta-central for video debriefs after racing and daily prize giving.

Later in the season Cowes will host the start and finish of The Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race which is scheduled to start off Cowes on 7th August.

Starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line, it is planned that the fleet will race East through the Solent, past the headlands of the South West of England and into the Celtic Sea followed by the West Coast of Ireland. Atlantic racing continues past St Kilda, up to the most northerly point of the course, Muckle Flugga. Turning South through the North Sea, then along the English Channel and the Solent, the race finally finishes back in Cowes.

This 1,805 nautical mile race around Britain and Ireland is organised by RORC every four years and is considered to be one of the toughest challenges in the sport of yacht racing.

So far, 29 teams are among the early entries and expressions of interest for the race including at least four IMOCA teams. These are: Sam Davies with Initiatives-Coeur, Pip Hare with Medallia, Ollie Heer with Oliver Heer Ocean Racing and James Harayda with Gentoo 2.