Cowes – Ouistreham Race 2006

A grey and overcast sky greeted the RORC fleet of 23 boats for the start of the 2006 Cowes to Ouistreham Race on the morning of Saturday 26^th August. The fleet got away cleanly to the East from the RYS Line at 08:00 under spinnakers, Ilex of Upnor, Andrew Mills X332 having a the best start in the WNW F3 breeze.

The course took the boats through the Forts, leaving Bembridge Light Buoy to starboard and across the Channel to the finish at Merville North Cardinal Buoy outside Ouistreham, a distance of approximately 110 miles.

With the breeze increasing as the yachts headed into the Channel Fidessa Fastwave, Chris Brown / Peter Harding’s DK46 reported 25-30kts at times, from the WNW, giving the fleet a fast reach all the way across.

At 17:52, Dark & Steamy, Nick Haigh’s DK46 crossed the finish to take line honours, Fidessa Fastwave at 18:00, with Groupe Partouche, Christophe Coatnoan’s Figaro 2 at 18:10 which was enough not only for class honours but also IRC overall. The next boat to finish was the other Figaro 2 of Jean Francois Bulot, Credit Mutuel Ville de Caen at 18:30. As in the Myth of Malham Race to Dieppe the water ballasted Figaros relished reaching in a good breeze

In Class 2 Pascal Loison’s J105 Night & Day was able to hold off the challenge of Slingshot, Shaun Murphy’s J105 finishing just 5 seconds ahead at 19:15:05.

In Class 3 Arbitrator, Derek Shakespear’s Sigma 38 finished at 20:59 ahead of Boatez Coat III, Yves Dervieux’s First 31.7 at 21:05.

The RORC would like to extend its thanks to the Société Régates Caen-Ouistreham for their excellent welcome and in particular the President Philippe Bossé and Patrick Maurice Blanc. The club also provided St Laurent a Grand Banks 36 as the Committee Boat for the finish.

Cowes – Ouistreham Race Prizegiving

Charles Oxley Memorial Trophy – BCT IRC

Ouistreham Trophy Coupe Armand Esders – IRC Zero / 1

Groupe Partouche Chistophe Coatnoan
2^nd Credit Mutuel Ville de Caen Jean Francios Bulot

Griffin Trophy – IRC 2 Night & Day Pascal Loison
2^nd Slingshot Shaun Murphy
3^rd Pen Azen Philippe Delaporte

Commodore Trophy – IRC 3 Boatez Coat III Yves Dervieux

Solent – Ouistreham Trophy – BCT IRM Hooligan V Edward Broadway

RORC Prize – 2 Handed Division Groupe Partouche Chistophe Coatnoan

RORC Medallions – Seahorse Division Arbitrator Derek Shakespeare

RORC Medallions will be presented on Tuesday 12^th September at 19:30 at the Clubhouse, 20 St James’s Place, London SW1. All crews welcome.