Royal Ocean Racing Club - Myth of Malham Race

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Myth of Malham Race

Seventy-three boats started the Myth of Malham Race on Saturday 31st May 2003. The forecast was for light airs rather than calms; the Race Committee elected to send the fleet on Course Alpha the long course at 154 miles.

The breeze obligingly filled in for the starting sequence and the fleet crossed the line powered up hard on the wind on starboard tack. GBR815 Longue Pierre and FRA18625 Idefix got the best start in IRC Class Three.

The IRC Class Two start was hard fought and GBR8329 Zanzara GBR8352 Mefisto & GBR8356 Dragonfly of Bosham were OCS and did not return.

IRC Class One was a very even start with GBR38R Born Slippy and GRB15R Bonny Blue getting away in the lead

IRC Super Zero and Zero was another close start; BER2000 Venom and GBR52R Chernikeeff II were OCS and did not return.

The beat down to the Nab Tower was described as a lovely beat with each fleet engaged in cross tacking duels. On the South Coast of the Isle of Wight the fleet encountered fog which prevailed until they rounded the Needles Fairway buoy.

The leg back along the south side of the island was far more enjoyable with the wind reaching 18 knots for a time and spinnakers flying. The wind became fickle as the fleet gybed back and forth off St Catherine’s Point. After the Owers the fleet split with some going inshore and other staying out. Going in paid. For many of the classes the Saltdean Buoy off Brighton became a parking lot with no wind for several hours. At the front of the fleet GBR552RVolvo for Life Team Tonic vied with GBR52R Chernikeeff and GBR998RBounder while further back GBR940R Exabyte, GBR39RMagnum II, GBR2R Fastwave II and FRA28385 Cajou duelled throughout the race. The wind was on and off all night and there was a lot of place changing.

Two new boats both doing their first race had excellent fortune. Aera GRE55 a brand new Kerr 55 took line honours and Jazz GRB4519L a new J145 won class Zero.

Asked how the race was one competitor said “Exhausting! a really good race. You had to keep your wits about you all of the time to hunt the Zephyrs and optimise your tidal strategy in the testing conditions”.

The RORC would like to thank all of the race officers who started and finished the race and in particular Brian Stewart for kindly supplying his yacht Zulu as the Committee boat at the finish.

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