Home - Bang The Corner - Myth of Malham (Round Eddystone) Race

Myth of Malham (Round Eddystone) Race

Posted 4 months, 17 days ago

Myth of Malham (Round Eddystone) Race
Myth of Malham (Round Eddystone) Race Saturday 24th May – Bank Holiday Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with the Royal Yacht Squadron. Course: Start: RYS Cowes to the East, Eddystone Lighthouse (P), North Head and finish. Approximately 245 miles Mike Greville’s Ker 39, Erivale III won the RORC Myth of Malham trophy from Yves Grosjean’s J/133, Jivaro, by just under 15 minutes on corrected time. Piet Vroon’s Lutra 56, Formidable 3 was in third place overall. “We went through just about every sail in the locker.” Commented Erivale’s Skipper, Mike Greville. “We saw 20 knots at the start which gradually built during the day to 30 knots plus by the evening, the highest gust was 46 knots. Sunday morning conditions had eased to about 10 knots and we finished the race in only 5 knots of breeze. The most exhilarating sailing was from the south side of the Isle of Wight to Eddystone, Erivale was at full blast with the A5 up for about 3 hours, reaching at 14-18 knots of boat speed. The boat was totally under control until the guy fitting parted, we repaired the fitting and carried on and I think that carrying the A5 for as long as we did was the defining moment of the race.” The lively conditions led to several boats retiring, including John Shepherd’s highly fancied, Ker 46, Fair Do’s VII who decided to retire as a precaution when they found water in the anchor locker. A Pan Pan was issued by the crew and the Coastguard was on hand but thankfully they did not require any assistance and all 12 crew made it safely to shore. Piet Vroon’s Lutra 56 won Class Super Zero despite breaking a spinnaker halyard on the reach to Eddystone. “It was a tough race, especially the beat back to the finish.” Explained Vroon. “At one stage we had two reefs in the main and the no.4 up, every second wave we were just slamming into the seaway but the crew did a great job and we arrived at the finish in one piece, all credit to Erivale III, they sailed well to win the race.” Formidable 3, now has a considerable advantage in the season’s overall points table for Class Super Zero. In Class One, the Army Sailing Association’s A40RS, British Soldier won class by just over half an hour, on corrected time, from Tim Hayhoe’s, Prima 38, Mostly Harmless. Global Yacht Racing’s, Reflex 38, Panther was third. British Soldier’s victory pushes them to the top of the season’s points table for IRC One. In Class Two, Noel Racine’s JPK 9.60, Foggy Dew, continued their impressive form with their third class win in a row and must be seen as early contenders for the overall RORC season’s points championship. Second place in class but winner of the Two-Handed division was Simon Curwen’s J/105, Voador who had a cracking start off the Yacht Squadron line. Third in Class Two and Second in the Two-Handed division was another J/105, Michael Boyd & Niall Dowling’s Slingshot. It is Boyd and Dowling’s first season with Slingshot and they showed great tenacity by continuing to race, even with a torn mainsail. Class Three saw Paul March’s S&S one off, Clarionet, take first place by a slender margin on corrected time from Russell Walker’s, Baltic 37, Cosmic Dancer III. Earlier in the race, there was some concern for Paul March and his crew as their emergency distress beacon became active, however the RORC Race Office successfully contacted the crew and confirmed that there was no cause for alarm and the authorities were immediately notified. David Hunt’s X-332, X-To-Sea was third. Clarionet is currently top of the season’s points table for IRC Three. RORC Season’s Points Championship 2008 The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Season’s Points Championship consists of a testing series of races which attracts an international and varied fleet. For the serious offshore sailor, trying to win the Season’s Points Championship is the real challenge. The Season’s Points Championship this year includes the tactically challenging BMW Round Ireland Race and a new addition to the RORC sailing programme, The Cowes Madeira Race which offers an exciting opportunity of a race to Madeira and back, some 1500 miles away in the Atlantic off the coast of Africa. For those with less time, the programme also includes a race to the charming port of La Rochelle. For the full RORC racing programme go to:http://www.rorc.org Full Story »

Comments are currently disabled