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The most northerly point on the course, the island and lighthouse of “Muckle Flugga” is a higher latitude north than Cape Horn is south by roughly 300 nm!! Legend has it that Muckle Flugga, and other outlying islands, were formed by two giants fighting over the love of a mermaid. They threw giant rocks at each other, which became the small islands. There isn't a happy ending as the mermaid, fed up with them both, said she would marry whoever could follow her to the North Pole; they then stumbled after her into the sea where they both drowned! Sad story, eh? The lighthouse on the island was built over 150 years ago and was first lit on New Year's Day 1858 to protect the ships during the Crimean War. Whilst it was manned by lighthouse-keepers, the island was also the northernmost inhabited island of the UK. For you literary fans, apparently Robert Louis Stevenson visited the island on 18 June 1869 and there are many who consider Stevenson’s relatively short stay to be inspiration for his classic book- “Treasure Island”!
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"This race is another step up from the offshore races organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club. The course is three times longer than the Rolex Fastnet Race and it takes the competitors through a myriad of different conditions. Crews will have to cope with a huge number of elements and that is what makes this race so compelling," commented RORC CEO Eddie Warden Owen (himself a J/24 European Champion and UK Champion).
"Most sailors agree that this race is one of the toughest tests of them all. It is nearly as long as an Atlantic crossing, but the changes of direction at headlands, navigating wind farms and oil rigs, will mean constant breaks in the watch system for sail changes and sail trim. The race is only run every four years and is a highly regarded fixture on the yacht racing calendar; experienced amateurs and seasoned professionals alike aspire to compete in a race that is real challenge."
There are three very well prepared J/Teams competing for IRC handicap honors. In IRC 2 Class, the J/111 BRITISH SOLDIER, the UK’s Army Sailing Association team, will by led by Phil Caswell. Joining them is the J/122 RELENTLESS ON JELLYFISH, sailed by Chris Radford and James George. In IRC 3 Class, Rob Hammond and the UK Royal Armoured Corps Yacht Club will be sailing the J/109 RUAG WHITE KNIGHT 7.
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