(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The Royal Ocean Racing Club 2018 Season
Points Championship continues with the first of the European offshore
races, the Cervantes Trophy. In excess of 300 teams are expected to take
part over the course of the season with sailors from around the globe
racing in the biggest offshore sailing competition in the world. There
are six European destinations: Belgium, France, Great Britain, Ireland,
Malta, and the Netherlands. Five races are to count for Class Honours,
and the highest total score will designate the winner overall racing
under IRC.Entries include some of the world's fastest professional crewed maxis and multihulls. However, more often than not, a passionate well-sailed Corinthian team is the overall winner. After a memorable RORC Caribbean 600, the focus is now firmly on European waters with the majority of races starting on the Royal Yacht Squadron Line, within sight of the RORC Cowes Clubhouse. This year, the championship includes the North Sea Race, Volvo Round Ireland Race, Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race, Rolex Middle Sea Race, and the RORC Transatlantic Race.
A fleet in excess of 60 yachts is expected for the Cervantes Trophy Race, from Cowes to Le Havre, which will have a flexi-course of 110-160 nautical miles across the English Channel.
IRC champions from 2017 competing in the Cervantes Trophy include Gilles Fournier's French crew on the J/133 PINTIA. They will be attempting to win the Cervantes Trophy for a third year in a row and start the defense of their overall win of IRC Two in the RORC Season's Points Championship. The race to Le Havre is a special one for PINTIA, as Gilles Fournier explains.
“I have been a member of the Société des Régates du Havre for over 65 years, and my daughter, Corraine Migraine is a past Commodore. This year the race is in early May, so the sea will still be cold, but I can assure everyone of a warm welcome at the club, which is the oldest in mainland Europe (established 1838) and has an excellent new menu. PINTIA will not have as intensive a season as last year due to work commitments. However, we are definitely aiming to defend our title, PINTIA has new sails for the season, and our IRC endorsed certificate is the same as last year.” Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth For more RORC sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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