starting at once on one huge line, divided into different sections for different classes for safety reasons. The fleet initially heads west past the port of Cherbourg before turning north across the channel and then west along the English coast to Wolf Rock. At Wolf Rock the fleet splits as the Ultimes detour north to the Isle of Man, the 1000-mile course goes around the Fastnet Rock, and the IRC boats head south, outside of Ushant and associated TSSs, to Brittany. The course is likely to include substantial upwind, downwind and reaching legs, and mix tactically demanding sections with tests of speed on various points of sail, making for a great test of all-round offshore sailing that will reward only those boats and crews who are strong across a wide range of conditions.
The prize giving will take place in La Trinite sur Mer, where town mayor Yves Normand – a keen IRC competitor himself – is also a big supporter of the event. Competitors will be able to enjoy some good wine and local seafood before heading home at the end of what should be a memorable week.
For many French IRC boats the
event is effectively the third leg of a summer tour following on from the La Trinite – Cowes and Cowes – Dinard races that are part of the RORC calendar. For larger international entrants interested only in longer courses the race fits nicely into the calendar between the Round Ireland Race in June and the Round Britain and Ireland Race in August. Whilst it would be a shame to miss the festivities, for British boats that are pressed for time and have already completed the relevant safety checks for the RORC Cowes – Dinard race, there is a possibility to arrive in Cherbourg just before the start of the offshore race, which makes the entire race including delivery trips possible with no more than a week away from the office. High speed ferry crossings from Cherbourg to Portsmouth with a total journey time of 3hrs make logistics easy for English crews who leave their boat in Cherbourg for a week after the Cowes-Dinard race. The French are accustomed to having things their own way when it comes to offshore sailing, particularly when shorthanded, however in the 2020 edition of the Drheam-Cup this wasn’t really the case. The event saw the first major victory for Sam Goodchild in the Figaro 3 class, whilst the IRC two- handed podium was an entirely foreign affair comprising Expresso (a JPK 1030 representing Belgium) as well as Gentoo and Leyton, two
Above: the British solo sailor Sam Goodchild won the Beneteau
Figaro 3 class in the 2020 edition. Right: after the mass
start and first turning mark off Weymouth the fleet splits into three. The Ultimes sail 1,500 miles via the Isle of Man, Fastnet Rock and Bilbao while Imocas, Ocean 50s and Class 40s sail a 1,000 mile course via the Fastnet and the mouth of the Gironde. All other
entrants turn south at Wolf Rock and sail 600 miles
Sunfast 3300s from the UK. In 2018 the Brits also had reason to cheer as Sam Davies won her first ever solo race in the Imoca class. Whilst it might put a French victory at risk, the organisers would certainly be happy if these exploits tempt more
international entries to join the 2022 edition.
For more information about the event and how to enter visit
https://en.drheam-cup.com/ Fireworks, fruit-de-mer and champagne sailing awaits!
SEAHORSE 65
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