Editorial Andrew Hurst Two sides, one coin
Goodness gracious me. It looks like the total Fastnet entry will approach or even break the 450 mark for the first time. The vast majority of entries are in the IRC divisions, including all of the Admiral’s Cup yachts and another humongous two-handed division. And, prompted by the overdue relaunch of the Admiral’s Cup,
this year’s IRC fleet includes a substantial number of custom-built or carefully modified IRC racers. How good is that? Among these is the small boat in the formidable Hong Kong
Admiral’s Cup team, the 42ft Beau Ideal. Karl Kwok’s pretty new Botín design (Issue 544) was launched just before the UK IRC Nationals then won the first three races on the bounce. In the larger AC class, dominated by IRC-optimised TP52s, one race at the same regatta saw the first five finish within six seconds, the top three within one second! In IRC things are hotting up. But there is no guarantee that a custom boat will win the Fastnet.
French boats won three of the last four editions, all but one very well-sorted production designs. French designs of course. Offshore racing has never been in better health. In an increasingly
anodyne world where average smartphone use by secondary school pupils in the UK now stands at five hours a day – Generation ZZ perhaps – an offshore race offers an experience few activities can match, especially factoring in improving accessibility. With numerous training and other organisations encouraging non-sailors toexplore their real-life capabilities, in a competitive environment, many ‘new- comer sailors’ will cross the Fastnet finish with a whole new feeling of accomplishment. Some of the new blood will gradually filter through and deliver the race-winners of the future. Sailboat racing is dividing into two, more so than ever. Ocean
racing, which is inexorably on the rise, and inshore competition which, extraordinarily, is being led by some superb modern one- designs… plus the IRC Maxi class! Forty Maxis are competing on the 2025 European circuit – compare that with the 10 or so that competed in the so-called heyday of the IOR Maxi class. Keelboats are getting faster, the growth in offshore racing due
in large part to the modern racing yacht being much faster than its IOR/IMS predecessor. The sailing is much more fun – try getting a former Grand Prix IOR50 on the plane – and of course the tra- ditional longer races are often completed in half the time than was once the case. No wonder more people want to sail these boats. Even before the first race the 2025 Admiral’s Cup is a huge
success. Fifteen international teams – smashing the consensus. I expected a few more. It’s too easy to forget the international
draw of the Fastnet Race and the historic attraction of racing at a high level amid the vagaries of Solent tides. And Cowes… little old Cowes, a name that means far more overseas than it does at home. A number of other competitive owners around the world also
wanted to be in Cowes but were thwarted by logistics. Now they have two more years to get organised. Admiral’s Cup aside, serious yacht racing is now two different sports, as mentioned. The Admiral’s Cup is unusual in embracing
Before Giancarlo Pedote and his wickedly fast Musa40 Alla Grande Pirelli, the Class40 had been dominated by Crédit Mutuel skipper Ian Lipinski (left) – other than when VG runner up Yoann Richomme dropped by to win back-to-back Route du Rhums. Lipinski now has a new David Raison scow and it took no time at all before he was back where he belongs
both at a high level. The other classic 600-milers continue to draw plenty of international entries. This time I do not believe I am getting ahead of myself by suggesting that, as with the Caribbean 600, organisers of other offshore classics flirt with the idea of tacking on an inshore series. Maybe a prize for the combined scores. The Admiral’s Cup spent years in a dusty cabinet… The Sardinia
Cup and Onion Patch trophies must be down there somewhere. Finally, this is all happening for one reason: the popular accep-
tance of an international rating system that encourages the building of fast exciting boats that a generation of sailors delight in – yet still shares the spoils with well-sailed dual-purpose production designs. A simple system, not so far from a box rule once IRC boats coalesce around certain sizes. So well done to all those who nurture it so well.
The same sport A few words about this month’s Seahorse Sailor of the Month… Jazz Turner probably only has months to live. She is 26 and has been in a wheelchair since she was 19. In December she and her family took the decision to stop the invasive treatments that were prolonging her life. She is presently attempting to become the first disabled woman to sail solo and unassisted round the British Isles non-stop, and in the process raise at least £30,000 for a project she herself started – Newhaven & Seaford Sailability. Sailing has also given Turner a family. A broken home and an
abusive childhood saw her farmed out to various relatives and foster figures before Chris Turner, a sailing instructor at Newhaven, and his GP wife Carolyn gave her a home, then formally adopted her. ‘Sailing gives me the freedom to be me,’ says Jazz. ‘I don’t need
anybody else when I am in a boat. As my disability has increased it’s only on the water that I have felt real independence.’ From reader Chris Edmunds: ‘Jazz is one of the most remarkably
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beautiful and exceptional human beings that I have encountered. Not just because of the physical issues that she has dealt with in such incredible fashion, which is remarkable enough, but because of her phenomenal compassion and tireless work for others despite her own challenging circumstances, to put it mildly. I cannot tell you how much of an impact she has made on myself and my family just by being her. She is a once in a lifetime person who embodies the essence of all that is best about the human spirit. And for that she deserves such wider recognition.’
LUCKY BOYS You’re not a sailing boat, you take me for a piece of sh*t. We are
It won’t go [turn], it
They have turned off their nav lights
heads smashed in – Jourdren
won’t go – Thomas Jourdren aboard Class40 191
and AIS!!! – Jourdren … and then we got our
ADVICE This is a process and we are not focused
holding course – First mate aboard container ship Ital Bonny
BACK TO BASICS I will gladly offer my time and experience to help bring PHRF back to
San Diego – Scot Tempesta has had it with complex alternatives
Did I just say that?!?! – Tempesta
REMEMBER WELL Operation Hope Not for Churchill’s funeral first
ran to 450 pages – Lord Mountbatten There followed 116
supplements – Mountbatten Why so many? Churchill kept living and the
pallbearers kept dying – Mountbatten
on results – Taylor Canfield, SailGP USA So when will you focus on results and stop wasting time and
money!! – Former fan Ross Bennett
CHAMPION Next time I’ll bring
some tissues – Max Verstappen is not impressed by George Russell’s complaints about his driving
SEAHORSE 11
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