127 boats expected to start from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line for the 230nm, Myth of Malham Race around the Eddystone Lighthouse this weekend.
Yachts taking part in the RORC Myth of Malham Race will start to gather off Cowes Parade from around midday on Saturday 29 May. Start RYS Line 13:00 BST.
The forecast fair weather will make for an impressive spinnaker start off Cowes Parade.
Conditions at the start of the race may suit teams racing light displacement boats, especially those that can clear the tidal gate at Portland Bill.
Among the favourites for Monohull Line Honours in IRC Zero are David Collins’ Botin IRC52 Tala and CM60 Venomous skippered by James Gair.
In IRC One the fastest boats will also challenge to be the first to finish, especially RORC Commodore James Neville’s HH42 Ino XXX and Ed Fishwick’s Farr 42 Redshift.
James Holder’s Dazcat 1295 Slinky Malinki is currently the only team racing for Multihull Line Honours.
For overall victory under IRC for the Myth of Malham Trophy and victory in the six IRC Classes, the form book is wide open, especially as the wind is forecast to increase in speed for the slower boats.
Boats to lookout for:
In IRC One, Ino XXX and Redshift will both be fired up for the race. In 2019, Ed Fishwick’s Redshift was the overall winner.
In IRC Two, the two fastest boats on paper are both JPK 1180s, Tom Kneen’s Sunrise and Ed Bell’s Dawn Treader.
IRC Three has 38 Two-Handed teams taking part in the race. Proven winners include Jangada sailed by Richard Palmer and Jeremy Waitt, and world class sailors Dee Caffari racing with James Harayda on Sun Fast 3300 Gentoo.
IRC Four has 43 entries including several of the ten J/109s in the race. The pick of the crop would be Mike Yates racing JAGO with Eivind Bøymo-Malm and Just So raced by William McGough & Christian Jeffrey.
Stuart Greenfield will be racing his S&S 34 Morning After, Two-Handed with Louise Clayton. Morning After is the sistership to British Prime Minister Ted Heath’s famous Morning Cloud.
Louay Habib
