This year’s Cowes Dinard St Malo Race results were highly unusual, as in a light airs race, three classic yachts claimed the top three results overall.
Henri Vergnoux’s 1966 John Illingworth designed 33ft sloop Arabel, scored the best corrected time under IRC, winning the impressive King Edward VII Cup, dating back to 1906.
Classic Swan 38 Xara skippered by Jonathan Rolls was second and Stuart Greenfield’s 1968 S&S 34 Morning After was third.
“This is not the first time Arabel has won the trophy, but it is definitely the first time for me!” smiled Arabel’s skipper Henri Vergnoux, who is from Saint-Cast-le-Guildo just west of St Malo. “Arabel won the race in 1975 when she was raced by Francis Bourgeois.”
Henri Vergnoux purchased Arabel in 2003 and the crew are all friends and amateur sailors. Nicolas Lerolle is the most experienced of us, and his son Antoine is the youngest at 17. This is the first time Antoine has even raced across The Channel!
Winning the King Edward VII Cup is a huge achievement for any offshore racing team, and the 2022 Cowes Dinard St Malo Race attracted 105 teams from all over Europe.
Racing in a huge variety of boats including the latest offshore performance designs, right through to classic yachts of the 1960s, the race to the walled-port of St Malo is always one of the highlights of the RORC season.
Eric de Turckheim’s NMYD54 Teasing Machine took Line Honours for the race winning the Sandison Memorial Salver and retained the Lloyds of London Salver, for winning IRC Zero for a second year. Teasing Machine now leads IRC Zero for the RORC Season’s Points Championship.
Runner up to Teasing Machine in IRC Zero was Henry Bateson’s Iceni 39 Andrasta, skippered by celebrated umpire and coach Bill Edgerton.
Mark Emerson’s A13 Phosphorus II was third in IRC Zero for the race and is also third in class for the RORC Season’s Points Championship.
IRC Two-Handed
45 teams competed in IRC Two-Handed, representing close to half of the fleet and the oldest boat in the class came out on top.
Stuart Greenfield’s S&S 34 Morning After, sailed by Stuart Greenfield and Louise Clayton, which was launched in 1968 was the winner of the Slingshot Trophy for IRC Two-Handed and third overall.
Regis Vian & Fabien Delahaye’s JPK 1010 Numerobis was second with Tim Goodhew & Kelvin Matthews racing Sun Fast 3200 Cora a very close third.
IRC One
Francois Lognone’s MC34 Nutmeg Solidaire En Peloton, a two time winner of the King Edward VII Trophy, was the class winner this year.
IRC Two
Paul Archer’s JPK 1080 Play corrected out to win IRC Two and the Noryema Trophy.
IRC Three
Regis Vian & Fabien Delahaye’s JPK 1010 Numerobis scored a narrow victory in IRC Three to win the Yacht Club de Dinard Trophy.
IRC Four
Henri Vergnoux’s Arabel was the winner of the IR Trophy,
CLASS40
In a close battle for the Class40 podium, Marc Lepesqueux’s Sensation Class40 Extreme, raced by Antoine Jomier, was the winner by four minutes from Cédric Chateau’s SOGESTRAN – SEAFRIGO.
