30 competitors depart on world's oldest solo racing challenge - OSTAR

by RWYC media on 26 May 2009 More than 30 competitors in OSTAR 2009 departed from Plymouth this afternoon (25th May) at 12.30pm on their 2,800 mile Atlantic crossing to Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Crowds gathered to see H.R.H The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, K.G., K.T start the race from aboard the Trinity House vessel, Galatea. He was joined by yachting favourites Mike Golding, Dee Caffari and Val Howells (competitor in the first OSTAR in 1960), who all support the race which has been hosted by the Royal Western Yacht Club for nearly 50 years.

After months of preparation and anticipation the skippers, ranging in age from 18 years to 68, will now face strong, prevailing winds, an adverse Gulf Stream, hazardous icebergs (south of the Sea of Labrador) and dense fog as they each battle to reach their destination.

With international competitors from Austria, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, the USA and the United Kingdom, the whole world will be watching their progress.

Trackers have been fitted on each boat and their progress can be seen via the OSTAR 2009 race website (www.ostar2009.com). Regular news updates and weather forecasts will also be available. The skippers will be leaving regular blogs on popular website www.blogstar.org.uk.

David Southwood, Race Director of OSTAR 2009, commented: 'It was a great honour to have our Patron H.R.H The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, K.G., K.T starting the race. A huge crowd was out in Plymouth to enjoy the sunshine and show their support for the competitors. The OSTAR is one of the most exciting events in the yachting calendar and the Royal Western Yacht Club has worked hard to maintain its Corinthian roots. We now wish the competitors the best of luck in their crossing and we look forward to greeting them on the other side of the Atlantic.'

The guardship HMS Iron Duke was on station in Plymouth Sound which was packed with spectator boats patrolled by the Plymouth Lifeboat, a fire ship and RIBs from the Royal Navy. A famous classic sailing craft 'Corbeau des Mers' from the Museum de la Resistance came over especially from Brittany (she carried men across the channel in 1940 to join De Gaulle’s Free French Army).

Competitors List

OSTAR 2009

 

COMPETITORS LIST

 

 

No.	SKIPPER	NATIONALITY	BOAT NAME	TYPE
1	Adams, Bob	USA	Perseverance	Open 40
2	Alcorn, Geoff  (Q)	GBR	Wind of Lorne II	Saltram 36
3	Black, Steve	USA	Caribbean	Prima 38
4	Boosman, Bart (Q)	NED	De Franschman	One off 30
5	Bouchacourt, Jacques (Q)	FRA	Okami	Futura 50
6	Bourke, Peter (Q)	USA	Rubicon	Outbound 44
7	Brant, Paul (Q)	GBR	Ninjod	JOD 35
8	Caseneuve, Anne	FRA	Croisières Anne Caseneuve	Class 50 Trimaran
9	Chalandre, Christian (Q)	FRA	Olbia	S & S 34
10	Collins, Michael (Q)	GBR	Flamingo Lady	Westerly 33
11	Craigie, Rob (Q)	GBR	Jbellino	J 122
12	Crowther, Peter (Q)	GBR	Suomi Kudu	Swan 38

 

13	Cumming, Rob	GBR	Egotripp	Tripp 40
14	Falla, John (Q)	GBR	Banjaard	Swan 36
15	Freeman, Jerry (Q)	GBR	QII	One off  35
16	Gelder, Reini (Q)	AUT	Light for the World	Trmaran Crowther 40
17	Hildesley, Pip (Q)	GBR	Cazenove Capital	Oyster 395
18	Hurley, Barry (Q)	IRL	Dinah	JOD 35 (Mod)
19	Koopmans, Dick (Q)	NED	Jager	Koopmans 35
20	Lampe, Jan Kees (Q)	NED	La Promesse	Open 40
21	Magrath, Andrew (Q)	GBR	Roaring Forty	Class 40
22	Mead, Oscar (Q)	GBR	King of shaves	J 105
23	Miller, Katie (Q)	GBR	bluQube	Figaro II
24	Nannini, Marco (Q)	ITA	British Beagle	Sigma 36
25	Petty, Andrew (Q)	GBR	Jemima Nicholas	Intrepid
26	Quaglia, Sandro	FRA	Diavolo Porco	Adventure 35
27	Rottgering, Uwe (Q)	GER	Fanfan!	One Off Greyhound 40
28	Sayer, Will (Q)	GBR	Elmarleen	Sigma 33C
29	Snodgrass, Jonathan (Q)	GBR	Lexia	Sunbird 32
30	Swets, Huib (Q)	NED	Vijaya	De Ridder 40
31	Tortolani, Gianfranco	ITA	Citta di Salerno	Adventure 30 Open
32	Trentini, Luca	ITA	FIBRA	Open 35
33	Westerman, Roberto	ITA	Spinning Wheel	Open 40
34	Wheatley, Mervyn (Q)	GBR	Tamarind	Formosa 42
35	Hannah White (Q)	GBR	Pure Solo	Figaro II
36	Zoccoli, Luca (Q)	ITA	In Direzione Ostinata e Contraria	Open 35

 

 

 

The OSTAR, run exclusively by the Royal Western Yacht Club since its inception in 1960, is the Original Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race. This event, which is the oldest solo ocean race in history and Corinthian in nature, is primarily for amateur sailors and aspiring professionals and follows in the tradition of the original ‘half crown’ bet between Blondie Haslar and Francis Chichester. The OSTAR 2009 will be the thirteenth edition of the race and follows the traditional route from Plymouth to Newport, Rhode Island.

www.ostar2009.com