Mike Birch and Etienne Giroire in Twostar and Quebec-Saint-Malo races

by Herve Morin on 11 Jul 2011 Mike Birch and Etienne Giroire will participate in the next TWO STAR, the two handed English trans-atlantic race, followed by the Quebec-Saint-Malo race.

The start of the Two Star is on the third of June 2012, in Plymouth UK, to end in Newport RI / USA. The boat will then be delivered in Quebec City, QC / Canada for the start of fully crewed race QUuebec-Saint-Malo, the 22nd of July 2012.

The Royal Western Yacht club (RWYC) organises the single handed trans-atlantic race (OSTAR) since 1960. In 1981 the RWYC created the Two Star, same course, but two-handed. This 2012 edition is open to boats between 27 and 60 feet. This international race is traditionally followed by the Quebec-Saint-Malo transat. Since 1984, every four years, this race is a classic, fully crewed, down the Saint Lawrence River, It is the only West - Est trans-atlantic
race open to large multihulls.

The crew is considering participation onboard of Eure-&-Loir, 60 feet trimaran belonging to Francis Joyon and is now looking for financial and material support.

Together, Mike and Etienne will be the oldest crew to have ever run an oceanic race. And they will run for victory!

Mike Birch
Canadian navigator, born on November 1st 1931. Mike is known for his outstanding win in the first Route du Rhum in 1978 on his 38' trimaran, Olympus Photo. This victory marks the beginning of the domination of modern offshore multihull racing.
1978-2002 : he participated in every Route du Rhum
1985: Victory in the Monaco-New York aboard Formule Tag Heuer
1989: Victory in the Lorient-Saint-Barth-Lorient aboard Fujicolor.
1991 and 1992: World champion International Sailing federation (ISAF)

Etienne Giroire
French American navigator born on September 22nd 1954. He sails his first trans-atlantic in the 70’s, and after running large sailing yachts in the US, joins Bruno Peyron in 1984 for Quebec-Saint-Malo. Then, he joins Mike’s
crew onboard of Formule Tag Heuer, the first large multihull made of composite materials.
1985: starts his own company, ATN incorporated, producing sailing accessories, and moves to Florida.
1992: He participates in the Europe1 STAR, the English OSTAR, and wins his class, establishing a record that remains unbroken today.
2006: Victory in the Round Britain & Ireland race (RBIR)
2010: During the 2010 Route du Rhum, Etienne capsizes and loses his trimaran ATNinc.com.