Please select your home edition
Edition
Sea Sure 2025

British youth excel in first leg of the IRC European Double Handed Championship

by Rupert Holmes 8 Jul 2024 21:26 AEST
Sun Fast 3300 Zephyr - IRC European Double Handed Championship © Paul Wyeth / RORC

Britons Josh Dawson and Ollie Hill, aged 25 and 23 respectively, have won the first leg of the Double-Handed IRC European Championship, taking both line honours and victory after IRC time correction, sailing Simon Toms' Sun Fast 3300 Zephyr in the RORC Cowes Dinard St Malo Race.

Second was Ian Hoddle's Game On and third was Zeb Fellows and Willow Brand with Rock Lobster III.

"A big thanks to Simon for letting Ollie and I take the boat because unfortunately he couldn't make this weekend," says Dawson. "It's awesome for him to let us borrow the boat - he wanted us to push it quite hard, so that's what we did."

Dawson and Hill have competed together since sailing Optimists. They are part of a growing contingent of young sailors who regularly compete in RORC events, across both the double handed and fully crewed fleets. This year around 100 sailors in the Cowes Dinard St Malo Race were under 25, with many of them sailing double handed.

This also proved to be a tough edition of the classic150 mile race, with a full beat of almost 100 miles from the start to the south west corner of Guernsey, with mean winds of around 25 knots for much of the race and significantly stronger gusts, especially in the earlier stages. By contrast, in the final 50 miles to the finish a wind shift to the north of west created fast power reaching conditions with the leaders consistently achieved fast double digit boat speed.

Another young competitor, Ellie Driver racing with her father Jim on Chilli Pepper, was second across the line. This was the first offshore race for a new Figaro 3 campaign. However the Figaro's much higher IRC rating meant she finished further down the standings after IRC time correction.

Next to finish was another Sun Fast 3300, Ian Hoddle's Game On, racing with Ollie Wyatt, which crossed the line less than 10 minutes behind Zephyr, after a closely fought race. "Part of the reason we both did well is because we both pushed each other the whole way around," says Zephyr's Dawson. "We were never more than a mile away from Game On!

"It was a bit of a boat speed race really - there weren't many opportunities to make big tactical decisions and split from the fleet. So having another boat right next to you the whole time was definitely pushing us along and making us constantly focus on boat speed."

Their impressive performances also saw Zephyr and Game On take the top two places in IRC Two, ahead of fully crewed boats in the Cowes Dinard St Malo Race.

Young sailors Zeb Fellows (17) and Willow Bland (26), sailing Nick Angel's Sun Fast 3300 Rock Lobster lll, were third in IRC Two Handed and fourth on the water. Rock Lobster, which is slightly lower rated than the other 3300s, also won IRC 3 overall.

What advice would Zephyr's Josh Dawson give to young sailors who would like to follow in their footsteps? "You've just got to be really keen, be a good all-rounder and be willing to get stuck in," says Josh. "There are loads of great owners out there who are offering lots of opportunities for young sailors and the new RORC Griffin programme obviously helps." The RORC Griffin Youth Programme is a subsidised initiative paid for by RORC Members and benefactors. It was expanded in 2024 to give a squad of 20 sailors, chosen from 300 applicants, top level coaching followed by the use of Sun Fast 30s to compete in three RORC offshore races in the first half of this season.

"There's obviously been a big increase in the number of youth participants in offshore sailing over the last couple years," Dawson continues. "I think that is also down to owners recognising that kids coming out of youth sailing have got a lot of good skills that can be transferred into offshore sailing. It's awesome."

What particularly appeals to Dawson about double handed racing? "There are more and more youth sailors involved in the double handed fleet, which is great," he says. "For me the attraction is the fact that you get to do everything on the boat. I think that appeals to a lot of people."

The 600 mile Drheam Cup, which starts on July 15, will form the second leg of the Double-Handed IRC European Championship. The course will take competitors from Cherbourg, across the English Channel to Portland Bill and Wolf Rock near Lands' End, before heading south to La Trinité in Southern Brittany.

The Cowes Dinard St Malo Race is the 11th race of the RORC Season's Points Championship, the world's largest offshore racing series.

Results Race One - Double Handed IRC European Championship

For more information about the Royal Ocean Racing Club: www.rorc.org

Related Articles

Admiral's Cup 2025 | Welcome from Cowes
Bow Caddy Media provide an introduction and interview with Shane Guanaria from Zen Ahead of the first race, Crosbie Lorimer provides an introduction and interviews Shane Guanaria from Zen Posted today at 11:12 pm
J/99s the in Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race
There will be a race within a race taking place in the 63 yacht fleet When the fleet of 63 yachts set off in the 2025 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast (NSGCYR) on 26 July, there will be a race within a race taking place. Posted today at 6:53 am
Middle Sea Race fleet continues to build
Global fleet is equally diverse in terms of experience, with debutants and serial attendees The 2025 Rolex Middle Sea Race is scheduled to start on Saturday, 18 October. Yachts ranging in size from 9.75 to 22 metres (32 to 72 feet) have entered so far representing 14 nations, including Australia, Argentina, China and the United States. Posted on 17 Jul
Admirals' Cup: Predictwind weather supplier
Predictwind champions diversity and empowers Women in Offshore Racing PredictWind, a global leader in marine weather forecasting, is proud to announce its significant involvement in the upcoming Admiral's Cup 2025. Posted on 17 Jul
Meet the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Commentary Team
Olympian Lisa Darmanin and Rolex Sydney Hobart Winner Jack Macartney to lead live broadcast The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) is pleased to confirm Olympian Darmanin and 2022 & 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart winner Macartney as the lead commentators for the live broadcast of the 2025 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race. Posted on 16 Jul
Stride Forward crew prepare for Cowes Week
With on-water training by helmsman and Olympian Stuart Childerley Training crew for a competitive racing event such as Cowes Week is never easy - but even more so when many have not sailed before and almost everyone on board has a life-changing injury. Posted on 16 Jul
RORC Channel Race 2025 Preview
The high-stakes opener of the 2025 Admiral's Cup The 2025 RORC Channel Race is the high-stakes opener of the 2025 Admiral's Cup—and the pressure is on. With double points on the table and no discard allowed, this race could make or break a team's Admiral's Cup campaign. Posted on 16 Jul
The Iconic Admiral's Cup Returns!
Harken UK caught up with the RORC CEO and Admiral's Cup sailors ahead of the event After a long hiatus, this prestigious international yachting regatta makes its grand comeback from 17- 31 July at The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) in Cowes, Isle of Wight. Posted on 15 Jul
Excitement builds for Poole Regatta 2026
Less than 12 months until the European IRC Championship comes to town With less than a year to go, excitement is steadily building for the return of the International Paint Poole Regatta, taking place from 23rd-25th May 2026 over the late May bank holiday weekend. Posted on 15 Jul
A century of human endeavour
The Fastnet Race is regarded as one of offshore sailing's most complete proving grounds For 100 years, the Rolex Fastnet Race has been regarded as one of offshore sailing's most complete proving grounds. It is a place where ambitions and dreams meet harsh reality, where skill, endurance and fortitude are severely tested. Posted on 15 Jul
Hyde Sails 2024 - One DesignCyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTERV-DRY-X