The Meningitis Research Foundation Challenge crew competed on Flair IV over the Bank Holiday weekend in the RORC Cervantes Trophy race from Cowes to Le Havre. This 160 mile channel race was both the first race for the crew, and the first step in clocking up the required mileage for us to qualify for the Fastnet Race in August.

Our start time on Saturday 3rd May was at 0810, and with a SW 4-5 we started on the Squadron line with the spinnaker up and got up to speed very quickly. After some good trimming work by the crew we rounded No Mans Land fort in second place about a minute behind the leader. We stayed to the East and stayed mostly between the yachts that went to the far East and those that went to the far West. After about two hours of sailing we went through to leeward of the lead boat.

The crossing was eventful with the wind dying slightly and going from heavy number one which we set at the Forts to light number one which we kept up till the finish. As we got to about thirty miles of Le Havre the wind started heading us, and we eventually had to put in a tack to take advantage of the last three hours of West going tide. Sailing in the dark we did not really know how well we were doing, although we did notice an X362 close to us which we know we had to leave well behind. At one point Thunder, a class one boat, over-took us, which was quite a surprise as it should have been a long way ahead!

The wind filled in nicely again and Flair started doing some good speeds again in a nice force 3-4. We crossed the finish line at 0030 on Sunday morning, not knowing where we had come. After going ashore we eventually hit the sack at about three in the morning to a big surprise. The results showed we where first boat home in our class, IRC 2, we came second on corrected by four minutes forty four seconds out of a class of thirty seven. We also finished tenth overall out of eighty seven starters.

We stayed for prize giving then left on the return trip after lunch about 1430 on Sunday and got back to the Hamble about 0630 on Monday morning. The next qualifier race is Myth of Malham at end of May.

Everyone was over the moon with result and for a team that had sailed together only once previously during a training day they all worked really hard together and well as a team, which what sailing is all about. After an encouraging race, hopes are high of doing well in the Fastnet in August.

We shall keep you in touch with our progress!

Julian