Yachts and Yachting Online

YANDY.CO.UK mobile sailing news

Solo Racing Festival 2010 sponsored by bluQube

by Jerry Freeman
6 March 2010

Hannah White, Master of Ceremonies, during the Solo Racing Festival

Jan-Kees Lampe, winner of Ostar 2009, during the Solo Racing Festival

Mike Golding opened the Solo Racing Festival with an inspirational talk on the trials and rewards of his long and successful solo racing career, a timely warning on the down side of leading the Vendee Globe was heeded by most of those present! Hannah White, Ostar 2009, was outstanding as Master of Ceremonies for the day and kept the presentations to time with a smile and big stick.

Delegates enjoyed being part of a gathering of many of the top names in solo racing from the various classes, all experiencing a very rare opportunity to meet and socialise in a non-competitive setting. Those present were privileged to gain an insight into the motivations and fears of this rare breed and perhaps the most determined in the audience will aspire to follow in their wakes in the future.

The presentations covered every major solo-racing event in the calendar in a brisk programme; delegates re-lived the drama and excitement of Ostar, Mini Transat, Jester, Figaro, Global Ocean Race, La Route du Rhum and Vendee Globe.

Technical papers were delivered on weather routing by Mike Broughton of WinningWind.com, Class 40 by Simon Rogers Yacht Design, and ‘All you will ever need to know about racing an open 60' by Brian Thompson. Delegates had travelled from Norway, Sweden, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Ireland and France to enjoy the excellent facilities at the Solent University Conference Centre in Southampton. The fourth edition of the Solo Racing Festival was organised by Solo Offshore Racing Club.

Race Director Peter Olden took the opportunity to outline the SORC race programme for 2010, with 14 races designed to test the established skippers and attract those wishing to try solo racing in home waters. Racing around the Isle of Wight solo, RIOW, is the first event on Saturday April 24th and details can be found on line at www.offshoresolo.com

Our thanks must go to all the excellent speakers, many of who travelled long distances to appear at the festival, to the SORC team for their hard work and enthusiasm and to our sponsor bluQube for their generous support.

Related Articles:

SORC Channel Week - 17 Aug 2010
The only single-handed race week in British offshore waters was organised by Solo Offshore Racing Club and attracted a record entry for this popular format.
Katie Miller’s blog from SORC Channel Week - 10 Aug 2010
It seems an age since I competed solo on a reasonably long distance race on board bluQube, and I was beginning to wonder if I could remember how?!
Solo Offshore Racing Club’s Channel Week - Preview - 29 Jul 2010
The 22 competitors taking part in the 2010 edition of Solo Offshore Racing Club’s Channel Week, are due to set to sail from Lymington for Alderney early on Saturday 31st July for the first leg of the six stage race over the following seven days.
Solo Offshore Racing Club Coastal Series - Weymouth Races - 13 Jul 2010
As fourteen boats made their way to Royal Thames on Friday evening for the Channel Week qualifier from the Solent to Weymouth sailed primarily in the hours of darkness, the decisions were; Do I reef? Do I put up a No 3 jib?
Solo Offshore Racing Club Coastal Series Poole and Back Race - 10 May 2010
Irish skippers Paddy Cronin sailing Rod Knowles’s J105 Juliette and Peter Olden on his Archambault A35 Solan Goose of Hamble won the out and return races respectively.