Canada lodges challenge for 2014 Commodores’ Cup

Hoping to bridge an almost 30 year gap in Canadian Offshore racing, Sail Canada has announced its intention to lodge a challenge for the 2014 Commodores’ Cup by forming a three boat team of Canadian sailors.

“The likely make up of the team will draw on sailors from right across the country, with serious interest being expressed by Halifax, Toronto and Vancouver sailors,” confirms Paddy Boyd, Executive Director/Directeur Général, Sail Canada/Voile Canada.

“Canada’s last foray into offshore team racing was at the 1985 Admiral’s Cup, where the three boat team of Pachena, Amazing Grace and Impetus crossed the Atlantic to race against 17 other countries. Since then, offshore team racing and Canadian involvement in such events has waned, but recently, there has been an upsurge of interest. IRC, the rating system used in the Commodores’ Cup has a strong following in Lake Ontario and there are plenty of competitive IRC rated boats available for charter on the South Coast of England, reducing the cost to compete quite considerably,” continues Boyd.

Royal Ocean Racing Club CEO, Eddie Warden Owen comments: “The RORC is delighted to receive a challenge from Sail Canada for the Brewin Dolphin Commodores’ Cup. The event, which is a mixture of inshore and offshore races sailed in the Solent and English Channel is a vigorously protected corinthian regatta where the number of professionals is severely restricted. The team will receive a warm welcome and will be given every assistance to create a competitive team.”

The Commodores’ Cup 2014, based in Cowes, Isle of Wight will start on Saturday 19th July 2014 and follow a similar format to previous years. A mixture of inshore races in the Solent, an offshore race in the English Channel and a race around the Isle of Wight will finish with a final race and prize-giving on Saturday 26th July 2014.

The Commodores’ Cup started in 1992 and is an international three-boat team event using the IRC Rating system and is open to boats rated between 1.020 and 1.230, with only one boat rated above 1.150. It is an event popular with teams coming from all corners of the world and a number of countries having trials to select their respective participants.

Trish Jenkins reporting

Event website: http://commodorescup.rorc.org/

– The Brewin Dolphin Commodores’ Cup 2014, organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club is one of the most prestigious events on the international yachting calendar.
– Culminating in a tough mix of inshore and offshore racing across a tense seven-day racing programme on the testing waters of the Solent, national teams with three boats each, will compete for the Commodores’ Cup.
– The event will be held between Saturday 19 and Saturday 26 July 2014 at Cowes, Isle of Wight, England.
– The event is held within UK water biennially.
– The Brewin Dolphin Commodores’ Cup 2014 is an international offshore regatta for national teams racing under the IRC (Endorsed) rating rule (but not under team racing rules).
– Challenges should be lodged by 16 June, 2014.
– RYA Red GBR hold the prestigious Commodores’ Cup after their 2013 victory.
– Seven teams contested the last Brewin Dolphin Commodores’ Cup in 2012: Four British teams were up against strong competition from France, Hong Kong and Benelux, the latter comprising two boats from the Netherlands and a third from Belgium.