Royal Escape Race organisers planning a better than ever event in 2014

The greatest offshore yacht race on the South Coast outside of the Solent

Following the tough decision to cancel the 2013 event due to weather concerns, the Royal Escape Race organisers are planning a better than ever event in 2014. Hoping to continue the recent trend in increased participation, there is a target for at least 100 yachts to be on the start line off the Brighton piers on Friday 23 May 2014.

Race Chairman, Steve Vyse says "It was a huge disappointment canceling the 2013 race so we are really excited about 2014. Plans for new features and prizes are already well underway and it was important to get the NOR out as early as we possibly could, to give skippers something worthwhile to aim for next season."

The Notice of Race has already been published and the website www.royalescaperace.co.uk is open for race registrations, offering a healthy early bird discount to those already planning their racing and cruising calendar.

This will be the 37th time the Royal Escape has taken an eclectic mix of hard core racers and more relaxed cruisers of all abilities across to Fécamp from Brighton, sailing a 67 nautical mile course that is deceptively tricky. Testament to the difficulty in getting everything just right, the race record of 7 hours, 34 minutes and 22 seconds has remained unbeaten since being set by John Davis with Barracuda of Tarrant in 1977 (and John remains involved as a major sponsor through his company BD Foods).

Boats are attracted from all along the south coast as well as a sizable fleet coming over from France, all enjoying discounted mooring at Premier Brighton Marina before the event and a thorough race briefing at the organising Sussex Yacht Club just up the road in Shoreham (to which a shuttle bus is run). SYC is also expecting a good sized short and single handed fleet, including a contingent from the Solo Offshore Racing Club.

The race has a historic backdrop, having been founded to celebrate the escape to French exile in 1651 of King Charles II, hidden aboard a grubby little coaster named Surprise. The skipper back then was a local Brighton man called Nicholas Tattersell and thirteen years later, after the death of Cromwell and when Charles II had returned to claim his throne, Tattersell claimed his own reward for saving the King with riches enough to buy a large tavern in Brighton that remains to this day.

The major beneficiary of the Royal Escape is the RYA founded charity 'Sussex Sailability' that gets handicapped people out on the water; the effect that the race entry fees have on those that can swop a wheelchair for the helm of a specially designed sailing dinghy is remarkable. Year in, year out, the Sailability volunteers do all they can to make the dream of going sailing a reality for people who otherwise would never get the chance, and they rely on the Royal Escape Race to carry on with their amazing work.

http://www.royalescaperace.co.uk