Sailor remembered at Royal Escape Prize Giving
by Lucy Brooks 23 Jul 2023 16:10 BST
Royal Escape Race © Sussex Yacht Club
A sailor who died during the Royal Escape Race has been remembered at a ceremony held by the Sussex Yacht Club (SYC) in Shoreham.
The official prize-giving ceremony, which recognised the efforts of the competitors who took part in the 2023 race, was used to pay tribute to the fallen sailor, whilst thanks was given to all those who helped with the incident, which took place in French waters, north of Fecamp.
The Royal Escape Race took place from Brighton to the Normandy port of Fécamp in May. Launched in 1977 to mark the Queen's silver jubilee, the annual yacht race is now amongst the oldest offshore sailing races in the country. This year's race, organised by the Sussex Yacht Club, with the support of Société des Régates Fécamp (SRF), followed a 3-year hiatus as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 2023 race saw the introduction of a race tracker for the first time, which allowed families, friends and supporters to track the 33 yachts as they progressed through the race, and an all-time record was set, with the Tyler family completing the crossing in 7 hours 10 minutes and 57 seconds.
Derek Copeman, Commodore Sussex Yacht Club, said: "We'd like to congratulate all of this year's sailors - not only did they compete under difficult conditions, but they also showed a true commitment to the community spirit that we are all so proud of.
"In awarding this year's competitors, the award ceremony was a way for us to pay our respects to the fallen sailor, whose family and friends remain very much in our thoughts and prayers. It provided a moment of reflection for us all and we, of course, recognised the French rescue services, the UK Coastguard, and the crew of the fishing vessel that assisted in this tragic incident."
"We'd like to thank everyone who joined us for the event and we must also pay thanks to the businesses - many of whom are local - who have supported the race in many ways, by providing funds, prizes and other items."
The supporters of the 2023 Royal Escape Race included 360o Brewing Company, High Weald Wines, the Ramus Family, James Ballan Associates, Old Ship Hotel, Musto, Ancasta (Brighton), Spinlock and YB Tracking.
Full results of this year's race can be found on The Sussex Yacht Club's website.