A dozen EAORA boats ready to start the RORC Centenary Fastnet Race 2025
by Paul Wood 25 Jul 20:35 BST
26 July 2025
Ragazza set for the Rolex Fastnet Race © Jan Gabriel
There was offshore racing on the East Coast long before the East Anglian Offshore Racing Association was formed in 1949. Crouch YC's Houghton Cup dates back to 1911. West Mersea YC's Sunk Race was first sailed in 1935.
The Buckley Goblets, Cannonball Trophy, Pattinson Cup and Thames Estuary Shield are also EAORA races rooted in history with prestigious trophies. The first RORC North Sea race took place in 1946.
In 1949 a team of enthusiastic racers representing East Coast clubs thought it was a good idea to pool all the offshore races, and EAORA was formed - still going 76 years later.
Numbers of boats racing have generally declined over the last few years, but every two years EAORA is supported by RORC with two Fastnet qualifier races. The North Sea Race in May and the East Coast Race in July this year helped 12 EAORA yachts claim a place in this year's Fastnet.
They are:
- Oystercatcher XXXV, Carkeek CF520, Richard Matthews, West Mersea YC. Richard is competing in his 26th Fastnet race.
- 40 Love, First 40, East Anglian Sailing School, Haven Ports YC
- Sweet Caroline, Grand Soleil 46.3, William Sunnucks, HPYC
- Sunstone, S and S 40 Custom, Will & Jenny Taylor-Jones, Royal Harwich YC
- Magic Moments, Sigma 33, Andrew Etherington & Alex Thomas, HPYC
- Mercury, Club Swan 42, Ross Eldred, Medway YC
- Warrior, A 40, Simon Farren, Colne YC
- Spirit, Sigma 38, Paul Scott, HPYC
- Ragazza (IV), Mills 37, Jan Gabriel & Bert De Bie, Royal North Sea YC, Belgium
- Anne Bonny, Swan 46 Sigrid Huyghe, RNSYC, Belgium
- Tramp of Airlie, S and S 45 Custom, Chris & Karen Hames, Humber Cruising Association
- Arcadia of Harwich, Arcona 400, Mark & Penny Gillett, RHYC
EAORA wishes them all fair winds - and an enjoyable and successful race.