Runners & Riders for This Weekend's IRC UK National Championships

17th June 2021

The RORC IRC fleet under spinnakers Credit: Paul Wyeth

The first edition of the RORC IRC National Championship was held in 1999 and for over 20 years a huge variety of yachts have enjoyed success winning the right to be named national champions.

For the 2021 regatta, over 40 teams will be competing for three days of thrilling racing in the Solent. Up to eight races will be fiercely contested with the fleet split into three IRC Classes.

The overall winner will be awarded the RORC IRC National Championship Trophy and together with IRC Class winners, they will celebrate at the RORC Clubhouse in Cowes.

Niklas Zennström’s FAST40+ Rán

IRC One

Niklas Zennström’s FAST40+ Rán, will be defending their class win in 2020, Zennström’s team also won the class with TP52 Rán in 2008 and 2009. Peter Morton will be racing his GP42 Jean Genie. Morton has helmed three boats to class victory of the years: IC45 Yes (2001), Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble (2014) and FAST40+ Girls on Film (2019). IRC One will also feature the first encounter between two IC37s in the Solent with Ian Atkins’ Icy and Bertie Bicket’s Fargo going toe-to-toe.

Stuart Sawyer’s J/122 Black Dog, overall winner in 2019 Photo: Paul Wyeth

IRC Two

Five Cape31s are expected for the IRC Championship, the first time that the Mark Mills designed pocket rockets have been racing at the event. Stuart Sawyer’s J/122 Black Dog, overall winner in 2019, will be racing with his West Country team. A past winner under new ownership is the Mills 39 Zero II, skippered by James Gair.

IRC Three

The 2020 overall IRC National Champion is back to defend the title. Howell and Newell’s A35 Arcus posted a perfect scoreline to win the championship. Adam Gosling’s JPK 1080 Yes! is the scratch boat for the class. Statistically, Gosling is the most successful skipper in the history of the event, having won class four times in various boats, all called Yes! (2009, 2011, 2016, 2017). In 2016, Adam Gosling’s Yes! had the unusual distinction of a tie for the overall win with Dunkerque - Les Dunes de Flandre. Giovanni Belgrano’s one-off classic Whooper will also be racing this year, hoping to emulate their overall win in 2017.

Giovanni Belgrano’s one-off classic Whooper Photo: Paul Wyeth

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About The Author

Louay Habib

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Louay Habib is a Maritime Journalist & Broadcaster based in Hamble, United Kingdom

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