#HYC - Kieran Jameson’s Howth Yacht Club team aim to tick another one off their offshore ‘bucket list’ this summer as they charter a keelboat for the Giraglia Rolex Cup.

The core group of Jameson, brothers Darren and Michael Wright, Johnny White, Colm Bermingham, navigator Rick DeNeve and Puppeteer regular Frank Dillon will be joined by offshore enthusiast Brian Turvey, Viking co-owner Mark Patterson and Dillon’s sailing partner Ronan Galligan, as well as young guns Sam O’Byrne and Shane Diviney for the Mediterranean’s oldest offshore race.

Usually in the water on their Corby 27 Kodachi, the core team will be taking over the Spanish-owned (but Wicklow designed) DK46 Maserati Hydra for the 65th Giraglia Rolex Cup from 9 June, which comprises three days of inshore races in St Tropez before the 450km offshore sprint to Genoa via the titular French island.

The challenge comes from the unpredictable winds along the route, particularly the Mistral — making this the Mediterranean equivalent of the similarly testing Rolex Fastnet Race.

The HYC website has more on the story HERE — and below you can watch a short film on last year’s Rolex Cup: