It may have been less than a month since the last boat finished the inaugural RORC Transatlantic Race but the Royal Ocean Racing Club is delighted to already be welcoming the first entrants into the second edition, starting Saturday 28th November 2015.

Hot off the blocks at midday on Monday 12th January was Philip Ram’s 92ft maxi monohull, Bristolian, the first entrant into the race. The Frers design, skippered by John Burnie, is no stranger to RORC races having competed in the 2014 RORC Caribbean 600 and their last long offshore race was the memorably turbulent 2014 Rolex Middle Sea Race.

With a host of yachts looking to return to the Caribbean after a busy season in UK and Mediterranean waters, including those who have taken part in the Atlantic Ocean Racing Series, the RORC Transatlantic Race is the ideal feeder to warmer climes for the winter.

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Historians argue as to whether the Vikings, an Irish Monk or others were the first to cross the Atlantic. Since the five-week voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492, crossing the Atlantic, quickly and safely, from Europe has always been an important part of seafaring history. The Royal Ocean Racing Club's RORC Caribbean 600 is now in its seventh year and the RORC decided that a dedicated feeder race for the Caribbean's premier offshore event was required.

The inaugural RORC Transatlantic Race, in association with the International Maxi Association (IMA), started on Sunday 30 November from Puerto Calero, Lanzarote, Canary Islands bound for Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Grenada, West Indies, 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. An international fleet of yachts took part with crew from at least 12 different countries racing magnificent Maxis crewed by top professional sailors, as well as production yachts crewed by friends and family.

For all the yachts the adventure started long before the start line. It takes months, sometimes years, for the dream of racing across the Atlantic to become a reality and many of the yachts sailed thousands of miles just to make Lanzarote. Derek Hatfield's Spirit of Adventure started their journey from the frozen shoreline of Novia Scotia 2,800 miles away, crossing the Atlantic to join the race. Marc Lepesqueux racing Class40 Sensation Class 40 should not have been in the race at all. After keel failure in the Route du Rhum, Marc sailed Sensation to Lanzarote and successfully completed the race with a novice crew from France. Yves and Isabelle Haudiquet racing Pogo 40, Bingo, was the only husband and wife team in the race completing their second Atlantic crossing together. Every team have their story from the race and their feelings and emotions have been captured in the race blog.

The RORC Transatlantic Race Prizegiving was held at Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina. Guest of honour was the Honourable Yolanda Bain-Horsford, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation of Grenada. Newly elected RORC Commodore Michael Boyd opened proceeding by thanking the Government of Grenada, Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, Puerto Calero Marina and Westerhall Rums for their generous support. Jeremy Pilkington's Baltic 78, Lupa of London, was announced as the winner of the RORC Transatlantic Race Trophy with the best elapsed time under IRC.

RORC Transatlantic Race Update 19^th December

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Denis Villotte's French JNP 12, Sérénade, crossed the finish line of the 2014 RORC Transatlantic Race, off Quarantine Point, Grenada in the early hours of Friday 19^th December with an elapsed time of 18 days, 20 hours, 01 minutes and 55 seconds. The three-man team on Sérénade was the final yacht to complete the inaugural race.

Having spent over 18 days at sea, the crew were understandably tired but Denis Villotte, Alain Houchard and Pit Porta were smiling from ear to ear in Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina. A large welcoming party had gathered to greet them.