Thursday 14 October 2010

Tonnerre de Breskens is RORC Yacht of the Year


Tonnerre de Breskens 3. Image copyright Rick Tomlinson/RORC.

by Trish Jenkins

The Royal Ocean Racing Club announced today that Piet Vroon’s Ker 46 Tonnerre de Breskens 3 is the 2010 Yacht of the Year.

Piet has been racing with the RORC for 50 years and during that time has achieved many notable successes including the Rolex Fastnet Race. Now 80 years young, he competed in eight RORC races this season including the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race.

Tonnerre de Breskens 3 takes the Jazz Trophy for the overall winner of the Season’s Points Championships (when all races count); the Trenchemer Cup for winning IRC Zero; the Stradivarius Trophy for the best overseas yacht in IRC and also the Somerset Memorial Trophy for outstanding racing achievement by a yacht owned or sailed by a RORC member as voted for by the Main Committee. It was a spectacular season from a veteran campaigner and great supporter of RORC racing.

Niklas Zenstrom’s JV72, RAN 2 was awarded the Dennis P Miller Memorial Trophy for a British Yacht Overseas. RAN travelled all over the world and has an impressive list of victories which included the Mini-Maxi Rolex World Championships, winning her divisions in the 2009 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race; Antigua Sailing Week; Newport Bermuda Race; Onion Patch Series and Copa del Rey.

Also of note are the team on British Soldier who were second overall in the Season’s Points Championships and won the Serendip Trophy for the best series produced yacht in IRC. The boat provides much needed ‘R and R’ for war veterans and through the Toe in the Water tri-services initiative, introduces many disabled servicemen to sailing.

A full list of all the trophy and award winners follows below:

RORC ANNUAL CHALLENGE TROPHIES AND SPECIAL AWARDS

2010 YACHT OF THE YEAR - TONNERRE DE BRESKENS 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon
Winning the SOMERSET MEMORIAL TROPHY
For outstanding racing achievement by a yacht owned or sailed by a RORC member as voted for by the Main Committee

In recognition of not only winning IRC Overall by a huge margin, but in particular for supporting and winning RORC races for over 50 years.

ASSUAGE TROPHY - FOGGY DEW (JPK 10.10) Noel Racine
CHAMPIONSHIP FOR RORC MEMBERS
For the yacht with the most points in IRC overall in the Cherbourg Race plus her best three races taken from Cervantes, Morgan Cup, Myth of Malham and Cowes-Dinard-St. Malo races

ALAN PAUL TROPHY - BRITISH SOLDIER (A 40) Army Sailing Association, Lt Col Tim Hill
For consistent high performance in IRC.
Based on consistent high scores plus a bonus for number of races completed.

CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHIES

IRC Overall: Jazz Trophy TONNERRE DE BRESKENS 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon

IRC Super Zero: Europeans Trophy JOHN MERRICKS II (TP 52)
British Keelboat Academy

IRC Zero: Trenchemer Cup TONNERRE DE BRESKENS 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon

IRC One: Emily Verger Plate VIST MALTA PUMA (Reflex 38) Sailing Logic, Philippe Falle

IRC Two: Grenade Goblet FOGGY DEW (JPK 10.10) Noel Racine

IRC Three: Cowland Trophy IROMIGUY (Nicholson 33)
Jean Yves Chateau

Two-Handed Division: Psipsina PSIPSINA (HOD 35)
Trophy John Loden and Patrick Cronin

DAVID FAYLE MEMORIAL CUP
For best Sailing School Yacht in IRC
VISIT MALTA PUMA (Reflex 38) Sailing Logic, Philippe Falle

HAYLOCK CUP
For best British Service Yacht in IRC
BRITISH SOLDIER (A 40) Army Sailing Association,
Lt Col Tim Hill

STRADIVARIUS TROPHY
For best Overseas Yacht in IRC Overall
TONNERRE DE BRESKENS 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon

SERENDIP TROPHY
For best Series-produced Yacht in IRC
BRITISH SOLDIER (A 40) Army Sailing Association,
Lt Col Tim Hill

SPECIAL AWARDS

FREDDIE MORGAN CUP
For a Classic Yacht in IRC
WINSOME (S&S 41) Harry Heijst

DENNIS P MILLER MEMORIAL TROPHY
For a British Yacht Overseas
RAN 2 (JV 72) Niklas Zennström

ARAMBALZA SWAN CUP
For the highest scoring Swan in the race season
SELENE (Swan 44) Adrian Lower

PETER HARRISON YOUTH TROPHY
JOHN MERRICKS II (TP 52) British Keelboat Academy

DUNCAN MUNRO-KERR YOUTH CHALLENGE TROPHY
For the youngest crew member on board a yacht which on Season’s Points
finishes in the top three of her IRC Class
Floris R. W. Oud sailing on Winsome

RED FUNNEL PRIX D’ELEGANCE
ANTIX (KER 39) Anthony O’Leary

RORC SALVER
Morgan Cup Race – First Yacht Home
TONNERRE DE BRESKENS 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon

2010 RORC POINTS CHAMPIONSHIP

RORC Medallions: Gold – 1st, Silver – 2nd, Bronze – 3rd, 4th & 5th

IRC Super ZeroIRC Three
1st John Merricks II (TP 52)
British Keelboat Academy1st Iromiguy (Nicholson 33)
Jean Yves Chateau
IRC Zero2nd Ultreia! (JPK 9.60)
Matthias Kracht
1st Tonnerre de Breskens 3 (Ker 46)
Piet Vroon3rd Pyxis (X 332)
Kirsteen Donaldson and
Judith Eastwood
2nd John B (Grand Soleil 54)
Charles Ivill
3rd Erivale III (Ker 39)
Mike Greville

IRC OneTwo-Handed Division
1st Visit Malta Puma (Reflex 38)
Sailing Logic,
Philippe Falle1st Psipsina (HOD 35) John Loden
and Patrick Cronin
2nd Solan Goose of Hamble (A 35)
Peter Olden
2nd British Soldier (A 40)
Army Sailing Association,
Lt Col Tim Hill
3rd Diablo-J (J 105)
Nick Martin
3rd Coup de Coeur (First 40)
Marc de Saint Denis and
Géry Trentesaux

IRC Two
Class40 Division
1st Foggy Dew (JPK 10.10)
Noel Racine1st Concise 2,
Ned Collier Wakefield
2nd Psipsina (HOD 35)
John Loden and Patrick Cronin2nd Orca,
Tom Hayhoe and
Natalie Jobling
3rd Winsome (S&S 41)
Harry Heijst3rd Merena,
Alexis Guillaume

IRC Overall

1st Tonnerre de Breskens 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon
2nd British Soldier (A 40) Army Sailing Association, Lt Col Tim Hill
3rd Visit Malta Puma (Reflex 38) Sailing Logic, Philippe Falle
4th Psipsina (HOD 35) John Loden and Patrick Cronin
5th John Merricks II (TP 52) British Keelboat Academy

Assuage Tankards
Cervantes Trophy Race Visit Malta Puma (Reflex 38) Sailing Logic,
Philippe Falle
Myth of Malham Race Tonnerre de Breskens 3 (Ker 46) Piet Vroon
Morgan Cup Race Psipsina (HOD 35) John Loden and Patrick Cronin
Cowes-Dinard-St. Malo Race John Merricks II (TP 52) British Keelboat Academy
Cherbourg Race Diablo-J (J 105) Nick Martin

All trophies and medallions will be awarded at the RORC Annual Dinner on
Saturday 13th November 2010 at the Banqueting Hall, Whitehall.

RORC