Building momentum: from Morgan Cup to St Malo
The 2025 RORC Cowes Offshore Racing Series is proving to be a landmark initiative. This season-long campaign combines seven classic races, designed to make offshore sailing more inclusive and accessible, while still delivering high-performance competition. In the standout Morgan Cup Race over 100 boats took on a course to Guernsey, with dramatic windward work and iconic waypoints like Peveril Ledge and Les Hanois.
Inside the Morgan Cup Race: stories and success from the RORC Cowes Offshore Series
The non-professional team on Swan 42 Luna stole the spotlight. Skipper Tim Webb praised his crew’s resilience and smart navigation under pressure. The Morgan Cup was more than just a test of grassroots sailing and a preview of what’s to come in the next stages of the series.
As the series heads deeper into the season, all eyes turn to the Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race—an event rich in history and modern competitive edge.
Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race: legacy meets high-speed rivalry
The Cowes Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race, dating back to 1929, is one of the crown jewels in the RORC calendar. With 184 entries in 2025, it’s drawing talent from across Europe and beyond—Britain, France, Hong Kong, Finland, Ireland, Sweden, and even Kazakhstan.
This year’s race holds the same course as other years. It begins with a classic start from Cowes on 11 July, with the 151nm course taking crews past the Needles, the Casquets, Les Hanois, and down to the rugged Breton coast. The finish at Buharats West No.2 Buoy off St Malo is both a tactical and physical challenge.
Tschüss 2 set the monohull course record in 2023 with a time of 10 hours and 56 minutes, and the 2015 multihull record by Concise 10 remains unbeaten at 9 hours and 12 minutes. This year, boats like Beau Geste (TP52), INO NOIR (Carkeek 45), Teasing Machine (Teasing 52), and Sunrise III (JPK 1180) bring real firepower to the line-up.
Tschüss 2 Dominates the Atlantic in a year of double Transatlantic glory
Sunrise III, skippered by Tom Kneen, returns after winning overall in 2024. Notably, Kneen’s crew averaged under 27 years old, with four women among nine sailors on board—a symbol of the increasing youth participation in offshore racing. Despite having never sailed together before this event, the team delivered exceptional performance under IRC to claim both line honours and the overall title.
The course itself is demanding. Early forecasts hint at strong breezes through the Solent, tidal trickery near Alderney, and a fast reach to the finish. For many crews, this race is not only a key series points scorer but also a Fastnet Race qualifier.
The RORC Series ethos: performance, progression, and community
With a newly refurbished RORC clubhouse in Cowes acting as the series’ social anchor, the Cowes Offshore Racing Series is about more than trophies. It’s about growing the sport. Crew suppers, club events, and shared learning sessions bring together elite sailors and rising talent. This is particularly evident in the Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race, where previously over 100 sailors under the age of 25 have entered.
RORC’s decision to exclude the Rolex Fastnet Race from the points series ensures that the leaderboard rewards consistency across multiple events. Sailors must post results from their best five out of seven races, keeping the championship wide open until the final race in September.
Following this race, the Channel Race and Cherbourg Race close out the season. With each event, the field sharpens its focus, and friendships, rivalries, and experience deepen.
As the 2025 Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race looms, the anticipation is palpable. Sunrise III are not on the entry list so won’t be defending their crown. Tschüss 2 have not entered either.
Nevertheless, the questions remain. Can a youth crew upset the veterans? Will the course record fall again? One thing is certain—offshore racing in the Channel has never looked stronger.
