Eighty nine yachts taking part in the 27th annual Royal Escape Race celebrating the escape of Charles II to France in 1651 lined up on Friday morning just west of the Palace Pier, Brighton in a fresh south westerly force 6 wind to race to Fecamp.
The yachts were split into an IRC and 3 PY handicap fleets for fast, medium and slow boats.
The mayor of Brighton and Hove, Jeanne Lepper, attended a special Champagne breakfast at the Old Ship Hotel and sent a radio message to all competitors, wishing them “Bon Voyage”.
The faster IRC fleet started at 08.00 hrs and the PY fleets started at 08.15 in a heavy swell caused by an overnight gale. Most yachts had “reefed down” in anticipation of a fast but wet sail to France, which indeed it turned out to be with the wind dropping to Force 4 by the afternoon but with persistent rain squalls throughout the day.
It was a fast race for most boats with “Soleil III” from Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club gaining line honours as the first finisher after 8hrs 49 minutes.
There was then a steady procession of yachts crossing the finish line at Fecamp throughout the evening, their crews having enjoyed a wet but exciting 70 mile race.
Winner of the IRC fleet was “Jagga” owned by John Duffy of Brighton Marina Yacht Club. Winners of the 3 PY fleets were “Spirit of Defiance”, owned by Mark Jephcott (Fast PY), “Uptown Girl” owned by Tony Puttock (Medium PY) and “Riff Raff” owned by Robert Springate (Slow PY).
| Boat Name | Owner/Skipper | Finish Time | Elapsed Time | Corrected Time | |
| Portsmouth Yardstick Class | |||||
| Fast Fleet | |||||
|
1 |
Chantelle | John Hayman | 18:10:21 | 09:55:21 | 11:24:19 |
|
2 |
Spirit of Defiance | Mark Jephcott | 18:47:52 | 10:32:52 | 11:43:11 |
|
3 |
Moonlight Saunter | David Skinner | 18:22:41 | 10:07:41 | 11:46:37 |
|
4 |
Sparkling Spirit | Joe Kerridge | 18:39:11 | 10:24:11 | 11:49:18 |
| Medium Fleet | |||||
|
1 |
Uptown Girl | Tony Puttock | 19:23:17 | 11:08:17 | 11:28:57 |
|
2 |
Fayme | Andrew Smith | 19:20:31 | 11:05:31 | 11:34:42 |
|
3 |
Clarionet | Paul March | 19:17:20 | 11:02:20 | 11:39:24 |
|
4 |
Dolfijn | Richard Bamford | 19:04:11 | 10:49:11 | 11:45:38 |
| Slow Fleet | |||||
|
1 |
Riff Raff | Robert Springate | 20:09:00 | 11:54:00 | 11:20:00 |
|
2 |
Millie D | Tim Parker | 20:03:30 | 11:48:30 | 11:34:36 |
|
3 |
Duchess | Graham Smallridge | 20:00:37 | 11:45:37 | 11:49:53 |
|
4 |
Sapphira | Nigel Rippon | 21:17:50 | 13:02:50 | 12:42:15 |
| Overall Winner | |||||
| Riff Raff | Robert Springate | 20:09:00 | 11:54:00 | 11:20:00 | |
| Line Honours | |||||
| Chantelle | John Hayman | 18:10:21 | 09:55:21 | ||
| Team Trophy | |||||
| Brighton Marina Yacht Club | |||||
|
1 |
Riff Raff | ||||
|
2 |
Chantelle | ||||
|
3 |
Millie D | ||||
| Corporate Challenge Cup | |||||
| Gallic Warrior | just4sailing.com | 19:27:45 | 11:12:45 | 12:04:10 | |
| The Editors’ Scroll (Family Trophy) - Presented at the Hotel Normandy | |||||
| Crazy Daisy | John Ramus | 18:54:23 | 10:39:23 | ||
| IRC Class | |||||
|
1 |
Jagga | John Duffy | 17:35:47 | 9:35:47 | 9:59:23 |
|
2 |
Sleeper | Jonty Layfield | 17:56:35 | 9:56:35 | 10:01:21 |
|
3 |
Black Adder | Richard Greenslade | 17:56:04 | 9:56:04 | 10:01:26 |
|
4 |
Soleil III | Robert Martin | 16:49:45 | 8:49:45 | 10:02:51 |
| Line Honours - Presented by Societe des Regates de Fecamp at the Hotel Normandy | |||||
| Soleil III | Robert Martin | 16:49:45 | 08:49:45 | ||
| Opted Motor Sailing | |||||
| Ambition II | Colin Gisby | ||||