More boats than ever before have entered for the Classic Channel Regatta July 11 – 18, 2015. The first weekend of the 6th edition of the biennial event will be at Dartmouth (July 11-13) and will incorporate Dartmouth Classics Weekend.

Scores of international classic yachts and their crews will enjoy a week of friendly competition as the regatta has an established reputation for classic sailing at its very best.

The format and courses will follow the highly successful formula of previous regattas. There will be two days of racing at Dartmouth followed by the Classic Channel Race from Dartmouth to Paimpol in Brittany. After a rest day in Paimpol there will be the Round Brehat Race, then a passage race to St Peter Port in Guernsey with the regatta finishing with the Round Sark Race.

Over 50 yachts have already pre-registered for 2015 and the organizers are expecting a record entry which may well reach their maximum of 100 yachts. This includes yachts from the UK, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany, and even one S&S yawl coming up from Italy.

Yachts are divided into two main classes, Class 1 for those designed before 1969 and Class 3 for those designed between 1969 and the end of 1974. Approved production designs and more recent boats of classic style are also accepted into Class 3.

Racing will be to the JCH Classic Handicap which is free and available online and there will be both English and French Race Officers on the committee boats throughout the regatta and a high level of race organization is assured.  

For the first time there will be special classes for S&S designed yachts – a good number of large S&S designs have already pre-registered and more are expected – and also for the more diminutive, but very seaworthy and plucky, Twisters.

The regatta is a uniquely enjoyable week of varied ‘gentleman’s’ racing and informal social events at three of the finest ports in the Channel – Dartmouth, Paimpol and St Peter Port. The regatta has its own distinct Westcountry and Breton atmosphere which attracts many crews to return for each regatta.

The fleet’s arrival into the harbour at Paimpol will be part of the town’s July 14 Bastille Day celebrations – so a welcome of fireworks and festivities awaits the arriving crews.

The framed original of a painting commissioned from Paimpolaise marine artist Guy L’Hostis for the 2015 regatta will be presented at the end of the regatta as the ‘Spirit of the Regatta Trophy’ to the yacht which most successfully embraces the unique ethos and Corinthian spirit of this very friendly regatta, described by a previous winner of the trophy as ‘the world’s most enjoyable classic regatta’.

The organizers have recently set up an association of the regatta’s participants – called CRAB (for Classic Regatta Anglo-Breton). This hands ownership of the regatta to the participants and will give them the power to determine how it is run in the future.

Full information and pre-registration is at the regatta website: www.classic-channel-regatta.eu  

For more information please contact: Bruce Thorogood
E: bruce@classic-channel-regatta.eu