L’Aber Wrac’h
Next race: 27th June 2025
This race has been held every year, weather permitting, since 1959 when it was formally inaugurated by Tony and Sue Myers, both later to become Commodores of the Club. The race has always been an enormously popular Anglo-French sailing and social Event, involving Members of HRSC, Yacht Club De la Rade de Brest and the Yacht Club des Abers. Its popularity also extends to other UK sailing clubs. Apparently, the main objective of the race was to encourage yacht owners and their crews, who did not have cross-channel experience, to gain this in the company of others with more experience. This was at a time when yacht cruising and racing were becoming popular leisure activities in this country and not just the exclusive sport of the wealthy. Being a pursuit race, with the smallest and slowest boats starting first, timed according to their handi-caps, gave everyone a chance of being first across the line by the Libenter Buoy at the entrance to the L’Aber-Wrac’h river. The race distance is 92 miles and the average yacht can complete the course in about fifteen hours. In some years up to one hundred boats have entered.