L’Aber Wrac’h

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.

The 65^th Helford to L’Aber Wrac’h Pursuit race REPORT…

Eighteen yachts started the 65^th race on 26^th June 2026. Following a merry Champagne recovery party on the Thursday evening six French and twelve British took on the Channel crossing, with nine finishers and nine retirements, one yacht sailed on to Roskoff and all the others made it to L’Aber Wrac’h.

1^st Inn Spirit, Simon Copperwait

2^nd  Amigos, Jonathan Myers

3^rd Calypso, Jean Francoise Caraes

 
4^th Atahualpa, David Guillem

The Sundancer Trophy for the 1^st Helford Yacht, Xenia, Paddy Royall

The Marie Jo Trophy was awarded to ten-year-old Gabin Roe Caraes, on Calypso, as the youngest competitor in the race. He is the 4^th generation of the Caraes family to take part in this race, with his great grandfather, Jean, doing the second race in 1960 and his grandfather, Jean-Francois taking part since 1971.

The light southerly breeze made for a tactical race, no sailing down the rhumb line this year! A long, challenging, but by all accounts, enjoyable race, with diversions around a Russian cable layer which added interest for the navigators and tacticians.
We were pleased to welcome COGS (Cornwall Offshore Sailing Group) who joined the race again this year.
 
The prizegiving was held at the Yacht Club des Abers with a welcoming speech by Martine Kerfourn from the Mairie, who, generously, supplied oysters and wine for the prize giving. Rob Hewett, representing HRSC, replied and then presented the Helford to L’Aber Wrac’h Race prizes with Sue Hewett.
The race was preceded by an excellent Champagne recovery party, at HRSC, with great music by ‘Salt Water Cure’ and a delicious bar-b-que by our Club chef Ciaran.
Many thanks to the Yacht Club des Abers and the Mairie for the Race reception, Rob Hewett for presenting prizes and Daniel Dagorn for the Prizegiving photographs. To Johnny Walker, Anthony Jenkin and Rob Hewett for Race Organization, Elise and Gin in the office and those who arranged and helped with a great Champagne reception.
The 2027 Helford to L’Aber Wrac’h race will be held on 25^th June 2027.

		Helford – L’Aber Wrac’h Pursuit Race 2026 Results
Position	Yacht Name	Owner/skipper	Make
1	Inn Spirit	Simon Copperwait	HOD 36
2	Amigos	Jonathan Daniel Myers	Archambault A35
3	Calypso	J F Caraes	Contessa 35
4	Atahualpa	Guillem David	First 42
5	Agnes	Paul Clark	Elan 333
6	Xenia	Paddy Royall	X362 Sport
7	Diaoul’X	Jean-Francois Cadiou	X342
8	Samadhi	Neil Wason	Dehler 365U
9	Intemperate	Dominique Abasq	Sigma 33
	Green Magnum	Rod Wooton	MG Yachts C27
	Allsorts	Paddy Cronin	Bolero
	Cherry Ripe	Robert Pitts	Rival R38A
	Nightowler	Mike Lithgow	Albin 1982
	Folly IV	Peter Vitai	Sigma 33 ood
	Smile	Mark Fernihough	Dehler 34
	Saltheart	James Davis	Sigma 36
	Sauvage	Marie Bescond	Garcia Passoa 42
	Santou	Andre Benoit	Benetau Oceanus 40.1