RORC Griffin – De Guingand Bowl 2025
Last weekend, the ‘La Trinité’ Griffin squad competed in the RORC De Guingand Bowl race. This marked the team’s second race together—and their first without coach Hugh Brayshaw onboard.
The 82nm course was released on Friday evening, and the team began planning for what looked to be a very light-wind race.
Saturday morning began overcast with 12 knots of breeze. By the 0910 Class 3 start time, the sun was beginning to break through, and the wind had eased to 10 knots. It was a busy start on the Squadron line to the east, with a northeasterly breeze, a favourable tide, and most of the fleet fighting for the north end of the line. The team secured a solid start, bow out just to leeward of the group. Exiting the Solent required high levels of focus—keeping tight lanes and timing the move north, where there was more breeze, was key.
RORC Griffin © Rick Tomlinson/RORC
Between the first course mark, No Man’s Land Fort, and the second, Owers, the team did a great job staying concentrated, avoiding wind holes in the dying breeze, and sailing the shortest possible distance.
On the next leg to Wave Rider No. 1, towards Brighton, the team again found themselves in a strong position, battling closely with other Sun Fast 3600s. This was the first leg off the breeze, and the A1 was deemed the perfect sail for what became a VMG downwind run in an average of 8 knots.
Nightfall came shortly after rounding Wave Rider No. 1, where the course turned back towards the Solent. From here, the focus shifted to staying inshore for tidal relief while anticipating a westerly rotation in the breeze. By midnight, the team were relying on onboard instruments to short-tack confidently in close quarters around Selsey Bill, duelling with Cora and Zephyr.
Eventually, the team timed their Solent crossing well to reach West Princessa before flying the Code Zero back toward Hard Buoy, then turning upwind toward the finish at Kemps Quay.
RORC Griffin © Rick Tomlinson/RORC
The team were pleased with a 12th-place finish in IRC Overall—an encouraging result in their first coach-free race—and are looking forward to building momentum for the Yarmouth JOG race.
RORC Griffin © Rick Tomlinson/RORC
The entire Griffin team would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Paul Griffiths for his generous donation of a large supply of Expedition food to the project.
We are always grateful for practical contributions like this, and we are currently on the lookout for a B&G 2020 mast display unit. If you’d like to support the Griffin Project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Best of luck to the Fastnet team who compete in the Myth of Malham Race!
