Top prize for Aera

RORC announce 2005 Annual Awards

The Royal Ocean Racing Club is pleased to announce that ‘Yacht of the Year 2005’ has been awarded to the Ker 55 Aera owned by Nick Lykiardopulo.

This award, known as the Somerset Memorial Trophy, is awarded for outstanding racing achievement by a yacht owned or sailed by an RORC member and voted by the RORC Main Committee. It comes as a result of Aera’s success in the most recent Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race, where she took the overall handicap trophy.

Aera’s success in the Rolex Sydney-Hobart is all the more remarkable as it is only the third time a British yacht has been the overall winner in the 60 years since the race was started. The first was Captain John Illingworth who won the inaugural race in 1945 sailing Mani and the second was the late Sir Edward Heath who won with the first Morning Cloud in 1969.

A special award has also been made by the RORC to Dame Ellen MacArthur, skipper of the trimaran B&Q, for her outstanding performance in setting the solo non-stop round the world record at 71days 14 hours 18 minutes and 33 seconds, reducing the previous record set by Francis Joyon by nearly 1½ days. Dame Ellen is an Honorary Life Member of the RORC and first joined in 1996.

The Seamanship Trophy, awarded each year by the RORC for an outstanding act of seamanship, goes to Alex Whitworth and Peter Crozier and their Brolga 33 ft yacht Berrimilla.

Having sailed the 2004 Rolex Sydney-Hobart, the two set off to sail to the UK via the Falkland Islands, taking 159 days. They encountered severe storms with squalls of over 50 knots and were knocked down during a south-westerly gale south of New Zealand, subsequently having to put into Dunedin as Alex Whitworth had severely bruised ribs.

Having completed the voyage to the UK they then took part in the Rolex Fastnet Race, coming 8th in IRC Class 3, and shortly afterwards set sail again for Australia, in order to arrive in time to take part in the 2005 Rolex Sydney- Hobart race.

The prizes, together with all the other RORC Annual awards, will be presented at the AGM and Annual Prize Giving Dinner at the Drapers’ Hall on 22nd November.

Annual Challenge Trophies and Special Awards

2005 YACHT OF THE YEAR
winning the
SOMERSET MEMORIAL TROPHY
For outstanding racing achievement
AERA, (Ker 55) Nik Lykiardopulo

ASSUAGE TROPHY
CHAMPIONSHIP FOR RORC MEMBERS
For the yacht with the most RORC points in IRC overall in the Cherbourg Race plus her best three races taken from Cervantes, Morgan Cup, Myth of Malham and Cowes-Dinard-St Malo races
FIDESSA FASTWAVE, (DK 46) Chris Brown/Peter Harding

ALAN PAUL TROPHY
for consistent high performance in IRC
Based on consistent high scores plus a bonus for the number of races completed
FIDESSA FASTWAVE, (DK 46) Chris Brown/Peter Harding

CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHIES
IRM 1: Trenchemer Challenge Cup: HOOLIGAN, (Max Fun 35) Edward Broadway
IRC Super Zero: Europeans Trophy: BEAR OF BRITAIN, (Farr 52) Kit Hobday
IRC 0: Illingworth Cup: EXABYTE III, (IMX 45) Shaun Fröhlich
IRC 1: Emily Verger Plate: PUMA LOGIC, (Reflex 38) Sailing Logic, Philippe Falle
IRC 2: Grenade Goblet: NIGHT AND DAY, (J 105) Pascal Loison
IRC 3: Cowland Trophy: IROMIGUY, (Nicholson 33) Jean-Yves Chateau
IRC overall: Jazz Trophy :FIDESSA FASTWAVE, (DK 46) Chris Brown/Peter Harding
2 Handed Division: Psipsina Trophy: SLINGSHOT, (J 105) Shaun Murphy
Multihulls: Shambles Salver: TANCREDE, (Normanni 34) Joel Malardel
Sigma 38: Oldland/Watts Aquadanca Trophy: VITESSE, (Sigma 38) Geoff Simcox/RobinTaunt/Jon England

SPECIAL AWARDS

DAVID FAYLE MEMORIAL CUP
for best Sailing School yacht in IRC
PUMA LOGIC, (Reflex 38) Sailing Logic, Philippe Falle

HAYLOCK CUP
for best British Service yacht in IRC
REDCOAT, (Sigma 38)
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

HIGHWAYMAN CUP
Best Elapsed time in Morgan Cup, Cowes-St Malo,
Cherbourg races and Red Funnel Easter Challenge
FIDESSA FASTWAVE, (DK 46) Chris Brown/Peter Harding

RORC IRM TROPHY
Consistent high performance in the IRM Association’s offshore programme
HOOLIGAN, (Max Fun 35) Edward Broadway

SERENDIP TROPHY
for best series-produced yacht in IRC
FIDESSA FASTWAVE, (DK 46) Chris Brown/Peter Harding

DENNIS P MILLER MEMORIAL TROPHY
For outstanding performance by a British yacht overseas
AERA, (Ker 55) Nik Lykiardopulo

FREDDIE MORGAN TROPHY
for a Classic yacht in IRC
WINSOME, (S&S 41) Harry Heijst

THE PERA AWARD
May be given to yachts which receive redress
For rendering assistance during a race
ADELAIDE STAR (Bavaria 44) Stuart Cooper

STRADIVARIUS TROPHY
for the best overseas yacht in IRC
ENIGMA OF LONDON (Reichel/Pugh 76) Charles Dunstone

DUNCAN MUNRO-KERR YOUTH CHALLENGE TROPHY
for the youngest crew member on board a yacht which on season's points
finishes in the top three of her IRC class
FRED PARKINSON sailing on
EL SYD (BH 41)

SEAMANSHIP TROPHY
For an outstanding act of seamanship
BERRIMILLA, (Brolga 33) Alex Whitworth/Peter Crozier

RED FUNNEL PRIX D’ELEGANCE
MURKA 2, (Swan 45) Misha Mouratov