AZAB 95

Anne Hammick

(Many members will already know much more about the Azores and Back Race than I do, having completed it several times. From them I beg indulgence. However, my latest hat as Publicity Officer to the AZAB 95 Race Committee has seen me writing around likely Clubs and Class Associations asking them to help us publicise the race, and in all fairness the OCC could hardly be omitted. My apologies if the following reads rather like a press release.)

The Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, organisers of the Azores and Back Race, have announced that the sixth AZAB will leave Falmouth on Saturday, 3rd June 1995.

This major ocean race for single and two-handed yachts has taken place every four years since 1975, making this the 20th anniversary event. As in previous years, AZAB 95 comprises two legs - the outward from Falmouth to Ponta Delgada on the Azorean island of Sao Miguel, and the return from Ponta Delgada back to Falmouth. Each leg is approximately 1200 miles in length and should take most yachts between eight and twelve days. The restart date of 20th June allows for a short stopover period in the Azores while still enabling most competitors to be back in Falmouth within a month of departing.

AZAB 95 is open to monohulls and multihulls of 26ft to 60ft LOA which must previously have completed a 500 mile qualifying passage. Yachts will race in four divisions - singlehanded monohulls, two-handed monohulls, water-ballasted (single and two-handed), and multihulls (single and two-handed) - each of which may be further divided into two or more classes. The rules will be available from 31st March 1993, and competing yachts will be expected to comply with Ocean Racing Council Special Regulations Category 1. Following the practice adopted in 1991 the race is not seeking a major sponsor (though individual yachts may carry sponsorship), and every effort will be made to keep the entry fee to a minimum.

AZAB has always had a reputation as a particularly friendly race, with a strong social element in both Falmouth and the Azores. Flight and accommodation block-bookings will be made nearer the time for the many relatives and friends who wish to meet competitors on their arrival in the islands. Hosting the race at the Azorean end is the Clube Naval de Ponta Delgada, which is shortly to move into purpose-built premises in the new marina complex nearing completion in Ponta Delgada. By 1995 the marina should be fully operational, offering much improved facilities to competitors and other visiting yachts.

AZAB regularly attracts a wide variety of both boats and crew, from Peter Phillips' giant 60ft catamaran Novanet Elite in 1987 to Mike Richey's original Jester in 1975 and 1979. A good part of the fleet always consists of standard production yachts, and in 1991 one of the three Challenge Trophies went to Corkscrew a 28ft Twister sailed by OCC member Trevor Leek. The same race gave our Rear Commodore Mary Falk an opportunity to test out her brand new QII, in which she went on to establish a new ladies' record in this years' singlehanded transatlantic race. Many newcomers to short-handed ocean racing see AZAB as an ideal event in which to cut their teeth, and each event produces a crop of newly qualified and enthusiastic OCC members.

Entry numbers have varied over the years, with a record eighty-nine starters in 1979 dropping to under forty in 1987 and 1991. Ideally we should like to see a field of around seventy yachts from a variety of countries in AZAB 95, recalling the 1979 event when nine nationalities were represented with British, Dutch, Polish and Finnish yachts amongst the winners. It would also be nice to see some designs represented by more than one yacht, allowing friendly 'races within the race' to take place.

As the organising committee are aware that getting time off work for the whole race is a problem for many would-be competitors, the rules specifically allow for crew changes in the Azores. Either one or both crew members may be replaced (provided all have completed qualifying passages), without prejudicing the yacht's chance of an overall prize for both legs. This particular rule is thought to be unique!

All competitors in AZAB 91 will be sent a copy of the rules for the 95 event when they come out next year. Otherwise drop a note to the Hon Secretary, Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, Greenbank, Falmouth, Cornwall TRll 2SW who will be delighted to put you on the mailing list.