The Route de Rosé is a yacht race that traditionally starts in St Tropez at the end of the Mediterranean season in mid October, and finishes in St Barth’s at the start of the Caribbean season on the first Saturday of December.
All yachts are required to load several cases of Rosé wine aboard, with the condition that one case had to be landed onto the dock in St Barth’s for the grand celebrations at the end of the race. The winner of the race was decided by the shortest accumulative time taken only when on course to St Barth’s – allowing yachts to start at different times, or stop off on the way.
Catching that same spirit of superyacht sailing fun, the Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth Cornwall and Antigua Yacht Club have formed a partnership to organise a Trans-Atlantic fun regatta going the other way from Falmouth in Antigua home of the Antigua Yacht Club to Falmouth in the UK and instead of wine the yachts will carry Caribbean rum!
The idea for the race came about following dockside chattering during the St Barth’s Bucket, when a number of yachts and crew have expressed interest in a race to England and it is hoped that the race will feed into the 2012 Olympic superyacht programme.
To be known as the Falmouth to Falmouth Rum Race, it will run in the opposite direction to the traditional Route de Rosé - the event will begin at the Antigua Yacht Club in Falmouth Harbour as a fleet start, following Antigua Classics with the option for yachts to start earlier if they prefer, with a possible stop in the Azores on route.
The entry fee will be $500 and a case of rum to be consumed at the finish in Falmouth UK at the dockside party.
Shortly after the finish there will be two major yachting events in Falmouth UK, namely the J-Class Regatta and Pendennis Cup. Yachts will then either continue east to participate in the many events on the Olympic calendar or head down to the Mediterranean for the summer season.
The organising committee for the race will be made up of representatives from Pendennis, Antigua Yacht Club and the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club.
Kenny Coombs of Antigua Yacht Club commented, “We are very pleased to be involved in this exciting new event on the yachting calendar. The Falmouth – Falmouth link will no doubt attract a great number of yachts to link up with a number of fantastic UK-based regattas.”
Toby Allies of Pendennis commented, “Falmouth has a long history of yacht racing and hosting sailing events and the “Rum Race” will provide a fantastic start to the 2012 yachting programme in the UK.”
The finish will be organised by the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club who have been at the centre of many sailing events in and around Falmouth since 1872, and have a very active Racing and Cruising sailing calendar.
