Tour du France a la Voile 2025

I thought about never writing this blog and letting it slide into the long history of sailing projects that never came to fruition. I started this blog to document my life in high level offshore racing; I’ve been lucky, lucky to share incredible highs, a few middle moments and now I guess the time has come to document a low. There are some sailors who shamelessly lie about their racing online and create false reality, I don’t really know how they do it. I prefer to take the honest approach.

This blog should be me announcing the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Griffin Project entry into the 2025 edition of the Tour de France a la voile. You should be reading about my apprehension, my excitement and a little intro into this race. I should be telling you about the route, the amazing team we’ve assembled and the challenge to come.

Except it’s not.

The Beginnings

I had previously tried and failed to put a team together for this race. So, when I was asked in January if I’d be motivated to skipper the RORC Griffin entry in the Tour I said yes, a chance to lead a team for the most prestigious of yacht clubs in Britain, a no brainer.

Quietly we built this team; starting by reuniting the Defi Paprec dream team of Ellie Driver and Ollie Hill, got the World championship winning team of Maggie Adamson and Cal Finlayson. Brought Irish mini sailor Mark O’Connor out the mini class and Lydia Barber out of the UK offshore scene. The final pieces were 3rd place finishers in the Transat Paprec Thomas Andre and Nell Castillo. In short, a crazy team, a team of legends, a team capable of bringing one hell of a fight to this race.

The race track; starting in Lorient racing to Royan, then Pornichet and finally a double dose of racing in Port la Foret

We’d secured the use of the boat I know well, from my Solitaire campaigns. Sails chosen. Campervan ready and a shore crew ready for a road trip around France. We were almost ready. All that was left was to get the exact team for each leg and go food shopping.

Warming the engine

The season commenced, the team warmed up, little by little, most at the Duo Guy Cotton. Some at the Plastimo Lorient Mini race. Lessons were learnt, improvements made. Everyone found their rhythm. The season kicked into gear, the team mostly did their biggest race of the season, The Transat Paprec.

Things were looking great!

The ‘text’

Then I received a message: 'Hey, can I give you a quick call about the tour?

The situation was explained; the team was finished before it had ever entered a race. I’m not angry at anyone, I’m unbelievably grateful to Jim Driver and Deb Fish for all their hard work.

The reason? The effects of a chain of events outside of anyone’s control.

So, if you’re a team racing in the Tour this year reading this, think yourselves very very lucky that you didn’t have to go up against this incredible RORC team. We would have made you work very, very hard.

A final word

I just wanted to say a massive thank you to the Royal Ocean Racing Club, Helm Watches, North Sails, SailProof and Kingfisher ropes. To Jim Driver and Deb Fish working behind the scenes. To Ellie, Ollie, Maggie, Cal, Lydia, Thomas and Nell for giving up so much of your time, all for nothing.

I hope as my friends have told me not the end for anyone, myself, members of the team or the RORC in high level offshore racing, more just a bump in the road. I know everyone will be back racing very soon.