This summer a new event is due to take place in the form of the Richard Mille Cup, a series of inshore and offshore races organised with the Royal Yacht Squadron, the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club, Royal Dart Yacht Club and the Société des Régattes du Havre.

The racing is principally designed to be for classic yachts and entry is invite only – though expressions of interest are currently being taken. Entry will be open to invited owners and charterers of yachts built before 1939 or faithful replicas of such yachts. The minimum size of any yacht eligible to enter will be 10M length at the waterline.

Racing will take place under the CIM handicap system. All yachts entering will have to provide a valid CIM certificate and all races, be they inshore or offshore, will be scored with equal weighting.

Richard Mille Cup events

The first event in the new series will take place in Falmouth and registration and the opening reception will be held at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club on Saturday 10 June 2023 followed by three days of inshore racing in Falmouth Bay.

This will be followed by the series’ first Offshore Race from Falmouth to Dartmouth with the fleet leaving Falmouth on Wednesday 14 June. This will be followed by a dinner in Dartmouth on the evening of Thursday 15 June.

After this 65nm offshore race the fleet will take on another offshore event racing the 90nm from Dartmouth to Cowes. This event will, once again, immediately follow the previous racing, with a start date of 16 June.

After this initial round of inshore and offshore racing the series will take a very short break until 19 June when a welcome reception will be held at the Royal Yacht Squadron followed by three days of inshore racing on the Solent. Weather and tides permitting, this may include a ‘Round the Island Race’.

The final event in the series will be the biggest offshore leg, with the fleet set to race 100nm from Cowes to Le Havre after which a grand prize giving celebration will be held on Sunday 25 June at Société des Régattes du Havre.

For the winner of the event a new trophy has been commissioned from famed trophy maker Garrard, the manufacturer of the America’s Cup among many other famed sporting trophies.

The Richard Mille Cup will stand 1m tall and the design takes inspiration from the classic yachts that will compete for the trophy.

The Richard Mille Cup is a perpetual trophy and the winner will be presented with a 40cm high replica also made by Garrard.

You can apply to register your interest at the Richard Mille Cup website.

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