Royal Victoria Yacht Club wishes all yacht owners and crew a happy New Year and invites you to the 71st running of the Swiftsure International Yacht Race from May 24th to May 26th. As in the past, wind, current and weather promise to make this year’s Swiftsure another challenging race. The fun starts with the festivities in beautiful downtown Victoria‘s Inner Harbour on May 22nd  and runs through the weekend.

The Notice of Race (NOR) for the three long courses (Swiftsure Lightship Classic, Cape Flattery, and Juan de Fuca), and the NOR for the one-day Swiftsure Inshore Classic are now posted on the web at http://2014.swiftsure.org/notices-of-race/. You’ll find a challenging course to suit every racer.

New this year will be IRC as well as PHRF divisions in the Swiftsure Lightship Classic and Cape Flattery Unlimited races. Double-handed divisions are being offered for monohulls in the Cape Flattery race and Juan de Fuca race, and single-handed divisions are being offered for monohulls in the Swiftsure Inshore Classic.   

Online registration went live on January 3rd. Simply follow this link: http://2014.swiftsure.org/registration/ to go to Race Info on the Swiftsure webpage and follow the instructions to register.

Skippers who are new to the challenge of racing in Swiftsure, and who want help sorting out the race, boat and/or safety details, will be paired with an experienced racer who will provide some mentorship on how to prepare and how to enjoy Swiftsure to the fullest.

My wife, Marg, and I will once again be racing Sauterelle, our multihull, and hope to see all of you in downtown Victoria, and on the start line, enjoying the fun of Swiftsure this coming May. Its only 5 months away!

Swiftsure: Always a Challenge!

John Green
Commodore
Royal Victoria Yacht Club