Women's Figaro transat race info now available

WOW 2012 Notice of Race published

The Royal Western Yacht Club, with promoters Team Concise and in association with Antigua Yacht Club have announced the release of the Pre-Notice of Race for WOW 2012 and now invite applications for entry.

The first ever women-only transatlantic race will leave Plymouth Sound on 28 October 2012 heading for Falmouth Harbour, Antigua.

The race was formally launched in Plymouth last week (Tuesday 21st February) and was attended by British sailor Sammie Evans. Sammie and her co-skipper, Hannah Jenner will be entering the double-handed race as Team Beaudacious.

Plymouth City Council, Plymouth University, Sutton Harbour and the Waterfront Partnership as well as local businesses who support the event, all fielded representatives.

Sammie Evans commented: “Women racers are highly competitive. We want to know who is number one and which country produces the best women sailors. WOW is going to be a great way to do that. We are competing against each other on a level basis. Identical boats, the same course. It’s all about the crew not who’s got the biggest budget. The race is 3500 miles long. There is the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean to cross. It’s going to test our sailing and navigational skills. If anything goes wrong we have to fix it. Offshore racers have to be sail makers, mechanics and computer savvy. If you get hurt, a medic. You have to multitask and women are good at that. With WOW we will see who is best.”

Since the race was announced at the end of January, the organisers have been inundated with women sailors from across Europe and further afield registering their interest in the event. Among those hoping to take part are Italy’s Susanne Beyer, Germany’s Anna-Maria Renken and France’s Stephanie Alran. As well as a team from the Spanish Associacio de Dones Navegants Tanit and the Austrian Celox Sailing team.

Welsh Atlantic and Pacific rower, Elin Davis has also expressed her interest in competing in the event alongside the accomplished sailor, Pip Hare. In a radio interview Phillippa Hutton-Squire, currently sailing in the Global Ocean Race spoke to the BBC from the Southern Ocean about her hopes to take part.

The WOW 2012 Pre-Notice of Race and entry form are now available for download from here.