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Ned And Sam to race in the NCR

Talented offshore sailors, Ned Collier Wakefield and Sam Goodchild are teaming up again next month to take part in the notoriously competitive double-handed Normandy Channel Race.

 

The pair will be racing the 1000 miles from Caen in France to the Fastnet Rock and back again on Hamble-based Concise 2. They’ll be the only all-British crew and with a combined aged of just 46, they’ll be the youngest in the 23-boat fleet.

 

The fleet of Class 40 yachts will leave Caen on September 2nd. It will be the first time that Collier Wakefield and Goodchild have raced together since they were forced to retire from the Transat Jacques Vabre transatlantic race last year.

 

Ned Collier Wakefield: “After the disappointment of having to retire from the lead in last November’s TJV we can't wait to have Concise back on the water racing again. We both feel we have something to prove and love this middle-distance offshore racing. We will be pushing ourselves and the boat to the limits over the 1000 mile race course.

 

The course takes the fleet from Caen, across the Channel to the Isle of Wight, along the South coast of England before heading out across the Irish Sea to Tuskar Rock and Fastnet Rock before heading back to France. On the way back they must sail south of Gurnsey before crossing the finish line off Caen. The race should take roughly 5 days. 

 

Ned Collier Wakefield "Previous editions of the NCR have shown it to be an incredibly competitive race. This year, with 23 top level entries the bar is going to be raised even higher. The faster 3rd generation 40's should keep us on our toes so we will have to sail a tactical race to stay with them. The middle third of the course is a slightly extended Fastnet race so we are hoping our home waters will give us a few gains over our competitors."