'New' kids in America...

Storm Trysail Yacht Club Commodore Rich du Moulin is part of an influential group that is currently working flat out to re-invigorate offshore racing in the United States and to make the most of the introduction of IRC

Seahorse: There really does seem to be a resurgence of interest in big boat racing in America. What, apparently quite suddenly, has brought this about?

Richard du Moulin: Big boat racing, particularly long distance and offshore, has gradually been shrinking here since the late 1970s. It is difficult to determine precisely why this has happened - one factor is certainly the competition for people's time and a faster, more hectic pace of life. The demise of IOR and the failure of other subsequent measurement rules to produce the kind of racing and yachts that people enjoy is also a contributing factor. Our sport has been saved by the creative one-designs that have evolved to fill the vacuum, and the local performance handicap rules that are so user-friendly. However, the sport cannot be served by one-design classes alone, and performance handicapping is now being overwhelmed by the invasion of serious racing programmes.

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