Falmouth Yacht Race AZAB Celebrates 50th Anniversary at Royal Cornwall Yacht Club

Published On: 4 July 2025Last Updated: 4 July 2025By CornishStuff

📷 Falmouth Yacht Race AZAB Celebrates 50th Anniversary at Royal Cornwall Yacht Club

Organisers already planning for 2027 as sailors gather to mark half a century of Atlantic adventure

More than 130 sailors and supporters came together in Falmouth this week to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Azores and Back (AZAB) yacht race, which first set sail from Falmouth Harbour in 1975.

Hosted by the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club (RCYC), the celebration brought together generations of yachtsmen and women to honour the race’s founders, share stories from across the decades, and look ahead to its future.

AZAB is the UK’s only ocean race that starts and finishes on home shores and has become one of the premier short-handed offshore races in the world.

📷AZAB 2023 - Chimaera - photo Graham Rice

A Legacy Built on Skill and Spirit

The day began at Falmouth’s National Maritime Museum and ended with a party at the RCYC, where attendees heard from some of AZAB’s most experienced veterans. These included one of the race’s original founders, Colin Drummond, and nine-time competitor Mervyn Wheatley, who both spoke about the spirit of camaraderie and adventure that has defined the race since the beginning.

Colin received a special commendation for his role in designing the AZAB and convincing the RCYC to take on the challenge of running it.

RCYC Race Director Sarah Hancock, who is leading preparations for the next AZAB in 2027, said:

“We had such a fantastic line-up of speakers highlighting how the race has evolved over five decades to remain one of the premier short-handed offshore events in the sailing world and the only ocean race to always begin and end in the UK.”

Ocean Racing Before GPS

The first race in 1975 saw sailors rely on celestial navigation and their own expertise, with little or no electronic equipment on board. Sarah recalled:

“Happily the 1975 race saw no casualties although one competitor failed to find the Azores so had to turn round and sail for home!”

A letter presented by John Head from former Yachting Monthly editor Andrew Bray, another founder of the race, gave a vivid picture of the early challenges:

“Other than a liferaft and flares I had no safety aids, no VHF nor any other kind of radio transmitter/receiver… Safety, as many singlehanders attest, begins and ends in the head of the sailor.”

He also shared the stark advice of famed ocean racer Blondie Hasler:

“Anyone setting off across an ocean singlehanded should be prepared to drown like gentlemen.”

📷AZAB 2023 - FRIDA - by @paulgibbinsphotography

What’s Next for AZAB?

Despite advances in safety and technology, AZAB continues to attract both experienced and aspiring sailors. Around 80 former competitors attended the 50th anniversary event, along with several entrants from the recently completed Celtic Triangle Race – a recognised qualifier for AZAB 2027.

The next race is scheduled to start from Falmouth Harbour in June 2027, heading to Ponta Delgada in the Azores and back, covering around 2,400 nautical miles. The course offers rest, repairs and resupply in the Azores before the return leg.

The 2027 edition is already drawing interest, with over 80 expressions from sailors across seven countries. The event is open to cruisers and racers, single-handed or double-handed crews, and is known for its relatively affordable format. The ‘Notice of Race’ is available now on the AZAB website.

Sarah added:

“AZAB is so much more than an ocean race: it brings hundreds of competitors and their supporters into the very heart of our beautiful, historic Falmouth Harbour, from land and sea, and it’s so important and inspirational for our town.”

Plans for the next event include greater community involvement, working with local schools and businesses and potentially partnering with a marine or ocean charity. Sarah also called on Cornwall-based companies to come forward as sponsors and help bring the colour and excitement of the race to life for 2027.

For more information, visit www.azab.co.uk.