A HEART-stopping 13 seconds settled one of the closest offshore races in recent memory as the RORC Cervantes Trophy Race delivered a Channel thriller from Cowes to Le Havre.

Starting off from the Royal Yacht Squadron line on Saturday, the 110 nautical-mile race once again underlined the Isle of Wight’s central role in cross-Channel sailing, with Cowes providing the launchpad for a fleet locked in a tactical battle for more than 20 hours.

Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with France’s oldest yacht club, the Société des Régates du Havre, the race is a cornerstone of the early-season offshore calendar.

The Cervantes Trophy Race also marked the opening round of the RORC Cowes Offshore Series.

After a delicate Channel crossing in light airs and shifting winds, the overall IRC result could scarcely have been closer.

Nicolas Dezeustre’s Sun Fast 3600 Princesse Gotionude II emerged the winner, by a margin of just 13 seconds on corrected time, from Nick Martin’s Sun Fast 3600 Diablo, sailed double-handed ,with 21-year-old Joe Slipper.

Sam White’s fully crewed JPK 10.80 Mzungu was third, only 100 seconds behind, with Derek Shakespeare’s J/122 Bulldog a further 14 seconds adrift in fourth.

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Less than two minutes covered the top four, after a race shaped by constant strategic decisions from The Solent to the French coast.

Monohull line honours went to Greg Leonard’s Class40 Swift, which completed the course in 17 hours, 32 mins and 28 seconds.

First IRC boat home was Graeme Lewis’ CM60 Venomous, while Peter Coote’s Dazcat 1295 Slinky Malinki topped both the multihull line honours and corrected time.

The finish in Le Havre carried special resonance, given the shared history between the French hosts and Cowes-based offshore racing.

The prizegiving was attended by flag officers from both clubs.

Diablo’s Nick Martin summed up the mood.

“Thirteen seconds is just bizarre,” he said.

“Second overall by that margin hurts a little, but really I’m thrilled. It was proper Channel racing, and Cowes gave us the perfect springboard.”