Welcome to the official NORTH SEA YACHT RACE Website.

Last year the North Sea Yacht Race celebrated its 25th race, however, due to a general decline in interest in long distance racing, it has been agreed by the organising committees that the race will not be held in 2009.  If you would like to take part in an event between Stavanger and Banff in 2010, please contact us as we can only put on an event if there is sufficient interest. 

We would like to see the race continue and would like to thank all the skippers, crews, sponsors, local organisations, business and by no means least the hard working race committee and sailing club members who gaveup their free time to ensure each event has been a great success. 

We look forward to hearing from you.

2008 Race Rasults:

The full results are available on the Results page and can be downloaded here

North Sea Trophy:

1. Erin, John Murphy, Port Edgar

2. Lovinda Too, Svein Mathiesen, Stavanger

3. Necesse, Odd Svendsen, KNS

4. Bua, Oyvind Misje, Egersund

5. Apollon, Odd Olsen, Stord

6. Ocean Girl, Arild Haraldstad, Brevik (Retired)

Nicholson 32 Class:

1. Melady Fair, Steve Brockman, Banff

2. Oosta, Tristum Woolston, Banff

Cruising Class:

Orosay, Gerry Hughes, North Berwick

Winsome, Stuart Brookes,Lossiemoth (Retired)

Arrival at Stavanger:

All the yachts have now arrived at the finish (all times Norwegian):

Erin 02:53, Apollon 08:37, Lovinda Too 09:49, Necesse 11:46, Bua 13:30, Orosay 15:00 and Melady Fair at 23:39 on Monday.  Oosta finished at 03:30 on Tuesday morning.  Winsome has retired to Fraserburgh.

Yachts Pass Sleipner (Sunday 29th June):

All the yachts have now passed Sleipner platform: Erin 12:55, Apollon 13:20, Lovinda Too 15:10, Necesse 15:55, Bua 16:25, Orosay 16:40, and Melady Fair 21:15 and Oosta 00:15 (Monday). Winsome has retired to Fraserburgh with a technical problem, all crew fine.

Many thanks to StatoilHydro and Anne Britt Lokkevik, Radio Operator on Sleipner, and the crew of safety vessel Neptun for helping with the safety reporting.

Race Start - 28th June:

The yachts left Macduff harbour at 11am on Saturday 28th June in preparation for the race start at 12 noon.  A large crowd gathered along the quayside to cheer the competitors off in warm sunshine, with a brass band from Turriff playing tunes from James Bond.

On the line, Apollon from Stord made a good start in the light northeasterly breeze, but last year's race winner, Erin from Port Edgar, took the lead with Lovinda Too and Necesse from Stavanger close behind.  Bua from Egersund enjoyed the light conditions along with Orosey from East Lothian, followed by Winsome from Lossiemouth and Melady Fair and Oosta, a pair of Nicholson 32's from Banff Sailing Club, as the yachts set a course past Collie rocks and on to Stavanger, 280 miles to the east.

And they are off!!

Many thanks to Isabella Fortune for starting the race as Committe Boat

Norwegian Yachts Arrive in Macduff

Please take a look at the updated Gallery for pictures from 2006 & 2007 races. 

A full programme of events is planned for Macduff prior to the race - see the "Events Diary" page.   Don't forget that Stavanger is European City of Culture 2008 (jointly with Liverpool) so there will be plenty to do when you arrive in Norway.

We are considering a "cruise-in-company" or musters in Norway after the race.  Please contact us is you are interested.

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In 2008 we will be celebrating the 25th North Sea Yacht Race. 

We hope you will be able to partake in the race, or at least come and join in the pre-race activities at Macduff or after the race at Stavanger.

As usual there will be a number of events based around Macduff harbour, including a market with local and continental produce, stalls, children's activities and the local RNLI lifeboat, as well as music and ceilidhs at local venues and a pre-race party for entrants.

The yachts will muster in the habour from Wednesday 25th June and there will be a "parade of sail" as the yachts leave for the start on Saturday.

The race will start mid-day on Saturday 28th June 2008 in Banff Bay, North East Scotland. After a short leg to clear Collie Rocks, the yachts head out 280 miles across the North Sea for Tungness Lighthouse on the west coast of Norway and then turn into Byfijord for the short leg to the finish line at Stavanger.

After the race, the crews will join in Stavager's celebrations as joint European City of Culture for 2008.

If you have any questions, please use the "Contact Us" link.

We look forward to seeing you at Macduff and Stavanger in 2008!

2007 RACE:

The 2007 Race was a huge success, with 19 yachts taking part. Starting from SKUDENESHAVN , Norway, the yachts left on Saturday 1st July at 15:00. The first boat to cross the finishing line was HEI MATEAU skippered by Tom McLuskie from Port Edgar arriving in the Banff Bay on Monday evening at 18:57. Overall race winner was John Murphy, also from Port Edgar, racing "Erin" a Sun Odyssey 49R.  Full details are in the results section of the website.

   NORTH SEA YACHT RACE 2008

The North Sea Yacht Race is YOUR  event, any comments or suggestions would be much appreciated.