January 18, 2023
Scott Shawyer (left) and Alan Roberts arrive in Grenada taking 2nd line honours
Canada Ocean Racing’s final results:
Finish: 18 Jan 2023 03:07 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time)
Elapsed time – 9 d 12 h 57 m 53 ss
5th in All Boats
2nd in Line Honours Monohull
7th in IRC Overall
2nd in IRC Super Zero
2nd in IRC 2H (double handed)
Just this summer Scott Shawyer was showing off his brand new endeavour, Canada Ocean Racing’s refitted IMOCA 70, and outlining his planned adventure to hometown audiences. Now, just months later, he has delivered on the team’s promise taking 2nd place line honours for monohulls in the RORC Transatlantic Race from Lanzarote to Grenada, which departed Europe on January 8. This significant accomplishment is just a step on the way to competing in what is considered the toughest undertaking in sailing, the singlehanded Vendée Globe around the world race in 2028.
Below: These shots of Scott Shawyer sent by satellite during the race show what sort of intense operation he has taken on
Scott Shawyer is committed to the mission and is building his campaign with the assistance of mentor, Alex Thomson, British five-time Vendée Globe veteran, who assisted with bringing the boat to competitive standards and stood beside Shawyer on the goodwill tour to five Canadian stops.
Below: The boat is a 70, but Alan Roberts and Scott Shawyer must work in an extremely confined space
COR’s 2023 schedule includes four events including double handed and fully crewed crossings. For this RORC event, Shawyer was joined by Alan Roberts, himself a Vendée Globe aspirant and accomplished sailor. Shawyer sees the team’s double-handed accomplishment as highly significant. “The double-handed races are the biggest steps forward in my journey towards the Vendée Globe in 2028. For me, pushing performance is key alongside developing this team as a commercially viable operation, and we are making great progress in both areas.”
Below: Meet the competition – Line honours went to the fully crewed I Love Poland
