RORC Griffin – Offshore opportunities
The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Jeanneau Sun Fast 3600 Griffin, GBR 8936, competing in the 2025 Cherbourg Race.
Georgie Corlett-Pitt hears from Figaro sailors Ellie Driver and Ollie Hill on how they’re shaping their own pathways, and discovers how RORC’s Griffin Project is offering solutions for the generation following them…
In the short time since covid lockdown halted her British Youth Squad 420 campaign, 23-year-old Ellie Driver has more than made her mark. Last year she completed La Solitaire du Figaro and the Paprec Transat on her Figaro 3 Women’s Engineering Society; previously she was the youngest skipper in the Round Britain and Ireland Race, sailing doublehanded with her dad, Jim Driver, on their SunFast 3300 Chilli Pepper. Add a couple of Fastnet Races and numerous RORC events, and it’s impressive stuff.
Ellie says: ‘That there was a narrative around my age or me being female, at the time, it felt like my ability was always being questioned. But once you’ve done it, you can’t be told you can’t do it!’
Recalling a conversation with Maiden skipper, Annie O’Sullivan, as part of The Magenta Project’s mentoring programme, Ellie explains that this gave her self-belief to pursue her 2032 Vendée Globe dream. ‘I was terrified to even say it, but Annie’s response was “Brilliant. OK, how?” There was no doubt in her voice.’
So, after a win at the Women’s Doublehanded Offshore Euros and second at the Worlds, then graduating with her MEng, Ellie relocated to France to train with the Lorient Grand Large Figaro fleet – a gamechanging opportunity to experience a professional campaign environment.
‘As a young person, particularly as a female, there’s so much value in seeking out experience so you can ultimately be picked on merit. While at pro level quotas are opening opportunities, there is still huge scope to broaden the talent base further and get more women involved. Training in France, for me, has been a way to fast-track my experience at a level that doesn’t currently exist in the UK. The Figaro is small enough (just) not to discriminate physically – Charlotte Yven, for example, achieved second in La Solitaire – and the professional approach to campaigning there means gender simply isn’t an issue.’
Also training in France is 25-year-old Ollie Hill, Ellie’s co-skipper for the Transat Paprec. In his own solo campaign on Connected by Water, Ollie made a remarkable La Solitaire debut, finishing first international skipper, fifth Rookie and 19th overall; his ultimate ambition is to top the Figaro class.
According to Ollie, lack of opportunity is not exclusively a female issue. ‘Naturally, lots of opportunities fall to older, more experienced sailors or, particularly in pro classes, those with connections.’ He adds that the demise of the Artemis Offshore Academy, and more recently the RYA’s BKA, created a void in British offshore training. Those following earlier graduates Sam Goodchild, Will Harris and co have since had to find their own pathways.
One scheme now hoping to re-adress this however is the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Griffin project, targeting RORC members aged 18-30 and offering them high-level offshore race training.
Last year’s Fastnet Race was a great success for Griffin, skippered by Nicole Hemeryck, in challenging conditions.
That the project is chaired by Jim Driver is no coincidence; after Ellie switched to solo campaigning, Jim, who admits he’s not good at standing on shore, says, ‘I was looking for a new challenge, wanting to give back… The timing was perfect.’
Under Jim’s careful leadership, together with input from Charles Derbyshire of Fourth Cape and others, Griffin set two strategic aims: jump-starting the careers of aspiring pro sailors, and up-skilling talented dinghy racers through experience of competing offshore.
Continue reading over on the Sea Horse website: HERE
