Mike Birch was a Canadian navigator. There are no public records that show that Mike Birch had children.
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Birch was 44 years old when he competed in his first transatlantic race, the OSTAR from Plymouth, England to Newport, Rhode Island. He took part in seven Rhum editions.
Birch raced for many decades, finishing every edition of the solo Route du Rhum at the age of 71.
He finished ninth in his final race in 2002, after finishing third in 1982 and fourth twice, in 1986 and 1990.
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He continued to race double-handed for a longer period, taking part in the two-handed Transat Jacques Vabre in 2007, with American co-skipper Rich Wilson on the Open 60 Great American III, and the 2012 TWOstar race with Franco-American sailor Etienne Giroire, aged 81, on a 60ft trimaran Eure-et-Loir.
Mike Birch passed away on 25 October 2022, at the age of 90. Race organisers said he died “peacefully” at his home in northwest France on Tuesday night.


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