Ineos Solent Circuit 2013 - Overall
by Alastair Beeton 26 Nov 2013 13:36 GMT
24 November 2013
Series concludes with a classic race
Seven weekends of racing, seven different weather systems. The final weekend of the Lymington Town Sailing Club's Ineos Solent Circuit saw high pressure dominating the weather, with a northerly gradient breeze of around eight knots and overcast skies.
With one race scheduled for the handicap classes and Folkboats, the race committee set a short beat to the Caldwells moveable mark to port, followed by a reach to Pylewell and a long run to the George Hotel mark, just east of Yarmouth. Subsequent legs saw the yachts sailing windward / leeward legs across the Solent, before a final beat to the finish. With the flood tide under their port bows, yachts were lifted up to the start line.
The first three classes got away cleanly, but the competitors in Class 4 were a little too enthusiastic, with almost all the fleet being over the line at the start the race officer called a general recall. After a short delay the restart saw two boats over the line, Robert Weguelin's Egor returned to re-cross, but Martin Wilson's Salamis carried on and was scored OCS.
In IRC Class 1 Cornel Riklin's J111 Jitterbug led the fleet at the first windward mark, however having left their navigator in the bar, a couple of errors at mark roundings saw them losing first place and having to fight back through the fleet. Chris & Hannah Neve's Beneteau First 35 No Chance took line honours and first on corrected time.
In IRC Class 2 the battle for overall honours continued with Bob Bakers X332 Brightwork taking a final win to keep David Lees and his crew on Hephzibah at bay.
Roger Harford's SB20, Red Kite sealed their position as winner of the Marlow Ropes Lymington Spit Trophy for best overall series result with their fifth win of six races in Class 3.
Racing under the new National Handicap for Cruisers scheme (NHC) the competitors in Class 4 enjoyed some of the closest racing of the series. Despite some issues with gear failure Charlie and Olivia Roberts Contessa 32, South Haze took line honours, but it was the Richard Breezes' diminutive Hunter Sonata, Impro, which claimed the win on corrected time.
A close series for the Folkboat fleet saw the rivalry between Edward Donald's Madelaine and Chris Hill's Padfoot continue. With a reversal of fortunes, it was Madeline who claimed victory in the series with a final race win. The RS Elites sailed two races for the final day. With a short course of two rounds per race, Martin Wadham's Kiss won race one and Mike Rapson's E'Tu won race two.
On completion of racing, competitors returned to the club for prize giving for the final race and series overall. Prizes were generously donated by Harken UK and North Sails and were presented by Club Commodore, Nick Ingram. This was followed by the draw for the charity raffle, which raised in excess of £1000 for Oakhaven Hospice Trust. LTSC would like to thank main event sponsor INEOS, supporting sponsors Harken, Rathbones, Lymington Yacht Haven, Caldwells and Ringwood Brewery as well as all raffle prize donors.
Overall Results and Trophies:
Class 1 IRC
1st No Chance, Chris & Hannah Never & Peter Schofield - Ineos Trophy
2nd Team Boomerang, Ray Crouch
3rd Jitterbug, Cornel Riklin
Class 2 IRC
1st Brightwork, Bob Baker – Wadworths Plate
2nd Hephzibah, David Lees
3rd Colleen, Allan Hill
Class 3 NHC
1st Red Kite, Roger Harford - The Camper & Nicholson Trophy and Marlow Ropes Trophy
2nd Rollercoaster, Denis Bates
3rd Bonni Lady, Richard Jenner
Class 4 NHC
1st Googleye, Pat Stables - The Rathbones Trophy & Antler Rose Bowl (First lady helm)
2nd South Haze, Charlie Roberts
3rd Tokeloshe, Harry Ellens
Folkboats
1st Madelaine, Edward Donald – The Yacht Haven Plate
2nd Padfoot, Chris Hills
3rd Strider, Andrew Salanson
RS Elite
1st Kiss, Martin & Amanda Wadham – Ineos Trophy
2nd E'Tu, Mike Rapson
3rd Flying A, Anthony Duggan