IRC Solent Region Championship 2014 - Day 3
by Graham Nixon 16 Jul 2014 17:07 BST
12 July 2014
Saturday saw champagne sailing conditions for the third race of the Championship, which attracted an excellent number of entries with 38 IRC boats taking part. The size of the fleet, combined with the lively weather conditions, produced some very close racing.
The committee boat was on station in the vicinity of Hamble Yacht Services and the first course set was windward leeward, with Class 1 going to Wight Vodka and back to a gate close to the start line. Racing started on time with Michael Bartholomew's Tokoloshe (GBR1682R) leading the fleet away in class 1.
Classes 3 & 4 started together, on a similar but shorter course, to a black inflatable 1.1km on a bearing of 240 degrees and back through the gate – twice around. Then a short reach to finish, under spinnaker but extremely shy!
During the short lunch break, the wind started freshening for the second race, so many boats changed down to a smaller headsail. Then the second course was announced as around the cans. The course for Class 3 – Wight Vodka, West Ryde Middle, Flying Fish, HYS, Wight Vodka, HYS and a shy kite again to the finish line. It was an excellent race, amazing weather, warm, sunny and windy.
After racing, most of the boats retired back to the Hamble river, where the Hamble Games were in full swing, followed by a combined Games/Regatta party at the Southern, where the crews drank the bar dry!
With 16 boats in Class 1, this was a very competitive class and a joy to see the fleet crossing the Solent. Michael Bartholomew's Tokoloshe was 1st, Salvo helmed by Peter Morton 2nd and Class leader Zero II helmed by James Gair 3rd.
In Class 2 we had a new winner in Peter Hodgkinson's Xcitable, 2nd was Hot Rats helmed by Robbie Robinson and Julian Tickner's Aztec 3rd.
Class 3 has their largest fleet this season with 11 yachts. John Allen's Antix was 1st, 2nd was Adam & Nick Munday's Indulgence and 3rd another J97, Annie Kelly and Andy Howe's Blackjack II. Xarifa was a respectable 4th!
Class 4 saw only 2 yachts taking part, and the winner was Stan The Boat t helmed by Toby Gorman and the other Sigma 33, Allan Fraser's Prospero of Hamble 2nd.
Many thanks to the Royal Southern Yacht Club for organising this regatta – and especially for the weather. Race 4 in the Championship is 26th July at the Royal Yarmouth Taittinger regatta.
More photos are available