Victorious Velsheda Prove Perfect with Winning Finale on Home Waters
by J Class Association 1 Aug 2015 10:08 BST
31 July 2015
Winning all four races, capped by a come-from-behind victory today, Velsheda maintain their excellent record on what are considered the famous yacht's 'home waters' by winning the J Class at the Royal Yacht Squadron's historic Bicentenary International Regatta.
The regatta may have come in like a lion - strong winds preventing sailing for the first two scheduled days, and gone out like the proverbial lamb – Lionheart and Velsheda ghosting down through a shortened course finish today in a nail-biting, windless finale with only the tidal current helping them to the final winning guns of the week, but the renowned navy-hulled Velsheda sailed impeccably thorough the range of wind conditions to nail consecutive victories in each race.
In fact Velsheda was arithmetically unbeatable going into today's race which was set at 19 miles in the Eastern Solent, a beat in a building E'ly to Mother Bank followed by a series of short windward leeward circuits.
That their start was less than perfect and the chose the wrong side of the beat – erring to the mainland shore – mattered little as they came right back into the race on the final beat. They then took second when long time leaders Ranger were penalised at the last mark of the course and managed to compress right in to Lionheart as the breeze died away completely, winning on corrected time by 38 seconds.
Their fourth win was the icing on the cake for owner Ronald de Waal and the Velsheda crew lead by tactician Tom Dodson, and continues their success they tasted when the J Class last visited Cowes three years ago. "It is great to win overall and to win on handicap today." Said the Velsheda owner, "That really capped it off for us. We were on the wrong side after the start and got back into it and so it is a nice feeling to win here. This is where the J's heritage is, Velsheda's home, and so it very special indeed to win here." "It's probably old fashioned sounding to say this is down to teamwork and good tactics, but our crew work was good and when we made mistakes we made it back up. The boat is going well and we had her in the groove a lot of the time, everything fell into place as it should. If there were hiccups we recovered."
Velsheda started the regatta with an immaculate win in a breezy Around the Island Race on Wednesday, then composed back to back wins yesterday in the Eastern Solent on 14 and 13 miles circuits in 10-15kts of breeze and then completed their perfect scoreline today. The boat which was designed by Charles Nicholson in 1933 and won the King's Cup at Cowes in 1935, and was rescued from a Hamble mud berth and restored to breath-taking condition, proved quick across the wind strengths. "It wasn't how we planned it today. It was not good for the blood pressure at times but the result is a nice way to finish the regatta." Smiled Dodson the winning tactician. "But we are all absolutely rapt to win. Ronald and the crew did a great job. Finishing with a win is a little bit of a relief." "But we worked hard before the regatta and did a lot of work in the Solent, training for three days to get used to these weird mark roundings and the conditions. And Campbell Field (navigator) is as close to local knowledge as you can get, and he helped with some good calls today. Velsheda clearly likes it here as we won here three years ago and have done it again." "We are all happy. We have had plenty of races which have gone against us over the years so we take a win like today when it comes along. Campbell was a good, steadying influence. The boat is definitely going well, better than last season. And when Ronald and the trimmers really get locked into the good speeds like we have had, then we can do out stuff. And the crew work has been great and that always lets you have the confidence to push it in a little bit further."
Ranger – with Sir Ben Ainslie as a non participating guest today - lead for most of today's race after making the better start and staying with the stronger wind pressure mid channel on the first beat. Lionheart caught up to them on successive runs. But on the final beat Ranger tried to cheat the tide inshore at Lee on Solent. On the long tack out to the final mark they ended up bow to bow with Lionheart which crossed in front, having to tack up to the mark they fouled Velsheda in a dramatic port and starboard at the buoy and had to sail clear and make an expensive penalty. In taking second Lionheart finish runners up to runaway winners Velsheda. Ainslie, who clearly enjoyed the experience and looked resolutely into the middle distance when Ranger were penalised, commented: "It was really enjoyable day with John and the team on board Ranger, such a beautiful yacht with a great standard of racing."
Day 5 results:
1. Velsheda
2. Lionheart
3. Ranger
Day 5 results:
1. Velsheda, 3pts
2. Lionheart, 7pts
3. Ranger, 7pts