J/80 UK National Championship at the Royal Southern Yacht Club - Day 1
by Louay Habib 19 Sep 2015 07:55 BST
18-20 September 2015
Racing on day 1 of the J/80 UK National Championship © Royal Southern YC / Louay Habib
The first of three days competition for the J/80 UK National Championship was held in highly changeable conditions in the Eastern and Central Solent. PRO Stuart Childerley and his team aboard Angus and Annette's Swan 38 Kuutar, delivered four excellent race courses to the J/80 fleet. After two races, an angry sky manifested to the west bringing thunder and rain. Once the viscous squall had passed, the wind settled in the southwest for the third race and by the fourth and final race, a sea breeze kicked in to enhance the gradient wind to a good 15 knots.
The first race was held in a light northwesterly breeze and with a positive tide, the first start was a conservative one for most. However, Yannig Loyer's French team, racing J out of the Box, nailed the pin end and extended on the first beat to lead from start to finish. Terence O'Neil's Aqua J showed great pace downwind, finishing second with the J/80 Raymarine Championship leader, Jon Powell's Betty, in third. Race Two was won by Mike Lewis' Jester, with a great start at the committee boat end aiding their performance. Ray Apthorp's Jezebel from the West Mersea YC was second with Craig Niven's Isle of Wight based Jasmine in third.
After the first two races, the skies darkened over Southampton Water and the heavens opened up. Race Control informed the fleet that there would be a short postponement to let the new breeze settle. The second half of the day's racing was blessed with superb conditions; watery sunshine and a building southwesterly breeze.
Yannig Loyer's J out of the Box continued to impress, winning the last two races to establish a four point lead for the championship. Mike Lewis' Jester finished the day in second place, having notched up a consistent 4-1-3-3. Jon Powell's Betty was second in Race 3 but a fifth in the last race of the day, pushed the team down to third after four races. Laurence Orchard's young team racing Boysterous finished the day's racing with a second, lifting the Royal Southern Academy Team to fifth, jus a point behind Terence O'Neil's Aqua J.
"We are all from France but work in London." commented Yannig Loyer, skipper of J out of the Box. "We moved the boat to the Royal Southern about two years ago, so we know the J/80 fleet well. The racing today was extremely well managed with great courses in very shifty conditions. I would say that the main reason for our success today was getting good starts and at the right end of the line."
"The team has only been together for a weekend, so we are chuffed to bits." smiled Jester's main sheet trimmer, Jeremy Troughton. "We had good speed today, both upwind and downwind, and the winning race today was about getting the start right and nailing the first shift. The courses are quite short, so it is very important to get away well on that first beat.
Tomorrow the J/80 fleet will be joined by the J/111s, who will also be contesting their National Championship, as part of the AVEVA September Regatta. Over 500 sailors will be racing with the Royal Southern YC tomorrow, including production racer/cruisers, one design classes, sportsboats, classics and high performance carbon flyers.
The Royal Southern YC will be a hive of activity during the weekend, including full english breakfast, crew suppers and a themed beer festival at the Upper Bar during the weekend, which will be available to all competitors. Regular blogs including video action will be posted on www.facebook.com/RoyalSouthernYC
For full information visit www.royal-southern.co.uk