Ramsgate Week 2017 - Overall
by Martin Law 29 Jul 2017 11:38 BST
23-28 July 2017
The grand finale of Ramsgate week is the Gold Cup. As well as being the last series race, the Gold Cup pits classes of all handicaps against each other in an attempt to answer the basic question: are more expensive boats faster?
The answer seems to be yes but with a few notable exceptions. The IRC classes sailed an 18 nm mainly windward / leeward course which took the fleet to Deal and back in just over two hours. The wind started at 15 knots from the South West and built to well over 20.
At the front, Richard Matthew's Oystercatcher XXXI had a great battle with the Delft team in their Farr 30. At times Delft were reaching 18 knots downwind on a course that possibly favoured their symmetric spinnaker over an assy. Delft finished four minutes ahead to take the Gold Cup. They also scored a second in the IRC 1 series only one point behind Oystercatcher XXXI.
Gold Cup third place went to the IRC 2 boat Slingback (John Barrett and Paul Woodward) who have a had an excellent week, and a tight battle with Rod Oates and Gavin Mcgee's J105 Slingshot. Slingback managed to take the IRC 2 series by two points. Mike and Jo Brand took the series third place in their new X-34, Foxy.
This will be remembered as a week of tough conditions by the cruiser classes. Eleven boats did not make the start line due to a mixture of gear failure and general fatigue no doubt. An inshore route to Deal and back was chosen to shield the boats from the worst of the spring tide.
A gusty downwind leg home sorted out the finishing order. Another case of 'Who dares hoist their spinnaker'. John and Michelle Stonely of Pippy dared, and won the Gold cup. Mallard came second and Zephyros third.
The overall class 5 winner was Frank Barrett's Maverick, an Elan 333. 'Blown Away' was second and Rush third. Class 6 was won by the Netherlands Nicholson 33 skippered by Dennis Reijke. Howard Bates was two points behind them in the Westerly Fulmer, Mallard. Third was David Appleton's Impala Shoestring.
Class 7 was dominated by Bernard's Sealy's Westwind 38 Karibia Breezes. Second was John Syring's Morning Star of Hythe, an S&S 34 close followed by Avventura, a Franchini 43L owned by Mark Andrews and Jonathan Hague.
Full Results available at www.ramsgateweek.com/results-2017.php