Land Union September Regatta at Royal Southern Yacht Club - Overall
by Louay Habib 20 Sep 2021 06:00 BST
17-19 September 2021
The final day of the Land Union September Regatta, hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club, was blessed with better wind than forecast, producing a grand finale for the Royal Southern Summer Series. Congratulations to all eight class winners and especially Glyn Locke's Toucan (RTYC), which is the 2021 HP30 Class National Championship.
Class winners were presented with Land Union Trophies by Lutz Strangemann at a prize-giving held at the Royal Southern Yacht Club, Commodore Robert Vose announced the winners. Congratulations to Tony & Sally Mack's McFly (RSrnYC), Team Knight Build's Happy Daize (RORC), Phil Plumtree's Swuzzlebubble (WMYC), Michael Bartholomew's Tokoloshe IV (RSrnYC), Jonty Sherwill's Cockleshell (RSrnYC), Timothy Dickinson's Jelly Fish (HISC), and Peter Baines's Felix (HRSC).
Full results can be found here...
Black Group - Regatta PRO Peter Bateson
HP30 CLASS National Championship
Scoring six bullets from nine races, Glyn Locke's Farr 280 Toucan was crowned HP30 Class National Champion for the second occasion. Lucian Stone's FarEast 28 Vendetta held onto second place by a single point from Jerry Hill's Farr 280 Moral Compass.
"It is great to be racing in a very competitive ten boat fleet," commented Glyn Locke, who races Toucan with two sons and family friends. "Alex drives, while Anthony trims and the crew work was excellent, as it had to be. To come out on top in tricky conditions took a real team effort. I have to say very well done to Lucian and his team on Vendetta." Alex Locke added, "Fantastic racing for everyone, thanks to the Royal Southern Race Team, and Joe Hall from HP30, for the organisation!"
IRC ONE
Tony & Sally Mack's J/111 McFly scored two race wins on the final day to win the big boat class. Michael Blair & Stevie Beckett's King 40 Cobra, with Hannah Stodel at the wheel, finished the regatta in second place. Ian Atkins IC37 Icy scored a 3-1-2 on the final day to finish third, just a point behind Cobra.
"This has been a terrific season for McFly and it's all down to great teamwork," commented Tony Mack. "McFly has always been a very quiet boat, we trust in each other, even when things are not going are way. There are always moments in a regatta which can make a massive difference, and before one particular wind shift today, Jeremy (Smart) made a correct early call and we passed about five boats."
CAPE 31
Mike Bartholomew's Tokoloshe IV was the winner by three points from Russell Peters' Squirt. Johnny Cooper's Fanatic was third but only on countback from Lance Adams' Katabatic. Tokoloshe IV was competing in its first regatta with a crew all from Hamble, but the Capetonian Mike Bartholomew has been racing the Cape 31 for several years.
"Table Bay has different conditions to The Solent, in so much as there is often more sea state," commented Mike. "For this regatta, we had quite light winds and flatter sea, so a very different type of racing. My son David and all of the crew have raced the Cape 31 quite a bit, and that time on the water really gets your boat speed up."
IRC TWO
There was no stopping Team Knight Build's J/112E Happy Daize, skippered by James Chalmers. Scoring six straight wins at the regatta, finishing with a perfect score. Mike Moxley's HOD 35 Malice and Mike Bridges' JPK 1010 Elaine Again had been locked in a close duel all regatta. On the final day, Malice held on to take second on countback from Elaine Again. Dirk & Dianne van Beek's J/88 Sabriel Jr was fourth.
IRC THREE
Phil Plumtree's Half Tonner Swuzzlebubble was unbeaten going into the last race having secured the class win. Olly & Sam Love's SJ320 Frank3 finished the regatta in style, winning the last race to take second in class. Becky Walford's J/92 Brenda's J was third.
"Thank you to all the team at the Royal Southern, the race officers and the starting and finishing line yachts' owners and all of the others who have made this happen. We've had a great weekend." Commented Led Pritchard on behalf of the Swuzzlebubble crew.
CLUB CLASS
Jonty Sherwill's Cockleshell won all six races in the class after VPRS time correction. It has been a tremendous season for the Classic Dayboat, built in 1926 by Jonty's father-in-law, AJ Barber. Cockleshell has won all of the races that it has contested in Club Class. Teresa Whelan's X342 Xarifa was second for the regatta. Graham Chase's immaculate J/95 Just Is was third.
White Group - CRO Tom Rusbridge working with by Tanya Robinson
J/70 CLASS
After nine short sharp races in the J/70 Class Sprint Series, Timothy Dickinson was the winner. Jelly Fish won the last two races, holding off a spirited challenge from Jonathan Calascione's Calypso. Tony Dickin's Jubilee was third, just a point ahead of Land Union's Lutz Strangemann racing Geisha. The close racing was exemplified by the fact that just one point separated the pecking order for every boat second to ninth. Timothy Dickinson's Jelly Fish is new to the J/70 class and races with his wife Stephenie. Their son Finley, who is just 18, and a real protégé in the Laser, drives Jelly Fish. His friend from the Laser circuit Charlie South makes up the team of four.
"The J/70 Class is really competitive and that was the main reason we have bought the boat," commented Timothy. "Next weekend it's up to Sunderland for Finley and Charlie to compete in the Laser, and I doubt we will be getting free beer and frankfurters as we did at the Royal Southern! The J/70 Class and the 'Southern have been so welcoming, and we have really enjoyed the regatta. We have been racing at Cowes Week in the class, so we have had a bit of time on the water. I have to say it is really exciting racing, and we hope to compete in some of the big events, such as the Europeans in Cascais and the Worlds in Monaco."
XOD CLASS
Peter Baines' Felix scored two race wins on the final day to wrap up victory in the XOD Class. Gary Rossall's Little X won the final race to finish in second place. Andrew Bates' Iona scored two podium race scores to finish the regatta in third.
Royal Southern YC Commodore, Robert Vose closed the prize-giving with a wish of thanks to Land Union's Lutz Strangemann for supporting the regatta for a third year. Lutz was roundly applauded by all of the sailors. The vibe from hundreds of competitors taking part has been excellent race management with a great atmosphere ashore. The Land Union September Regatta was the final event of the Summer Series. Winners of the series will be awarded prizes at the Royal Southern Annual Prize Giving, held on Saturday 30th October 2021.
For more information about the Royal Southern Yacht Club www.royal-southern.co.uk