J/24 Worlds at Cannigione, Sardinia - Day 4

Report from Chris McLaughlin

Tight racing, a collision for Casale and a favourable jury decision

Day four of the J24 World Championship in Cannigione, Sardinia and three races were held to catch up the series. Race Officer, Peter Regio had stood down for the day and handed over to a local team. His humour and thoughtful explanation of intentions was sorely missed.

Race Six found the fleet on a long line which took the pin just short of the shoreline. Two General Recalls were followed by a clean start, with Southworth and Casale battling from the pin, left and middle in a 10-12 mph wind with multiple 20 degree shifts.

Southworth, sailing Inmarsat Hedgehog, led Casale in Fiamma Gialle around the mark and both hoisted. As the British boat pulled away, gusts brought US sailors, Mark Hillman in Wip through to second and Keith Whitemore in Furio, to third. Up the next beat Southworth extended his lead , while both Mike Ingham of USA and Dan Glomb of Brazil, sailing Bravissimo, got through Casale. Southworth took the gun on the first downwind finish of the day.

Race seven and the wind freshened to 15 mph, still with the 20 degree shifts now seen as normal in the bay. The Race Officer chose not to move the line and, following two more General Recalls, the fleet got away under a Z Flag.

Andrea Casale tacked quickly onto port and headed for the mark, followed just to weather by Ian Southworth. As the wind freshened the fleet continued to work shifts to the left in this most land-locked of courses to date. The course area is similar to a lake, surrounded by hills, with mountain areas behind. This makes gust cells drop from a variety of angles.

At the weather mark Casale tacked just clear of Southworth and in a reversal of the previous race, he led the British crew to the right on the run, extending his lead. Strong gusts found Southworth between the leader to the right and a rapidly gaining fleet now heading for the left shifts. Dan Glomb led Canadian Rossi Milev, sailing World J24 Class Chairman, Bob Turner’s Serco Headcase, together with Mark Hillman, through to leeward of the British crew, who slipped from second to sixth.

For the second beat, the Race Officer signalled a changed course to 255 degrees, but crews were surprised at its eventual position given that the angle from the port leeward mark was 255 degrees, but the mark eventually appeared well to the left of this. Down the final run positions remained unchanged.

Race Eight and freshening winds, with no change to the pin end. Rocks were a problem and the Race Officer didn’t seem to realise that it was not possible to lay the pin end, or that boats heading into shore would be quickly calling for water from a starboard tack, eighty boat fleet in 20 mph winds. Another General Recall and increasing collision avoidance should have alerted him, but didn’t. As the fleet lined up again, Casale was sailed into by another Italian boat on port, resulting in major damage and his immediate retirement for the day.

The next start was carnage with collisions and near misses all around the pin. Left was paying and the lead boats were those furthest to the shore. Inmarsat Hedgehog was one who had several lucky escapes as she started on port under the fleet near the pin end and threaded her way through the gaps.

Serco Headcase worked left and led around the weather mark from the Argentine’s Francisco Campero in Audi and Matias Periera. Italy’s Luigi Ravioli was between them and Southworth, who rounded sixth. Down the run most of the fleet stayed with Genoas, although this was a very marginal call. Working the right of the run Southworth moved up to third, then lost it to Matias Periera, who took a port gybe into a gust to go ahead.

On the final beat to the finish Genoas were very hard work in some of the gusts, but essential in the lulls between. Working middle and left, Campero passed Milev to take the lead, then Milev tacked to lee bow Periera and was rolled. Tacking behind the second Argentine, Milev found himself on a header.

As Southworth approached on a lift, the Canadian could only try another lee bow, but not being fully up to speed was again rolled, allowing Southworth to regain third.

An exciting, if occasionally random day.

In the protest room Andrea Casale sought redress arguing for average points based on his day’s results, rather than average points across the series. He claimed that it would be unfair for him to go into the last day not knowing his score. This gave him a fourth place for the third race and a six point lead on his nearest rival, Rossi Milev of Canada.

At the start of the final day, Casale is on 36 point, Milev 42 points, Southworth 50 points, Glomb 54 points, Santa Cruz 54 points, Hillman 55 points. Two races are scheduled with the start moving forward one hour, in anticipation of the Mistral wind returning today.

Report from Pete Ramsdale

The forecast was for 10 knots - the RC wanted to run three races so an early start. Wind started at 12 knots and built from there. We went with genoa for race 1 with the rig set for 10 knots - mistake! The breeze was a solid 15-18 and we really struggled in the gusts - couldn’t keep the boat flat and slowly but surely dropped behind the main pack.

Race 2 and wound the rig on a bit tighter, but stuck with the genoa. Went right which was ok, but again we were going sideways in the chop and the blasts off the hills. Changed to jib on the next downwind and that helped. Had a horror show with the spin on the last downwind and droped to the back of the pack - madde up a boat or 2 before the finish. At least one boat was on its side that race!

Last race - genoa off the line, and again struggled a bit up the right side. Again changed to jib as Becky spotted a large black cloud coming off the shore. Next 2 legs made gains on boats around us, and then a final upwind to the finish.

Very tired crew headed to a bar for sustenance - what a tiring day!

Two more races in the forecast 20+ knots tomorrow.

More information on the event website.