Raymarine Warsash Big Boat Spring Championship - Weekend 1
by Flavia Bateson 7 Apr 2008 16:22 BST
5-6 April 2008
Over 10 years ago the Raymarine Warsash Spring Series was extended to include a Spring Championship for sportsboats and later for “Big Boats”. 5th and 6th April saw the first weekend dedicated to the “Big Boats”. The 45 foot class was aimed at Farr 45s, Swan 45s, DK46s and Ker 46s. Boats needed to comply with IRC rules but raced level. The BB1 class was for boats with a rating of 1.090 or above and the First 40.7 class raced under IRC. Following the atrocious weather over the Easter weekend, the Commodore’s Cup Class 3 trials had been effectively lost. The RYA approached Warsash Sailing Club to run extra races for the three boats involved which the Club was happy to include. Windward/leeward courses were set for races lasting 50 to 60 minutes each time.
Saturday morning saw a brisk north to north-westerly breeze and a strong ebb tide, both of which faded as the day wore on. In the 45 foot class, the day belonged to Eamonn O’Nolan’s Farr 45 Freddie Freeloader. Nick Lutte just got Shockwave (DK46) to the top mark first in Race 1 but Freddie overtook her on the first run and extended the lead to the finish. The fleet was spot on with their start in Race 2. Shaun Frohlich’s Exabyte established an early winning lead but Freddie who came in second. Bernard Lambilloitte was unlucky when Nemo of Cowes had to retire at the bottom mark, sending a man aloft to sort out a halyard problem. Most of the fleet were a few seconds early at the start of Race 3 but they got away cleanly at the second attempt. Racing was tight throughout but once again it was Freddie that had the edge taking this and the fourth race to establish a good, but not invincible lead, on overall points. With just three boats competing in the Commodore’s Cup 3 section, Paul Jones sailing Passion cleaned up the first three races but lost out to David Richards on Prime Suspect in the final race.
The 20-strong BB1 class was an interesting mix of designs. Chernikeef, John Merricks II and Henri Lloyds Cutting Edge, being 50 foot plus, tended to get away from the others but the smaller boats also had their moments, without any one boat showing dominance. Cutting Edge lost time at the end of the first lap in Race1, dropping her down the overall standings significantly. The starts of Races 2 and 3 went without incident. Jerry Otter’s Erivale and John Dean’s pretty Poppy of Portland Marina could not be separated on handicap for Race 2 results, to share points for fourth place. The Dutch Grand Soleil 43 Roark had a good day, taking third place in three races. When the spray had settled, the RYA Volvo Keelboat Team were leading by half a point from Jerry Otter, with Neil Martin’s J/133 Jammy Dodger and Roark a couple of points behind. Seven 40.7s are contesting the Championship. Honours were fairly divided between three boats. First blood went to Nicolas Gaumont-Prat’s tfs Philosophie IV. Guy Prest helmed Tarka to wins in the second and third races whilst Andrew Iyer on Portia finished the day on a high taking the final gun.
The following day saw a freak hour long snow blizzard which was so severe as to cancel all racing. The Spring Championship for “Big Boats” continues on 19th and 20th April when it may be possible to recover one race in addition to the further six races cheduled to decide the final outcome.
The Raymarine Warsash Spring Series continues on Sunday 13th March 2008.
More information at www.warsashspringseries.org.uk