Warsash Spring Series - Day 1
by Flavia Bateson 15 Mar 2010 18:08 GMT
14 March 2010
Perfect start
Glorious sunshine and a steady breeze made for a perfect first day of this year’s Warsash Spring Series on 14th March. Competitors in the 170-strong entry list were out bright and early, some putting into practice lessons learned during a Jim Saltonstall training session organised by the Royal Southern Yacht Club the day before.
Black Group comprises four IRC classes plus one design starts for J/109, J/105 and J/92. The committee boat set up station between East Bramble and Universal Marina buoys. IRC1 had a laid windward mark near Calshot cardinal buoy with windward/leeward legs cascading to a finish at West Knoll. Niklas Zennstrom’s Farr 45 Ran made a near perfect start and then drew steadily ahead to take line honours, but Paul Turner’s lower rated Artemis (Grand Soleil 43B) was close enough to win on handicap. This was an excellent beginning for Artemis which is a Rolex Commodore’s Cup triallist. A significant wind shift towards the north then caused a postponement whilst the courses for the remaining classes were re-orientated. Enthusiasm to get under way was reined in and all classes got away first time.
IRC2 had an intriguing battle. Great Scott IV (Eurof Philips – Elan 410) took an early lead but this was gradually eroded over the next few legs as both Andrew Iyer’s Portia and Sailing Logic’s Visit Malta Puma overtook. These three boats pulled away from the pack and crossed the line within seconds of each other but with her more favourable handicap, Portia came out on top.
There were newcomers to IRC3 including a pair of Beneteau First 35s. The rating band ran from 0.955 up to 1.029, with the Elan 380 Brio the scratch boat. This range also included Aindriu McCormack’s X-99 2XS, successful winner of IRC4 in 2009. A short initial beat to Hamble Yacht Services found nine boats in close contention with many calls for water. Tom Snowball’s Beneteau 34.7 Mongoose came out best, was first to round and complete a fast spinnaker hoist. As the wind increased, touching 18 knots, there were decisions to be made on the best sail plan to get through the livelier sea state. The Bateson family’s Dehler 36 Starspray took line honours but dropped to third on handicap, giving Charles Wittam’s X-34 Juno a first place followed by Elaine. Results further down the list were also close with eighth to tenth places separated by under a minute. Sigma 38s were also racing in IRC3 with double scoring. This week it was Peter and Fiona Diamond’s Rapscallion which headed this level-rated group.
The family of J/Boats in Black Group has increased this year by J/92s joining the J/105 start. Interestingly the finishing times of the two classes overlapped, showing that a better sailed small boat can keep up with the larger J/Boat design. The class wins went to Jos of Hamble (Roger Williams) and Jammin (Andrew Campbell). In the J/109s David and Kirsty Apthorp continued where they left off last year by sailing J-Dream to victory. The smallest handicap class, IRC4, was given an earlier start from the Laser SB3 committee boat closer in shore. This group includes, amongst others, Sigma 33s, Mustang 30s, First 31.7s, half and quarter tonners. Early indications show a very competitive class. Michael Fawcett helming his Mustang 30 Hobby Horse hit the front early but again the chasing pack closed in and by the finish line Tim Rees and Derek Morland’s Menace III pipped him by 15 seconds. Crackajax (Richard Hollis and Ursula Bagnell) finished third but tied for second place with Hobby Horse on handicap.
Following the successful pattern of the past couple of years, White Group is split into two separate courses. The Laser SB3s races are run by Peter Knight with the J/80s and SBR Sportsboats under the care of Jon Spencer. Although the number of SB3s currently entered is slightly down at 39, the quality of racing is still very high. In addition to the regulars, the class had four French teams racing on the day. They were loaned boats by Solent owners and will be assessing whether the Laser SB3 should be established as a fleet in France. After two clean starts the third race saw two boats called OCS, including Race 1 winner Chris Jennings in Selden Masts. Race 2 winner 3 Sad Old Blokes (Jerry Hill) retired with minor damage to the foot of his mast. This left Geoff Carveth, holder of many titles including last year’s Spring Series champion, to take the final gun of the day.
In the J/80s another trophy holder from 2009 was competing but sadly this time Charles Somerset in Loudwater had to retire from the final contest having gained third place in the preceding races behind Terry Palmer’s Just Do It and Elle S’Appelle helmed by Thor Askeland. Mark Baskerville and Steve Sault took the final victory on board Hoolingkazan.
Back at Warsash Sailing Club after racing, the weekly class winners were presented with champagne whilst everyone enjoyed a well-earned rest and time to catch up with sailing friends at the beginning of the new season. Provisional results have been published on the Warsash Spring Series website but are subject to updating when remaining 2010 ratings are notified.
The Warsash Spring Series runs on Sundays until 25th April, with a break for Easter. New entries are welcome and enquiries can be made to Warsash Sailing Club on 01489 583575, www.warsashspringseries.org.uk
Provisional Day 1 Results:
IRC1 Artemis (Grand Soleil 43B) Paul Turner
IRC2 Portia (First 40.7) Andrew Iyer
IRC3 Juno (X-34) Charles Wittam
IRC4 Menace III (Quarter Tonner) Derek Morland and Tim Rees
Sigma 38 Rapscallion, Peter and Fiona Diamond
J/109 J-Dream, David and Kirsty Apthorp
J/105 Jos of Hamble, Roger Williams
J/92 Jammin, Andrew Campbell
Laser SB3
Race 1, Selden Masts, Chris Jennings
Race 2, 3 Sad Old Blokes, Jerry Hill
Race 3, GBR3053, Geoff Carveth
J/80
Races 1 and 2, Just Do It, Terry Palmer
Race 3, Hoolingkazan, Mark Baskerville and Steve Sault
Sportsboats
Races 1, 2, 3, Artificer (Hunter 707) Southampton University OTC/REME YC
IRC Class 1 Report (from Richard Tricker)
12-21 knots breeze, bright sunshine and a 2 hour match of snakes and ladders ensued in IRC Class 1 on the Mothers’ Day weekend Spring Series opener.
The start line saw a good start from Niklas Zennstrom’s slick new Farr 45 Ran, with the Grand Soleil Artemis slotting in behind, in the dirty air and drifting off to leeward. The J122 Jolly Jellyfish added insult to injury by sailing over the top of the Grand Soleil, pinning them on starboard all the way up the first beat.
All the boats reached the windward mark in Rating order and Ran shot off to the left on Port, back down to the starting area. Jellyfish went off deep to right. Artemis followed Ran some distance behind and the three boats split. Ran sailed a good minute past the leeward mark when suddenly realising their error, smoking the halliards and dropped the kite bare-headed mid-round-up.
Artemis, still following a good way behind immediately flipped over onto starboard and came in superhot just in front of Jolly Jellyfish. Ran, now beating to the mark, caught up and followed quickly after. She proceeded to overtake the J122 and the Grand Soleil to establish a solid lead on the water by second third of the new windward leg.
The penultimate downwind leg saw some tussling for position as Jellyfish and Paul Turner’s Artemis entered a luffing match. The two boats match raced within half a boat length for second half of the 2 mile leg. This exciting skirmish ended in Jolly Jellyfish being rolled to Leeward by the symmetrical kite of Artemis, only to then run over their own a-sail in a panicked early drop. Artemis was clear away and the race looked over.
Despite some interesting antics on the foredeck of Artemis, Jellyfish could not recover quickly enough and take much out of the now 6 minute lead on the water. Ran was a long way ahead and sailed a solid race to get the gun.
An astonishing 12 minutes later Artemis took glory with second on the water and 1st on handicap by nearly a three minute margin.
Artemis has made a confident start to the spring series, with another win thanks to excellent crew work and another stunning appearance from Will Robinson, who will be appearing next weekend on Magic Mix but has promised another appearance at the Red Funnel Easter Regatta.
A great days racing to start the season off but it was a quiet beginning to the class 1 entry list in this year’s Commodore’s cup campaign.