Brewin Dolphin Jersey Regatta - Overall
by Bill Harris 14 Sep 2012 11:27 BST
7-9 September 2012
The fourteenth combined clubs' Jersey Regatta, the fifth sponsored by Brewin Dolphin © William Harris
By anybody’s standards, the fourteenth combined clubs’ Jersey Regatta, the fifth sponsored by Brewin Dolphin, held in St Aubin’s Bay over the weekend, 7th to 9th September, was an outstanding success. With a record number of boats on the water, fair winds and plenty of sunshine this stunning event proved to be as memorable as any of its predecessors.
Proceedings opened to light easterlies on both Friday and Saturday, as forecast. Despite the marginal conditions the race programme was completed on Friday but the disappearance of any breeze Saturday afternoon saw the abandonment of several races although sufficient races had been completed to enable the day’s trophies to be snapped up. Sunday was a different story with a welcome moderate westerly breeze accompanied by slight seas throughout the day.
With two races scheduled for each of the seven classes on Friday and three for each of eight classes on Saturday and Sunday, both competitors and race officials looked forward to a challenging weekend.
As usual, the race fleet was split with cruiser and F18 sport-catamaran races run under the auspices of a race committee comfortably accommodated aboard the States of Jersey tug, Duke of Normandy (undoubtedly the smartest committee boat around) setting windward-leeward courses in the south of the Bay. Operating independently towards the beach, a second race committee set rectangular olympic courses for the dayboat, dinghy and open sport-catamaran classes. With over a hundred boats racing, accompanied by committee boats and RIBs not to mention spectator boats, the Bay was a busy and spectacular place indeed.
Although the greatly increased numbers can, in part, be accounted for by strong growth in the dinghy fleet it was pleasing to see increased numbers in other classes. Whilst clearly enjoying a the Regatta atmosphere, the event brought out the essential competitive spirit with much excellent cut-and-thrust racing across the board, from the experienced racing folk in their fast cruisers to the keen young sailors in their Optimists. The protest committee can vouch that skippers were taking things seriously, with their services in demand each evening.
Top performers in the fast cruiser class were Alex Ohlsson and Neil Maclachlan with their J-109, Jai Ho, winning the June Kingham and Ken Budden Trophies on Friday and Saturday. David Jones’ and Guy Pipon’s First 34.7, Jackana, took the Commodore’s Cup on Sunday relegating Jai Ho to second place. Rhys Perkins and partners’ Archambault 35, Abracadabra, had to settle for third each day. Allen Brown and partners’ Melges 24, The Dog’s ……..!, the only sportsboat to enter, raced with the fast cruiser putting in the fastest times on Friday and Saturday to win the sportsboat trophies, the Bill Coom and 1st Elfin Cups.
Ben Rogers and David Howell’s newly-acquired Conrad 760, Tom Bombadil, revelling in the light conditions had a clean sweep in cruiser class two to take the St Helier YC Cruising and Nautilus Trophies and the Tregear Cup, with Peter Crabb and Peter Williams’ Starflash, Jackflash, and Steve Pearl’s X-79, Less Xpense, featuring in second and third places throughout the event. Less Xpense was second overall.
Nick Querée’s First 260, Poc’han, was the overall winner in cruiser class 3 taking the Mavourneen Trophy and Bolitho Urn whilst French visitor Patrick Carcaillet and Jacques Morvan’s Sun Odyssey 42i, Moustique II, opened proceedings on the Friday, winning the Tom Lee Memorial Trophy. Chris Fritot’s Hunter Sonata, Rondo, was second overall.
The dayboat class saw Mike Harrison’s La Rocque OD, Jigsaw, take the 2nd Elfin cup on the Friday but it was Richard Gale at the helm of the 100 year-old+ Cherbourg OD, Moana, who won overall, taking the Wings and RNVR Trophies on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Jigsaw was second overall.
In the F18 sport catamaran class, Adrian Jesson and Bruce Steedman won the Fotosound trophy on Friday, sailing their Hobie Tiger Hobie 68, to finish the weekend second overall. Darren Stower and Laurence Carter came into their own thereafter, winning the Fairy and Lazard Trophies to win overall.
Yvonne Winspear and Jonty Gales carried the first day in the Open Sport-catamaran class, winning the massive Ratner Trophy, sailing the Hobie 16 3 Shades of Grey but it was to be Gordon Burgis who shone thereafter to take both the Caprice Salver and Gaiety Bowl and overall honours on Hobie 16 Pure Energy. Also sailing a Hobie 16, Ches la Vie, Luc Richard and Tom Harris clinched second all three days to finish second overall.
Ollie Voak, sailing the RCIYC’s cadet fleet’s Hobie Dragoon 1077 won the junior sport-catamaran Day 1 Shield on Saturday whilst Robyn Stuart’s Dragoon Bobby Cat won the Day 2 Shield to take the overall result. Tom Carey sailing the Dragoon Sonny G was second overall.
Top performer in the fast dinghy fleet was Martin Speller sailing his Laser Standard Liquid Logic, winning the Pop Langlois and Canadian Club Trophies on Friday and Sunday respectively to take the overall top spot. Justin Horton, sailing his Streaker Stormbird took the coveted ancient Howard Trophy on Saturday. Mark and Rosie Lamy, on the RS200 Twinkle Toes, with three second places was second overall.
In the junior dinghy class, Peter Raimbault won the Mirror Shield on Friday evening, sailing his Optimist Slipstream II whilst William Holden on his Optimist Whatever! clinched the Nick Orchard Trophy on Saturday. It was last year’s winner, however, David Raimbault sailing his Optimist More Mischief who took the Enterprise Trophy on Sunday and the overall top spot. Whatever! was third overall.
The Regatta included a busy and very enjoyable social programme that culminated in a prize-giving extravaganza in St Helier Yacht Club on Sunday evening. The Club was packed to see the Island’s Lieutenant–Governor General Sir John McColl and Lady McColl join forces with Mr Jamie Matheson, Chairman and CEO of Brewin Dolphin UK to present the dazzling array of silverware, Brewin Dolphin Best-in-Class Trophies and winners’ prizes. Mr Colin Taylor, Commodore of St Helier Yacht Club, thanked all those who had participated in and contributed to the event whilst Regatta organiser Bill Harris brought the event to a close by thanking the honoured guests for their participation in the proceedings.
For full results see www.shyc.je/Jersey-Regatta/
A diary note; the fifteenth combined clubs’ Jersey Regatta is scheduled for 13th to 15th September 2013.