IRC Solent Region Championship 2014 - Day 5
by Solent IRC Owners Association 18 Sep 2014 14:30 BST
13 September 2014
IRC Solent Region Championship day 5 in September 2014 © Graham Nixon
21 IRC boats in four divisions had entered the first day of the Battle of Britain Regatta. Classes 1 and 2 were combined as were Classes 3 and 4 for the racing held off Hill Head in an Easterly breeze of about 10 knots, sunshine and an east going tide.
The first race was a windward/leeward but with the Hillhead buoy added into the first run making for an interesting downwind leg across the tide to Wight Vodka.
In Class 1 Zero II sailed by James Gair led the way well clear of Rupert Morgan in Xinska and David Riley in No Retreat. Corrected times kept the same result.
In Class 2 Julian Tinker in Aztec gained line honours with Peter Hodgkinson in Excitable just behind and Stephen Parry in Kurketrekker third having been squeezed out at the finish. Excitable took the race on corrected time.
Class 3 was led by Kit Buck in Tinker T with Bo Jangles (James Bedford) second and Teresa Whelan in Xarifa third. Corrected times kept the same result.
In Class 4 whilst Joker (Edward White) had line honours Flashheart took a close race on corrected with Crakajax (Richard and Ursula Hollis) third.
The second race was a zig-zag windward leeward course across the tide, which was now beginning to ease. The wind was beginning to get rather shifty with some stronger gusts, as things warmed up and the sea breeze began to build.
Zero II took line honours in Class 1 but not by enough to allow Xinska and No Retreat to take first and second places on corrected time, all within 40 seconds!
Class 2 also had a close race with Aztec taking the line hours but being beaten by Kurketrekker on corrected time. Xcitable was third. All within a minute on corrected time.
Class 3 was again dominated by Tinker T winning by a clear margin from Xarifa with Bo-Jangles in third.
The Class 4 race was a close affair with Joker winning on the water from Flashheart and Crakajax. But Flashheart pushed Joker into third on corrected time.
As the sea breeze and gradient wind began to fight each other, the wind went very light, but our brave RO Kathy Smalley, managed to get short windward/leeward course started, but even this was rapidly shortened at the second mark.
The Class 1 fleets was led by Zero II from Xinska and No Retreat to take the Day 5 Class 1 Series.
Xcitable showed the way in Class 2 with Kurketrekker second ahead of Aztec.
Tinker T wrapped the Class 3 series up with another win over Xarifa with Tiger in third.
Jim Webb in Flashheart took the race by 1 second on corrected from Joker with Crakajax third, enabling him to take the series.
A big thank you to the RAFYC for hosting this event, and to Kathy for getting in the three races in some trying conditions.