2016 IRC Double Handed National Championships

Three races in challenging conditions in the Solent gave Chris Charlesworth and Rob Gullan the title of Overall IRC Double Handed National Champions 2016. Meow, a Contessa 26, was the winner of Class 3 with three bullets. Each of the three races was won by a healthy margin.

Pipped to the post for the Overall Title, Andrew Roberts and Bill Edgerley also sailed their J105 'Jin Tonic' with considerable skill achieving three first places too, and in the process successfully defended their 2015 Class 2 title.

Class 1 saw three separate winners with Malice (HOD 35, Huw Phillips & Mike Moxley) winning the windward/leeward race, Hot Cookie (Sunfast 3600, Neil Martin & Philip Barnes) the 'Round the Cans' and Synerjy (J11s, Laurence & Oscar Mead) the 3-hour passage race.

Neil Martin and Philip Barnes with Hot Cookie showed the best overall performance and successfully defended their 2015 Class 1 title by just two points.

Past Commodore of Royal Southampton YC, Gordon Agnew presented the trophies after dinner at the RORC clubhouse in Cowes.

2017 will see an expanded format.

Class 1:

1st. 9pts, Hot Cookie (Sunfast 3600), Neil Martin & Philip Barnes
2nd. 11pts, Fastrak X (Sunfast 3600), Nick Cherry & Ed Fishwick
3rd. 12pts, Malice (HOD 35), Huw Phillips & Mike Moxley

Class 2:

1st. 3pts, Jin Tonic (J105), Andrew Roberts & Bill Edgerley
2nd. 7pts, Jangada (JPK 1010), Richard Palmer & Jeremy Waitt
3rd. 9pts, Just Plain Krazy (JPK 1010), Stephen Hills & Ian Knight

Class 3:

1st. 3pts, Meow (Contessa 26), Chris Charlesworth & Rob Gullan
2nd. 6pts, Hubble Bubble (H Boat), Dave Wright & Luke Bradley
3rd. 15pts, Chaser (Sigma 33), Dave Cheney & Tom Cheney