IRC Double Handed National Championships at the Royal Southampton Yacht Club

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.

Overall IRC Double Handed National Champions 2016:
Meow (Contessa 26) Chris Charlesworth and Rob Gullan

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

Class 2

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

Class 3

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