Playing the shifts on final weekend of the Crewsaver Warsash Spring Championship

by Louise Nicholls 2 May 2018 07:26 BST 28-29 April 2018

SB20s fleet - Warsash Spring Championship © Andrew Adams, Close Hauled Photography

J70 Fleet - Warsash Spring Championship © Andrew Adams, Close Hauled Photography

As always with the wind off the mainland shore, big shifts were evident, and success in the final weekend of the Crewsaver Warsash Spring Championship 28/29th April on the Solent went to those boats who managed to play the shifts correctly.

Peter Knight Principle Race Officer White Group (WG) "This second Saturday played out much the same as the first. We got the SB20s and Quarter Tonners started, and then the Northerly wind shifted round to the left forcing us to delay the J/70 fleet whilst we moved the Committee Boat and re-set the start line".

Overall, it turned out to be a taxing days racing for competitors and committee alike with the wind continuing to shift and the committee moving start lines and adjusting courses to the breeze. The wind started to drop off later in the afternoon but rallied with six knots of breeze enabling all four WG races to run on the Saturday.

Although still offshore the wind on Sunday, the wind was further to the right and stronger, and the White Committee boat set up courses on a 020-degree axis. In the afternoon it built to 15 knots by the final race giving WG competitors a good blast to finish the Championship on.

In the White Group it was a very well done to Reach Around, "the new kids on the block" in the SB20 class followed by Sweaty Betty who once again found herself in second place.

There was no change in places in the J/70 class from last weekend with Calypso (Calascione/Ripard) winning, Soak Racing (Marshall King & Ian Wilson) in second and Jelvis (Martin Dent) in third.

Louise Morton's Bullit came first in the Quarter Tonner fleet with Cobh Pirate (Ben Daly) in second.

Black Group race committee were busy moving around the Solent and adjusting courses as well. To begin it set two windward/leeward courses each of 4-5 miles on the East Knoll bank from near 4N QXI International. However, as the tide began to drop it had to move the fleet down to the Ryde Middle Bank near 4U Fevertree. Then followed an unfortunate delay of three quarters of an hour as the wind shifted to the NW and it had to take the fleet further east to near 43 Wightlink to avoid the 10 boats racing in a Fast 40 class event who had set up in the middle of the bank. This meant there was no time for the planned fourth race.

Sunday was an easier day with the Black Group Committee boat setting up near 4W Goodall Roofing Courses were two "triangle-sausage" races each of around 8-10 miles using a mix of laid and fixed race marks and starting with beats to a laid mark inshore off Lee-on-the-Solent.

Warsash Spring Championship - photo © Andrew Adams, Close Hauled Photography

Peter Bateson, Chairman Spring Championship "It was a chilly day, but the sailing conditions were excellent and there was some great racing; all in all a good finish to the Series and Championship".

In Black Group the J/109 Jiraffe (Simon Perry) was once again piped to the post (by 1-point only) by the 2017 Spring Champions Jukebox (John Smart).

Raging Bull - Warsash Spring Championship - photo © Andrew Adams, Close Hauled Photography

The two King 40s Nifty (Roger Bowden) and Cobra (Mike Blair) vied for first place in The Royal Ocean Sailing Clubs Performance 40 Class (supported by North Sails) and the IRC1 class, but in the end, it was a repeat of RORCs Easter Challenge with Nifty coming out on top and Cobra in second place. The Crewsaver Warsash Spring Championship was the second of seven events in the 2018 P40 series. The next event in the P40 Series is the Royal Southern Regatta on 12/13th May and we wish everyone the best of luck.

Assassin (Prima 38 – Mark Brown) took IRC2 with podium place results throughout the weekend. No Retreat (Corby 33 - David & Jackie Riley) came in second, with Malice (HOD 35 - Mike Moxley) in third.

In IRC3 Elaine (Elan 37 - Mike Bridges) consolidated her lead from the first weekend of the Championship with firsts and a couple of seconds. Jester (J/80 - Mike Lewis) was close behind in second and Nightjar (J/92 - Jack Banks) in third.

Crewsaver Warsash Spring Championship - photo © Andrew Adams, Close Hauled Photography

The prize draw was presented by Tom Milne from Doyle Sails on the Sunday afternoon at the Warsash Sailing Club. Tom welcomed all competitors to come visit the Doyle sail loft at Universal Marina. The lucky winners were Jester who won a Helly Hansen Duffel Bag, Peggy who a won the Crewsaver Wet/Dry 75lt Holdall each, and Scarlet Jester who won the Doyle Sails holdall. All those class winners present at the Warsash Sailing Club after racing received a bottle of champagne from Doyle Sails.