J/24 'Premier Noss' Dartmouth Spring Cup

The first event of the J/24 2018 year took place over the weekend of the 28th and 29th of April. The event was hotly contested by an entry of 9 boats, with conditions ranging from a slow drift on the first day up to 20+ knots of breeze on the second day. The only thing that remained consistent was the temperature, an (un)seasonably cold 6 or 7 degrees C.

The first race was started against the tide in a light and shifty north-easterly breeze. A wind shift shortly before the start resulted in a significant bias to the committee boat, resulting in some interesting starting techniques, particularly from Jawbreaker who hoped for the tide to create a gap; it didn't! The race was won by fleet newcomer Dave Hale in Cacoon, with Nick McDonald/Johnny Allen second in their new (to them) boat Mojosi and James Torr third in Majic.

The second race was started in similar conditions to the first. However at the end of the first beat, the breeze fell away to almost nothing as the fleet tried to round the windward mark. Four boats made it round before the wind died, leaving the remainder of the fleet to struggle round against the tide. Cacoon won this race also, with Majic second and Jawbreaker third.

As the wind had now disappeared completely, race officer Richard Stevens wisely declared the end of racing for the day.

The fleet awoke the following morning, not only with fuzzy heads, but also to the forecast 20 to 25 knots of breeze, again off the land from the north-east.

The first race of the day started cleanly, the tactic seeming to head left under the shore in less tide. However, at the top of the beat, Majic appeared from the less favoured right to be first round. She held this position until the finish, with Jawbreaker second and Jam Too (Austen Davies) third. Cacoon came in fourth, leaving her on equal points with Majic going into the final race.

The last race again started cleanly, surely a record to not have any general recalls or black flags all weekend! Perhaps everybody is still a little dozy this early in the season. Mojosi worked their way to the front to lead all the way round, while further back, Cacoon and Majic were locked in a match race for overall victory. Mojosi increased her lead to finish first, with Jawbreaker again second, and Legal Alien (Alan Harris- Guerrero) showing good speed to come in third. Approaching the finish, Majic appeared to have got the better of Cacoon. However Majic, thinking there would be a third round, failed to pass through the line, allowing Cacoon through to take overall victory.

Congratulations go to Dave Hale and team in Cacoon on winning their first J/24 regatta, surely a team to watch in the future. Also congratulations to James Torr in Majic for pushing Cacoon all the way to the end, one mistake off the title!

The J/24 fleet wishes to thank sponsor 'Premier Noss Marina', race officer Richard Stevens and his team, and chief organiser Mike Mackie, without whom the event would not take place.

Overall Results: