Dubarry J/24 Europeans at Parkstone Yacht Club - Day 1

Three races and a host of teams called OCS on the first day of the Dubarry J/24 Europeans at Parkstone © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.co.uk

Day one of the Dubarry J24 Europeans saw the successful completion of three races in light and sunny conditions.

The postponed first race started after early morning fog had cleared and the wind had settled down. By 12.00pm, there was a flat sea and a gentle Sw breeze of about 6-8 knots.

The fleet got off to a clean start with an individual recall only. Ian Southworth in Hedgehog led at the windward mark, followed by a local Westerley J, 'Speedy Bean' helmed by John Dowty. Jon Powell in Peggy was third and Serco Defence and Stouche fourth and fifth. By the second rounding of the windward mark Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson in Volvo was fifth. Stuart Jardine in Stouche was OCS, and having not heard this on his radio, did not return. The finish saw Southworth first, Powell second and local boat 'Jam' third.

Race 2 did not start until after 3.00pm with several general recalls and the race officer, Brian Drake coping admirably with shifty and tricky conditions.

15 boats were black flagged including; Southworth, National Champion David Ellis, Robertson, Ben Williamson in 'Rumble' and several European competitors.The newly slimmed down fleet had a close race in an increasing breeze, and was led at the finish by Serco, followed by Jam Two and Team Gul.

The conditions were now perfect; a SW 3 -4, bright sun and a flat sea, and despite it being after 4.00pm, the Race Committee made the most of the great conditions and the fleet sailed a third race. This time only three boats were disqualified at the black flag. These were Robertson, Jspot from Holland and Superliga from Sweden.

Local Westerly 'Speedy Bean ' again excelled and led at the windward mark, followed by 'Hedgehog' and Cerco. At the finsh Hedgehog won followed by Cerco and Speedy Bean in third place.

Day Two will start with several eminent sailors having to sail without discards, and with Serco, Team Gul, local Poole sailors Duncan McCarthy and John Dowty, and 'Rotoman' from Germany as the top five boats.

Update from Chris McLaughlin, Hedgehog:

A hot day for Hedgehogs

Parkstone Yacht Club in Poole, Great Britain is host to the 2006 J/24 European Championship. Following a delay of an hour for early morning fog to clear, the fleet of 43 boats set off for the internationally renowned bay.

This was to prove a frustrating but ultimately exciting day as the breeze varied from 3 to 12 mph across the three races held on the first day.

Pre-regatta form leaders include double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson and Ian Southworth, the current J24 European Champion.

Shirley, in a J24 for the first time, had served notice on the fleet by running away with the practice race, before in time honoured fashion, not passing through the finish line.

But for the opening race, it was Southworth in his 1987 built, Hedgehog, whoi showed the fleet round the course. Leading from start to finish he crossed the line two and a half minutes ahead of the second boat, John Powell, making a welcome return to the fleet in Peggy and Ala Benet in Jam, fourth was John Dowty in Speedy Bean. Shirley Robertson opened her scorecard with a fifth place in light conditions.

Race two began in slightly stronger breeze andf two abandoned starts were followed by a black flag which saw eleven boats, including Southworth and Robertson on the Blackboard. Comments Southworth “ It was a very challenging start and we won the pin, so I know we weren’t over. We have asked for redress, but sometimes this happens in racing”.

The second race finally got away on the forth attempt and Al Clarke led from start to finish in Headcase, holding off an initial Challenge from Stuart Jardine in Stouche and then from Ronny ball, sailing Jam Two. Third was the always fast, Roger Rabbit, driven by Gavin Watson and fourth, Stefan Karsunke in Max Bahr, a German fleet entry. Another German boat, Rotoman took fifth, although for this regatta it is driven by Greg Wilcox, a leading New Zealand Etchells racer.

Race three after a long wait, saw Southworth storm off the line for the port side of the course and then a tack to the layline. He led from start to finish from Serco and the Speedy Bean team, Stuart Jardine held onto forth place from the new fleet members Jiggy with it – the team from Truro College.

Shirley Robertson had a horror of a day, recording another black flag.

Said Ian Southworth “ What great racing we are having these boats are so even and there are a number of competitors with an equal chance of winning the title. Now where’s the Guiness?!”

Results after Day 1: