Dubarry J/24 Europeans at Parkstone Yacht Club - Day 3

A hard of racing in a fresh Southerly breeze on day three of the Dubarry J/24 Europeans at Parkstone © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.co.uk

A hard of racing in a fresh Southerly breeze on day three of the Dubarry J/24 Europeans at Parkstone © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.co.uk

What a difference a day makes, after yesterday’s light and sunny conditions, Wednesday showed Poole Bay in a different light.

A fresh southerly breeze, and the infamous short Poole chop meant the J 24‘s had a hard days racing, and at the end of play there was a fair amount of damage to repair.

Race 6:

Started on time with the fleet getting away cleanly, the boats were fairly evenly split between jibs and genoas, and at the first mark the first six boats sported three jibs and three genoas between them, first round was Team Gul, followed by Hedgehog, Stouche, Serco, Sayonara and Volvo.

Several boats miscalculated the strong tide at the mark and ended up either hitting it or tacking onto port, Madeline lost several places, and Rotoman from Germany lived up to her name, taking three penalty turns, but honesty paid, and she recovered 13 lost places by the finish.

Owens J was damaged, and Max Bahr from Germany retired from the regatta with major damage.

At the end, Hedgehog won from Team Gul and Stouche.

Race 7:

Increasing wind meant that the majority of the fleet had changed to jibs; even rougher seas took their toll, with Jam losing her rudder and having to sit out the rest of the days racing behind a mother boat.

There was an even split from those going left and those going right, but the tide had by now decreased and there was less obvious advantage, it was however windier the nearer you were to the windward mark, but also much flatter and less choppy inshore, so a very taxing day for most.

Despite this the ‘regulars’ got it right and Hedgehog won from Serco and Team Gul

Race 8:

By now the whole fleet, with two exceptions had changed to a jib. Speedy Bean and Volvo being the exceptions, but to quote every physics teacher, would the exception prove the rule?

The first start was recalled, with virtually the whole fleet bulging over the line, on the restart only Rolling Stock had to return, the wind was now a solid 14-17 knots, and windier further up the beat, Serco rounded first, followed by Volvo powered by her genoa, then Hedgehog and Team Gul.

A breezy run in a large sea produced an exhilarating ride, with a lot of place changes. After a second beat, with only Volvo holding her genoa now, the order had changed to Hedgehog, Serco and Volvo. Just before the finish one of the Volvo crew slid off during the gybe, but Simon Fry rescued the wet crew, and Volvo held on to her third place.

After three days of racing Hedgehog is solidly in the lead with five first places, and Serco and team Gul second and third, but Stouche and Madelin both had an average third day to leave third, fourth and fifth places very open.

Update from Chris McLaughlin, Hedgehog:

Hedgehog rolls on…

Ian Southworth and his team on Hedgehog dominated racing today at the J24 European championships. Winds of 15 -20 mph gave lively racing with big waves. Two competitors went for involuntary swims and two boats were damaged in collisions. The current European Champion was also granted redress following his rule 62 protest after being black-flagged in the second race.

Race Six and Southworth led from the start to the middle and right of the course, picking the lay line and leading from Falmouth boat, Team Gul and from Stuart Jardine in Stouche. Down the run Stouche and Serco chased hard in surfing conditions, with Dutch J24 champion, Ivo Kok in J Spot making a return to form, after two black flag starts on the opening day in fifth place.

Positions were unchanged over the ninety minute race.

For Race Seven, Al Clarke in Serco had found pace as the breeze strengthened and he was to challenge Southworth throughout the second race. In strong surfing conditions with rolling waves, the two battled both up and downwind, with both boats evenly matched. Serco is also known as Headcase and was the chosen boat for two of J24 legend, Ken Read’s World titles. In third place was Team Gul, enjoying the windy conditions, followed by David Ellis in Hitchhiker. Greig Wilcox in German entry, Rotoman placed fifth.

Race eight and the strongest winds of the day and Al Clarke won the charge to the weather mark, with Shirley Robertson in second place. Robertson had chosen to go with Genoa and did well to hold pace in the difficult steering conditions. Hedgehog rounded third, but on the spinnaker hoist got a wrap which had to be cleared. Al Clarke broke clear, as the three boats surged and rolled down a building sea. Robertson and Southworth fought each other down the run. Southworth took the left hand side of the beat and crossed Robertson toward the top of the beat and closed distance with the leader, Clarke.

A fascinating battle followed, with Southworth choosing a left hand lane down the run. Each wave was worked on as the two boats struggled to break from each other. It was a final push by Southworth that grabbed the finish gun from Al Clarke. Shirley Robertsons took third from Wilcox of Germany and fleet newcomer, Gareth Robertson in J-Whizz.

Said Ian Southworth “ This has been a great days racing. Al Clarke and his team are really great in these conditions and it was fantastic to see Shirley up there in heavy winds. There can be nothing more difficult than stepping into a class with a club boat, a new crew and with all eyes on you”.

Southworth leads the series with eight points from Al Clarke on thirty points and Gavin Watson, Team Gul, on forty three points.

There are four more races scheduled.

Results after Day 3: