Please select your home edition
Edition
Henri-Lloyd Dynamic Range

RORC IRC National Championship - Day 2

by Louay Habib 20 Jun 2021 07:42 BST 18-20 June 2021

The Royal Ocean Racing Club's IRC National Championship continued with a second day of racing in the Solent. Three windward leeward races in 5-10 knots of easterly breeze, produced contrasting conditions to the wet and wild northerly wind from the opening day. The tight technical course put more emphasis on boat handling. Starts are always important but in light airs, getting away into clear air becomes paramount. With tide pushing the boats towards the line, a total of six boats were called over the line for the start of Race 6. Two wind shifts during the day gave the mark layers a proper work out, as well as the RORC fleet.

The IRC Class leaders after six races remain unchanged but the devil is in the detail: Niklas Zennström's FAST40+ Rán, Stuart Sawyer's J/122 Black Dog, and Adam Gosling's JPK 1080 Yes!, lead their classes at the RORC IRC National Championship.

IRC One

Niklas Zennström's FAST40+ Rán leads the class by a single point from Peter Morton's GP42 Jean Genie. Hamilton & Gillon's GP42 Khumbu won the last race of the day to place third in class, just two points behind Rán. With two races scheduled for tomorrow, the top three teams are all in the hunt for the national title. Peter Morton's GP42 Jean Genie scored a 1-1-3 on Day Two, including coming back from an OCS in Race 4. Jean Genie's Dave Lenz explains how. "Sometimes it is better to be lucky," commented Lenz. "We were over the line and forced onto Port, straight into a right hand shift with pressure, that got us back into it and we managed to find a lane with good pressure for the run."

IRC Two

Stuart Sawyer's J/122 Black Dog retained the class lead with a 3-1-3 today. Rob Bottomley's Mat 12 Sailplane broke Black Dog's winning streak, winning Race 4, to finish the day second in class. A race win for Russell Peters' Cape 31 Squirt, lifted the team up to third. There was also a race win for Lance Adams' Cape 31 Katabatic.

"We haven't sailed that much but we are really keen," commented Black Dog's Stuart Sawyer. "The crew work has been brilliant. This is our eleventh year as a team and that togetherness builds trust, plus we have Nick Rogers doing tactics, making some great calls."

IRC Three

Adam Gosling's JPK 1080 Yes! failed to shine in the first two races of the day, including a premature start in Race 4, but took the win in Race 6 to retain the class lead for the championship. Howell & Newell's A35 Arcus, reigning IRC Overall National Champion, scored a 2-2-3 to climb up to second, just 3.5 points behind Yes! McNamara & Lowe's First 40.7 Incognito won Race 5 and finished the day third in class.

When asked about the OCS call in Race 4, Adam Gosling joked that they hadn't dried out properly form the soaking on the first day! "We still had water in our ears," smiled Adam. "We set ourselves up a bit too early and we didn't get the timing quite right. It's all about learning how to get better at it. This is our second weekend sailing in two years, we have to remember how it all works, and today it was about trying to find those lower gears in light airs."

Racing at the Royal Ocean Racing Club's IRC National Championship concludes Sunday 20th June with two further races scheduled for the regatta. News and images are posted on RORC social media. For live results updates and more information: www.rorc.org

Full results available here.

Related Articles

ORCV Women's Helm Race changes everything
Rachel Mcguigan charged in—eyes up, hands on, no time to waste Some people drift into sailing. Rachel Mcguigan charged in—eyes up, hands on, no time to waste. Posted today at 7:41 am
Celebrating 50 years of AZAB
Royal Cornwall YC host gathering of Azores and Back competitors Yachtsmen and women from around the world gathered at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club to celebrate 50 years since the Club's "Azores and Back" (AZAB) yacht race first set off from Falmouth Harbour. Posted on 3 Jul
Unforgettable Transatlantic Race 2025 finish
First to arrive was Ocean Fifty Calamity, co-skippered by Timo Tavio and Kimo Nordström. It was rush hour in Cowes on Day 15 of the west-to-east Transatlantic Race 2025, as boats crossed the finish line in Cowes within minutes of each other after an epic 3,000-mile battle for top honors in IRC 1. Posted on 3 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race: Offshore classics set to race
IRC Zero has a rich seam of ocean-going history running through it IRC Zero has a rich seam of ocean-going history running through it. While French round the world race legend Jean-Luc Van Den Heede (aka VDH) isn't competing in the Rolex Fastnet Race, two of his former steeds will be on the IRC Zero start line. Posted on 2 Jul
Four days to start the 5th AEGEAN 600
The fleet has a wide range of sizes and types represented Nearly all 60 teams are assembled here at the Olympic Marine venue getting ready for the start of the 5th edition of the AEGEAN 600, organized by the Hellenic Offshore Race Club (HORC) with co-organizers being Olympic Marine and Region of Attica. Posted on 2 Jul
An evening with the Scaramouche Sailing Trust
Sailing hasn't always been a sport for inner-city state schools like the Greig City Academy Sailing hasn't always been a sport for inner-city state schools like the Greig City Academy (GCA). But they've shown it can be accessible to everyone, with amazing results. Posted on 2 Jul
Admiral's Cup 2025 | Interview with the CYCA Team
A highly experienced team for the revived Admiral's Cup regatta from July 17 The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is fielding a highly experienced team for the revived Admiral's Cup regatta that will be run from Cowes on the Isle of Wight in the UK, from 17th July 2025. Posted on 1 Jul
Luna shines bright in 2025 Morgan Cup Race
This was a truly international fleet with the majority of the teams from the UK and France The start of the Morgan Cup Race was a spectacular sight with over 100 boats beating to windward into the Western Solent for the fourth race of the Cowes Offshore Racing Series and the 11th race of the 2025 RORC Season's Points Championship. Posted on 30 Jun
Summer Series at Royal Temple YC race 3
RORC and EAORA fleets converge on Ramsgate in the Cannon Ball race The combined RORC and 14 boat EAORA East Coast Race fleets converged on Ramsgate in the Cannon Ball race from Ostend on a Fastnet qualifier race on Saturday 28th June. Posted on 30 Jun
Introduction to the Admiral's Cup/Fastnet 2025
After a 22 year abscence, the renowned Admiral's Cup is back. After a break of 22 years, the renowned Admiral's Cup is returning to the international yacht racing scene in July 2025. One short ocean race, three days of inshore racing, and then the fabled Fastnet to finish Posted on 29 Jun