Please select your home edition
Edition
Ovington 2021 - ILCA 2 - LEADERBOARD
Product Feature
Rooster Diamond Overhead Buoyancy Aid
Rooster Diamond Overhead Buoyancy Aid

J/121 wins IRC 1 in RORC Channel Race

by J/Boats 31 Jul 2021 19:32 BST 24-25 July 2021
Michael O'Donnell's J/121 Darkwood - RORC Channel Race © Rick Tomlinson / RORC

The penultimate race to take place before the famous RORC Rolex Fastnet Race was the Channel Race this past weekend. The race is often seen as the final test and "practice race" for crews fine-tuning their boatspeed, sail choices, and boat-handling skills prior to the "new" Fastnet Race that starts in the Solent, goes west out and around Fastnet Rock Lighthouse, but then heads back east across the English Channel to finish in Cherbourg, France!

With great anticipation, a number of top J/Teams were hoping their season long focus on improving offshore performance was beginning to pay dividends in their continual process of improvement. One team could not have been happier with the outcome of their efforts this offshore season. Winning IRC 1 Division was Mike O'Donnell's J/121 Darkwood. They have been leading IRC 1 Division overall for the season and the win simply added to their series lead.

In the IRC 2 Division, having one of their strongest races to date in the RORC offshore series, was Andy Theobald's J/122 R&W, taking fourth place.

Mike Yates' J/109 Jago also had one of their best outings offshore, taking the silver in arguably one of the toughest divisions in the RORC summer series- IRC 3 Division. What is remarkable about their performance on a 20-year-old design? They missed winning the top spot on the podium by 26 seconds by a brand-new Sun Fast 3300 design! Similarly, just 14 minutes back was Maxime Mesnil's J/99 Axe Sail finishing in fourth place. J/109 teams sailed very well in this race, with Fiona Cook's Jolly Jack Tar taking 7th and Kevin Armstrong's Jazzy Jellyfish placing 9th.

In the relatively large IRC 4 Division, J/109s continued to show their mettle for being a two-decade old design. David McGough's Just So missed winning the race by a mere 12 minutes. And, missed taking the silver by just 4 minutes...or third place by a scant 17 Seconds! Ugh! You can hear the groan when you can quantify where you lost that 17 seconds! Not that far off the pace was Rob Cotterill's J/109 Mojo Risin', finishing 9th.

In the IRC Doublehanded Division, amateur J/Boats owners as a group crushed it...as Corinthians racing against Professional teams on Sunfast boats. McGough's J/109 Just So finished 4th, Mike Yates' J/109 Jago 6th, and Maxime Mesnil's J/99 Axe Sail 9th.

More RORC Channel Race sailing information here...

Related Articles

RORC Myth of Malham preview
Part of IRC Two-Handed National Championship and Cowes Offshore Racing Series The 2025 RORC Myth of Malham Race is set to be a thrilling chapter in offshore sailing, marking the sixth event in the RORC Season's Points Championship—the world's largest offshore racing series. Posted on 20 May
Amp-lifi leads the charge in RORC De Guingand Bowl
Round 1 of the IRC Two-Handed National Championship The RORC De Guingand Bowl Race marked the fifth race of the 2025 RORC Season's Points Championship—the world's largest offshore racing series. It also served as Round One of the IRC Two-Handed National Championship. Posted on 19 May
The appeal of offshore
Is there still appeal? Have we made it too onerous? Why would someone take it up now? I had been pondering. Yes. Marquee events have no issue attracting entrants. Middle Sea, Transpac, Cape to Rio, Fastnet, and Hobart all spring to mind instantly, but what of the ‘lesser' races? Lots of boats in pens (slips) a lot of the time Posted on 18 May
Exposure Marine Fastnet Race Kit Video Review
A set of 3 torches specifically designed for offshore racing crews It's a huge year for offshore sailing, and arguably the biggest event of the summer is the Rolex Fastnet Race. Within an hour of entries opening the Royal Ocean Racing Club had received a record 435 yacht registrations. Posted on 14 May
RORC De Guingand Bowl Race Preview
Over 75 boats are expected to be racing as the IRC Two-Handed Nationals begin The RORC De Guingand Bowl Race marks the fifth race in the 2025 RORC Season's Points Championship—the world's largest offshore racing series. Posted on 13 May
Race hard, sail fast, experience the unforgettable
The countdown is on to the 2026 RORC Caribbean 600 Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with the Antigua Yacht Club, the 17th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 will start in Antigua on Monday 23rd February 2026. Posted on 12 May
Tshcüss 2 eyes Transatlantic Race line honors
The competitors will cover a distance of approximately 3,000 miles Many people find comfort in the familiar. Not Christian Zugel, who spent his youth in landlocked southern Germany, but discovered, late in life, a passion for blue-water ocean racing. Posted on 8 May
Cervantes Trophy Race
Drift to Drag Race The RORC Cervantes Trophy Race delivered a dramatic shift in conditions that tested skill and strategy from the very start, followed by raw pace for a spectacular finish. Posted on 5 May
Harken Official Supporter of 2025 Admiral's Cup
This historic international yachting regatta returns in July Harken, in conjunction with Harken ProCare, are proud to announce that we will be an Official Supporter of the highly anticipated 2025 Admiral's Cup. Posted on 1 May
Transatlantic Race 2025 Preview
A North Atlantic adventure like no other The Transatlantic Race 2025 from the East Coast of the United States to the shores of the United Kingdom stands as one of sailing's most time-honored and demanding challenges. Posted on 25 Apr