Please select your home edition
Edition
Haven Knox-Johnston Commercial

Warsash Spring Series - Day 1

by Peter Bateson 20 Mar 2023 13:54 GMT 19 March 2023
2023 Warsash Spring Series Day 1 © Peter Bateson

Day 1 of the 2023 Warsash Spring Series for IRC boats started with sunny intervals in about 10 degrees which seemed quite warm after the snow of a few days earlier. With a satisfactory force 4 breeze from the WSW, Race officer Peter Bateson and his team got racing under way on time at 1030 on an east-going tide on Sunday morning. Two races were scheduled.

The first was a windward-leeward course of 4 legs totalling 5 miles for IRC classes 1 and 2, with half a mile less for IRC class 3. The start was a third of a mile NE of John Fisher buoy, with East Knoll buoy used as the windward mark. The Cape 31 The Bodfather (Charles Whelan) led the way in 51 minutes and all in the three classes boats were back within 62 minutes.

In a tight finish on corrected time, Class 2 was won by Chris Burleigh's J/109 Jybe Talkin', 12 seconds ahead of another J/109, Rob Cotterill's Mojo Risin', with the Arcona 38 Triarchy (Ollie Reynolds and Faith Burns) just 11 seconds further behind. In Class 3, Warsash SC member Jon Powell's change to an SJ320, named Betty like his previous boats, saw him successful by 19 seconds over Series Chairman James Crew and Peter Rutter on the half-tonner Quokka, nearly 2 minutes clear of third placed Memory maker, Don Forster's First 31.7.

The second race starting just before mid-day was longer at 8 miles and 6.7 miles for the different classes, involving a triangle-sausage course 'around the cans' with 3 beats, 2 runs and two spinnaker reaches. This included a fairly long and tactical second beat up to the Brambles Bank, by now covered on the rising tide. The breeze was freshening and the weather had become overcast with a hint of drizzle, whilst the tide began to turn to the west, increasing the sea state somewhat. The last quarter-hour or so of the race saw the wind well up to force 5 with some heavier gusts and the conditions became a lot more challenging, especially remembering this was the first outing of the year for many boats.

In IRC class 3, Jon Powell and Betty again headed the results, this time by a satisfying 2 half minutes on corrected time. Quokka was again second, with third place taken by David Greenhalgh and J/92 J'ronimo after a last-leg struggle with her spinnaker that cost her a place. Triarchy come to the fore in IRC class 2 with a 4 half minute win over another Arcona, Neville Askew's 34' Argo, ahead of Jybe Talkin' third, just under a minute further back. The Bodfather was first home in IRC1 and it would be churlish to mention that as the only boat yet racing in the class, she nonetheless found it a useful training day.

The series continues on Sundays through to the end of April, with a break for Easter, and the Spring Championship with multiple races over 2 weekends is on 15-16th and 22nd-23rd April.

Related Articles

Brendan and Ellen's Adventure to Warsash
A poem of the RS200 Summer Championship, Rooster National Tour & Sailing Chandlery EaSEA Tour event! RS200 Summer Championship, Rooster National Tour and Sailing Chandlery EaSEA Tour at Warsash. Posted on 24 Jun
RS600 Rooster National Tour at Warsash
The action began before we'd even got afloat The RS600 fleet headed south for the first coastal event of the year at Warsash Sailing Club. The action began before we'd even got afloat with a few getting stuck in lots of traffic (probably due to the nice weather). Posted on 23 Jun
RS400 Southern Championship at Warsash
The principal race officer's briefing brought mixed reactions For anyone in the 27 boat fleet who had looked at the weather forecast ahead of the RS400 Summer Championship hosted by Warsash Sailing Club, the principal race officer's briefing brought mixed reactions. Posted on 23 Jun
Dinghy Club Championships at Warsash
Fast becoming THE event at the club, with 68 boats this year The annual Dinghy Championship at Warsash Sailing Club was held on Sat 17th May. This is fast becoming THE event at the club to participate in, with 68 boats entered, representing the full range of dinghy classes, experience levels and ages. Posted on 29 May
RS21 UK & Ireland Cup 2025 Round 1 at Warsash
The fleet to get back on the water and into race mode The 2025 RS21 UK & Ireland Cup kicked off in fine form with Round 1 hosted in Hamble-le-Rice over the weekend of 12-13 April. As the first event in a six-round series, excitement was high across the fleet to get back on the water and into race mode. Posted on 15 Apr
29er GP5 at Warsash
Varied conditions and tactical racing The 29er GP5 took place over the weekend of March 22nd-23rd, 2025, at the prestigious Warsash Sailing Club. It was a competitive event that saw varied conditions and tactical racing, especially on Sunday. Posted on 25 Mar
Xtremity 420 Autumn Championship at Warsash
24 teams showcase their talents and deliver thrilling racing The waters off Warsash Sailing Club came alive as 24 teams showcased their talents during the highly anticipated Xtremity 420 Autumn Championship held on September 28th and 29th. Posted on 17 Oct 2024
Hadron H2 Solent Trophy at Warsash
An exhausted Richard Leftley sailed in knowing he had won the Travellers Trophy as well Over the weekend of 5-6 October, Warsash Sailing Club hosted the popular annual H2 event for the Solent Trophy. The event was added extra spice as, this being the final event of the H2 season, the new Travellers Trophy series was also to be decided. Posted on 7 Oct 2024
Topper Super South Championship 2024 at Warsash
South West, Southern and London & SE regions come together to race Each year the three Topper areas of South West, Southern and London & SE come together for a joint "Super South" traveller event and this year it was hosted by the Southern region at my home club of Warsash SC. Posted on 19 Sep 2024
Warsash Optimist Open
60 competitors, from as far away as Derwent Reservoir Last Saturday saw our annual Optimist Open meeting at Warsash Sailing Club with 60 competitors from as far away as Derwent Reservoir SC attending. Posted on 2 Aug 2024