Cape 31 National Championship - Round 2 Preview
by Tor Tomlinson Cheney 7 Jun 12:03 BST
9-11 June 2023
RORC Vice Admiral's Cup 2023 © Paul Wyeth /
www.pwpictures.com
The Royal Lymington team is excited to host the class for the first time, and with 26 teams on the starting line, the event promises to be an exhilarating three days of racing.
The entry list includes the 25 teams that participated in the RORC Vice Admirals Cup in May, along with a new boat from Germany, La Pericolosa. The upcoming weekend poses a real challenge for the Cape 31 teams and the Race Management, as mixed weather conditions are expected and there's the option of racing in two race areas, the Solent and Christchurch Bay.
Onshore, Mount Gay will be present throughout the event as well as Harken Dock beers on Friday. Mount Gay are also bringing their famous red caps to the Cape 31 Class for competitors. The National Championship dinner will be hosted at the Royal Lymington, featuring live music and a magician for entertainment. Additionally, live music will be performed at the club on Saturday from 2030. The prize-giving ceremony, featuring top prizes from Harken and B&G, will conclude the weekend, followed by a Royal Lymington Carvery.
Heading into the event, the favourites are Round 1 winners Michael Wilson's Shotgunn as well as runners up Nick Phillips' Chaotic, and third James Howells' Gelert. Gelert being the team to watch after an impressive performance in Round 1, winning three out of six races.
The trophy, generously donated by HYS, is awarded to the top high-performance class in the Solent for the year. Previous winners include Johnny Cooper's FANATIC and Russell Peter's Squirt. The trophy also bears the names of other renowned sailors, such as Niklas Zenstrom's Ran. In addition to the trophy, prizes will be given to the top traveling boat. There are seven teams competing for this prize, including four Irish, one Dutch, one German, and one American team. Finally, there will be a prize for the top Corinthian team, with six teams eligible for this award. Eight teams are eligible for the top Corinthian team, making it another exciting aspect to watch out for!
Racing will commence at 1100 on Friday, June 9th, following a North Sails training day on Thursday to help the teams prepare and get up to speed.
Race Info, Entrants and Results will be available at cms.cape31class.com/racing/regatta/3