Please select your home edition
Edition
HKJ YY Leaderboard

3rd Nick Cousins Memorial Spring Regatta at the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club

by Bill Harris 22 Apr 12:11 BST 13-14 April 2024
3rd Nick Cousins Memorial Spring Regatta Class 6 - light airs start © Bill Harris

With several postponements of major events due to strong winds in recent months the weather certainly has not been playing 'ball' as the new racing season dawns.

The weekend of Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th April did provide a welcome respite from the repeatedly strong winds but was not without its own challenges. Conditions were, indeed, fair for the third edition of the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club's Nick Cousins Memorial Spring Regatta held in St Aubin's Bay that weekend.

Saturday dawned bright and calm with little sign of the anticipated moderate southerly breeze and, certainly, no sign at nine o'clock when the first races were due to start. It was not until two hours later that a very light breeze filled in and the first races of the day got under way. As ever, the fleet was split with one race committee controlling cruiser and fast catamaran racing to the south of the Bay the other with dinghies, dayboats and sport catamarans under its wing to the north. Happily, whilst it presented some difficulties for the race committees in having to adjust courses as the wind veered, the breeze picked up so that by the time the dayboat and dinghy classes came on scene there was a reliable light westerly breeze that enabled all races to be successfully completed.

The story proved to be somewhat different on Sunday with only sunshine (UV Index 5), zephyrs and stillness dominating the Bay. Once again, the official start time was nine o'clock and it was unsurprising that the postponement pennants were hoisted on both committee boats but without any breeze to display them. With no wind, the high tide gone and thoughts of missing their berths, several of the cruiser class boats, along with the fast sport catamarans and the Hobie 16 fleet decided to call it a day. With a scheduled start time of ten-thirty, the day boat class ventured out but returned to base after waiting patiently for the breeze to come up for well over almost two hours. Soon after, however, with the slightest indication of light airs arriving from the west, the race committees sprang into action and set their courses in the sure knowledge that they would need to be changed as soon as the wind veered.

Happily, the light breeze eventually settled in the north to provide some great racing for all and, in particular, for the quarter ton and dinghy fleets. It was just over two hours after their scheduled start time that the dinghies took off on the first of their three races. RIB crews were hard-pressed to keep up with mark lifting and re-laying but the last three hours of the regatta proved to provide excellent racing, nevertheless.

The Regatta concluded with the place prize-giving when Rear Commodore Paul Dentskevich thanked Mrs Michele Cousins for her kind sponsorship, congratulated the winners and thanked everyone who had made the Regatta such a success despite the vagaries of the wind. In a packed Clubhouse, Mrs Cousins went on to present each day's hard-earned place prizes. Whilst most of the Regatta trophies will be presented at the Club's Annual Dinner, the exception is the Nick Cousins Trophy, a special youth award for performance and contribution for under 18 year-olds.

Principal Results: (detailed results on www.rciyc.je/racing/results)

Saturday 13th April - Overall

Class 3 (YTC)
1 The Dog's........! - Allen Brown & Partners (2)
2 Foxhound - Don Thompson (9)
3 Altair - Darren Stower (9)
(3 boats raced)

Class Q
1 Super Q - Team Super Q (3)
2 Fahrenheit - Team Fahrenheit (4)
3 Mic Mac - Team Mic Mac (5)

Class 4
1 Jamesina - Malcolm Annan (4)
2 Baloo - Ben Jones (5)
3 Lena - Andrew Sugden (9)
(3 boats raced)

Class 5
1 Wildcat 618 - Adrian Jesson & Paul Martin (4)
2 Wildcat 517 - Andy Hart & Michael Kinross (5)
(2 boats raced)

Class 6
1 Time2Spare - Luke Paxton-Garnier & Steph Egan (3)
2 Ships & Giggles - Ollie Voak & Megan Roworth (7)
3 Top Kat - Aaron Le Cornu & Rachael Smith (8)
4 Hobie Wan Kenobie - Alf Barrowcliffe & Henry Lucas (13)(First B Fleet)
(11 boats raced)

Class 8 Dinghy
1 Laser - Martin Speller (3.5)
2 Laser - Peter Raimbault (11)
3 Laser Radial - Tyler Horton (11.5)
4 Laser - Ollie Boyle (11.5)
(15 boats raced)

Class 9 Dinghy
1 Optimist - Henry Edwards (4)
2 Optimist - Charles Hewgill (5)
3 Optimist - Ralph Griffin (9)
4 Optimist - Jack Hewgill (13)
(4 boats raced)

Sunday 14th April - Overall

Class 3
1 Foxhound (1)
2 Aileag - Nick Querée (2)

Class Q
1 Fahrenheit (2)
2 Super Q (4)

Class 8
1 Laser - Ollie Boyle (4)
2 Laser - Morgan Surcouf (12)
3 Laser - Martin Speller (13)
4 Aero - Paula Boyle (13)

Class 9
1 Optimist - Henry Edwards (3)
2 Optimist - Charlie Hewgill (6)
3 Optimist - Jack Hewgill (9)
4 Optimist - Ralph Griffin (12)

Regatta Overall

Class 3 - The Dog's........! - Allen Brown & Partners
Class Q - Fahrenheit - Team Fahrenheit
Class 4 - Jamesina - Malcolm Annan
Class 5 - Wildcat 618 - Adrian Jesson & Paul Martin
Class 6 - Time2Spare - Luke Paxton- Garnier & Steph Egan
Class 8 - Laser - Ollie Boyle (and the Nick Cousins Memorial Youth Trophy)
Class 9 - Optimist - Henry Edwards

Related Articles

Carey Olsen Jersey Regatta 2024
Light but stable winds were to be a feature of all three days Light but stable winds were to be a feature of all three days with the breeze veering southerly on Saturday and south-westerly on Sunday save for the final hours of the closing day. Posted on 23 Sep
27th Waller-Harris Two-handed Triangle Race
This year has seen its fair share of disruptions to the RCIYC sailing programme Whilst it is true to say that sailing boats need a breeze, it is also true to say that there are times when it is best to stay at home. This year has seen its fair share of disruptions to the sailing programme. Posted on 8 Sep
Carey Olsen Jersey Regatta approaching fast
Turning the beautiful arena of St Aubin's Bay into a stunning hive of activity and blaze of colour Slated for Friday to Sunday, 13th to 15th September, the Island's combined clubs' Carey Olsen Jersey Regatta will again be turning the beautiful arena of St Aubin's Bay into a stunning hive of activity and blaze of colour. Posted on 3 Sep
167th Jersey Electricity Gorey Regatta
Flat calms turn into great sailing in challenging conditions It may have been something to do with the weather gods, or possibly even the presence of two Buddhist monks on the quayside, but for whatever reason the recent Jersey Electricity Gorey Regatta was blessed with excellent sailing conditions and sun. Posted on 18 Jul
Savills Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships
The 33rd year in its history with the Royal Channel Islands YC hosting the event A flat glassy sea with little wind greeted the Hobie crews as they rigged their boats on the Gunsite beach in anticipation of the first of six Championship races on the Saturday morning. Posted on 3 Jul
Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships preview
Entries open for event in the beautiful sailing arena of St. Aubin's Bay Entries are open for the 33rd Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships being held in the beautiful sailing arena of St. Aubin's bay at the end of the month. Posted on 11 Jun
Carey Olsen Jersey Regatta open for entries
Including the GBR IRC Channel Islands Championship The pace is quickening as the combined clubs' organising committee prepares for the 26th edition of the Jersey Regatta sponsored for the fifth year running by leading offshore law firm Carey Olsen. Posted on 20 May
RCIYC Nick Cousins Memorial Spring Regatta Preview
Scheduled to run from Friday to Sunday, 12th to 14th April in Jersey Entries are open for the third edition of the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club's Nick Cousins Memorial Spring Regatta, scheduled to run from Friday to Sunday, 12th to 14th April. Posted on 1 Apr
Jersey Electricity Gorey Regatta preview
Dinghies and keelboat sailors welcomed to July event JERSEY Electricity have confirmed their continued sponsorship of Gorey Regatta, which this year takes place over the weekend of 13/14 July. Established in 1857, the regatta is an integral part of Jersey's maritime culture. Posted on 4 Feb
Carey Olsen 25th Jersey Regatta
Light winds, sunshine, heat, patience, perseverance and all round fun Light winds, sunshine, heat, patience, perseverance and all round fun were the principal features marking the combined clubs' Carey Olsen Jersey Regatta held over 8th to 10th September. Posted on 14 Sep 2023