J/24 Fowey Trophy and Southern Areas at Fowey Gallants Sailing Club and Royal Fowey Yacht Club
by Lorna Graham 17 May 15:03 BST
10-11 May 2025
J/24 Fowey Trophy and Southern Areas at Fowey © POFROC
The 2025 J/24 Southern Areas Regatta took place over the weekend of 10-11 May, hosted jointly by the Fowey Gallants Sailing Club and the Royal Fowey Yacht Club. With two days of competitive racing, shifting weather, and intense rivalries throughout the fleet, the event delivered exciting racing and tight results across the board.
Day 1 - Sunshine and Swell
Saturday dawned sunny with light easterly winds and a persistent swell that made it challenging for crews to find consistent speed. Despite the tricky conditions, WiJit came out firing with two race wins and never dropped out of the top three all day, setting the early pace with a dominant display and leading overnight.
FFold found their rhythm in the latter part of the day, also securing two race wins and moving up the leaderboard. In the battle for third and fourth, MaJic and Mr Mann ended the day tied on points. Just behind, Juggernaut and Jive were separated by a single point in 5th and 6th, while 7th and 8th were also level underscoring the competitive depth across the fleet.
Day 2 - Rain and Rivalries
Sunday brought a change in weather, with rain dampening early spirits and a hesitant fleet reluctant to leave the pontoon. However, the breeze filled in as the boats made their way out, setting up good conditions for the concluding races.
In the first race of the day, FFold delivered a commanding performance, taking line honours ahead of MaJic and Mr Mann. With one race left and only a point separating the top contenders, a tense pre-start match race unfolded between WiJit and FFold, with FFold coming out on top to then secure 3rd place and ultimately the overall event win. Sam Marshall and his team on WiJit took 2nd place overall and James Torr on MaJic rounded out the podium. Congratulations to Dave Hale and FFold on the event win.
Acknowledgements
The J/24 class extends its heartfelt thanks to the Fowey Gallants Sailing Club and the Royal Fowey Yacht Club for their warm hospitality and excellent race management throughout the weekend.
With the World Championships in Plymouth just months away, the fleet now turns its attention to the upcoming National Championships in Brixham - promising yet more high-level competition as preparations continue.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Boat | Sail No | Helm | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | F Fold | 4269 | Dave Hale | ‑7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| 2nd | WiJit | 4235 | Sam Marshall | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ‑6 | 11 |
| 3rd | MaJic | 4248 | James Torr | 4 | ‑5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 13 |
| 4th | Mr Mann | 4241 | Shane Hewlett | 2 | ‑4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 |
| 5th | Jive | 4261 | David Cooper | 3 | ‑7 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 24 |
| 6th | Juggernaut | 4026 | Neil Trathen | 5 | 2 | 6 | ‑8 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
| 7th | NJO2 | 4266 | Tim Octon | 6 | ‑8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 32 |
| 8th | DanJerous When Wet | 5238 | Mark Lewers | ‑8 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 33 |
| 9th | Mojo | 4239 | Chloe Nunn | ‑9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 45 |
| 10th | Jojo | 4251 | Tom Gurney | ‑10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 50 |
| 11th | Violent J | 4013 | Casper Barton | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 60 |