Citco Round Jersey Race 2026 at the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club
by Bill Harris 5 Aug 20:05 BST
2 August 2026
Matchless, first in Class 2 IRC - Citco Round Jersey Race © Bill Harris
The Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club's annual Citco Round Jersey race, held Sunday 2nd August, enjoyed great conditions despite early morning light airs that led to changes in plans for racing in both the cruiser and sport catamaran classes.
Just a very light breeze met the cruiser fleet as it came out for its planned eight o'clock start in St Aubin's Bay. Anticipating the strong tidal gate at the Violet Channel buoy, the race committee decided to 'up sticks' and motor on to Gorey, passing through the Brett channel at high water, bound for a new start line off the Gorey Fairway buoy. Here, a light northerly breeze helped to get the boats away, shortly after ten o'clock, to complete a successful foreshortened circumnavigation of the Island.
Boats' strategies differed with a number choosing to stay out as they beat to get round the north-east corner of the Island whilst others chose to stay well in for the beat from Rozel to the north coast where they settled into a reach to Grosnez.
Spinnakers blossomed as the fleet rounded Grosnez for the run through St Ouen's Bay. This blissful time came to an abrupt end as boats rounded Corbière light house en route for St Aubin's Bay and the finish line. With the ebb tide still running hard, the front runners found themselves battling the tide whilst those behind came round to join them. The majority of the fleet, then, had regrouped for the reach along the south coast and into the Bay to finish off the Diamond Rock buoy.
Granville-based Benoit Charon's J109, Lady Jane, took line honours in IRC Class 1 but gave way to last year's winner, David Jones and Geoff Blackstone's X332, JAX, finishing five minutes ahead on corrected time to win the prestigious Jesse Boot trophy. Darren Stower's First 36.2, Altair, was a very close third. Peter Crabb and Peter Williams' Dufour 34, Indigo, took line honours well ahead in IRC Class 2 but the title and the Cabot Memorial trophy went to Hani Salem's UFO27, Matchless, eight minutes clear on corrected time.
Racing for the Citco trophy, Don Thompson's Foxhound 30, Foxhound, was victorious in YTC Class 3 finishing well ahead of Nick Bailhache's Moody 31, Fillipene on corrected time, Fillipene having taken line honours. Alasdair Pickering's Dufour 360, Sal Volatile, was third. Putting in the best time in the overall IRC classes, Paula Boyle sailed Team Fahrenheit's Farr 727 Quarter Tonner, Fahrenheit, to a good victory in the Quarter Ton Class finishing well ahead of second placed Team Super Q's Farr 727, Super Q.
Given the forecast for light airs, the sport catamaran fleet revised its plans and substituted a sixteen mile 'dash' from the St Aubin's Bay to the Violet Channel buoy and back instead of the circumnavigation. Starting at ten thirty, Andy Hart and Ollie Boyle's F18, Wildcat 699, was soon off the line at the Diamond Rock buoy to dominate the reach to the eight mile distant mark and to finish back at the Diamond two hours later.
Graeme Monks and Julian Adamson's F18, Wildcard, was second. This was a handicap race with stiff competition from the Hobie 16 fleet. Luke Paxton-Garnier and Steph Egan's Time2Spare finishing some thirty minutes after Wildcat 699, sailed well to take the race on handicap by one minute. Juliette Walton and Mason Carthey's Loki was second in the Hobie 16 race and third overall while Tom Newman and Megan Roworth's 16, Tom Cat, was third, fourth overall.
The place prize-giving was held in the Clubhouse that evening when having thanked the skippers and crews of the Granville-based boats and the committee boat and RIB crews, to great applause and cheering, Vice Commodore Charles Millard-Beer confirmed that Citco will sponsor the race in 2027.
Coming up... the combined clubs' Butterfield Jersey Regatta is being held from 3rd to 6th September. Entries are open through www.jerseyregatta.com. 'Early Bird' fees apply to entries received no later than 21st August.
Class 1 - IRC:
1. JAX - David Jones & Geoff Blackstone (3.54.30)
2. Lady Jane - Benoit Charon (3.59.21) Line honours (YC de Granville)
3. Altair - Darren Stower (4.10.46)
4. Karibario VI - Jan Legallet (4.13.59) (YC de Granville)
(Class 0 - The Dog's - Allen Brown & partners (4.08.21)
Class 2 - IRC:
1. Matchless - Hani Salem (3.42.00)
2. Indigo - Peter Crabb & Peter Williams (3.50.30)
3. Jack Rabbit - Robin Jenkins (3.56.25)
Quarter Ton - IRC:
1. Fahrenheit - Team Fahrenheit (Paula Boyle) (3.38.21)
2. Super Q - Team Super Q (Jason Manning) (3.52.47)
Class 3 - YTC:
1. Foxhound - Don Thompson (4.13.09)
2. Fillipene - Nick Bailhache (4.22.46)
3. Sal Volatile - Alasdair Pickering (4.46.56)
4. Solis Ortus - Nigel Coxshall (4.49.23)
Classes 4 & 5 Sport Catamaran (Hobie Wildcat & Hobie 16) - Violet Channel and back:
1. Time 2 Spare - Luke Paxton-Garnier & Steph Egan (1.59.48) (16)
2. Hobie 699 - Any Hart & Ollie Boyle (2.00.49) (Wild Cat)
3. Loki - Juliette Walton & Mason Carthey (2.02.15) (16)
4. Tom Cat - Tom Newman & Megan Roworth (2.06.32) (16)
=5. MeKySha - Bart Tkacz & Marcin Zelazowski (2.11.13) (16)
=5. Coeur d'Or - Antoine & Capucine Bacquet (2.11.13) (16)
7. Hobie Camille - Luc Richard & Thomas Harris (2.16.00) (16 spi)
8. Wild Card - Graeme Monks & Julian Adamson (2.19.16) (Wild Cat)
