- David Franks’ Strait Dealer on the way to winning IRC Class 4 Day 1
by Rupert Holmes / CWP
A gusty and reassuringly warm south-westerly airflow averaging 16-22 knots, provided a perfect day of racing on the opening day of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week, with the wind against tide conditions giving lively downwind sailing on predominately windward-leeward courses.
The first starts, heading east against a building ebb tide, were for the J/70 and SB20 classes, both of which completed two races today, marking a significant break with the event’s long-standing traditions.
In the J/70 class, Jack Davies’ Jugador was enthusiastic in approaching the line, crossing it 50 seconds before the start, but returning to the correct side with time in hand. At the gun Ruairidh Scott’s North Sails led the fleet at the outer end of line, half a length ahead of the pack. The bulk of the fleet gybed offshore as soon as possible, although a couple of boats – Simon Ling’s RAFBF Spitfire and Ian Atkin’s Boats.com among them – stayed inshore for longer. Before long the fleet was therefore split laterally across the course as they sped downwind.
Once they reached the long layline leading into the first mark, an inflatable buoy near Hill Head, Scott was ahead by a good margin. However, Django, sailed by Malcolm Jaques, Tristan Jaques, Naomi Rowbotham and Nix Brook, crossed the line 10 seconds ahead of Scott, in a nail-biting finish that saw Atkins take third place just 13 seconds later. Scott took the second race by a margin of over two minutes to lead overall, two points ahead of the Jaques family at the end of the first day, with Ling a further two points behind in third overall.
The next start, for the SB20 class, saw an impossibly large bunch of boats approaching the outer limit buoy from offshore on starboard tack. With many running out of space, several crossed the line prematurely, although all but one was able to quickly re-round the pin and start correctly.
For the rest of the fleet it was an incredibly close start from which it was impossible to pick a clear early leader. At one stage Tich Summers’ Chill Pill Plus and Phil Plumtree’s PP Projects, who both managed to get into clean air to leeward of the main pack, appeared to be well placed. However, by the time they crossed gybes it was Tim Saxton’s Slam, Jerry Hill’s Sportsboatworld.com, and Paralympic gold medallist Helena Lucas’s Volvo that took an early lead.
By the finish of the 75-minute race Joe Llewellyn’s Henri Lloyd/Forellheld a 52 second advantage over Hill, with Saxton in third place more than a minute later. In the second race Hill was first to finish, almost two minutes ahead of Llewellyn, with Saxton taking another third place.
A different approach
The Etchells fleet opted for a different strategy to the SB20s at the start of their closely-fought race. The bulk of the fleet stayed well to the west of the line, with all but one boat holding well back until less than 20 seconds before the gun. Rob Elliott’s Esprit was first to hoist the spinnaker, but crossed four seconds early – an expensive mistake, especially as she did not return following the recall. Andrew and Donna Cooper’s Ice looked well placed a few minutes after the start, followed by Elvis, skippered by Tim Daughton, with both boats on a tight spinnaker reach towards West Ryde Middle buoy.
By the finish it was Mark Downer’s Moonlight, who stayed further offshore after the start, trading a tidal disadvantage for a steadier wind, who came out on top, finishing 23 seconds ahead of Esprit. With the latter scored OCS, Rob Goddard’s Stampede took second place, crossing the line 45 seconds after Moonlight, and Shaun Frolich’sExabyte V third. It was a close race, with the first half of the fleet finishing in little more than three minutes.
On a morning that saw many boats over the line at the start, but few responding to the recall signal, the J/80 class was more cautious than most. The first boat, Johanna Asplund, Meg Backhouse, Jamie Diamond and Kieren Hill’s Rascal, didn’t cross the line until 10 seconds after the start gun, and the second, Colin Simonds and family’sDoolalli, was a further 15 seconds back. Almost two and a half hours later it was Chris Taylor’s J.A.T. that finished first, followed byDoolalli and then Rascal.
Black Group
Not long after 1400 there was a rapid string of Black Group yachts finishing close to shore and under spinnaker on the RYS line. One of the highest-rated boats in IRC Class 4, Adam Gosling’s newly refurbished 18-year-old Corby 36 Yes!, took line honours in that class. However, the lowest-rated boat in the fleet, last year’s overall class winner, David Franks’ Strait Dealer, finished less than 10 minutes later to win by a margin of just 18 seconds on corrected time.
“The stronger winds were ideal for us today and, as the smallest boat in a big class, we were very pleased with the result – you always struggle to find clean air and have fewer tactical choices than the faster boats,” said campaign manager and mainsheet trimmer Graham Sunderland.
The Sigma 33 class proved once again that this 34-year-old one design cruiser-racer is capable of providing extremely close competition. After almost three hours of racing, Jeff Worboys’ Workout crossed the line just eight seconds ahead of Richard Puddifoot’s Whippa Snappa, with T Claridge and J Fox’s Excelle taking third place a shade over two minutes later.
IRC Class 1 1, 5 Degrees West (Keith Mills) 2, Pace (Johnny Vincent) 3, Bronenosec (Igor Frolov) IRC Class 2 1, Tonnerre De Breskens 3 (P.W. Vroon) 2, Magnum3 (Andrew Pearce) 3, Toe In The Water Too (Capt Lloyd Hamilton MBE) 4, Oystercatcher XXX (Richard Matthews) 5, Chaos (Mark Lloyd) 6, Italia (Richard Rankin) 7, Aberdeen London (Ash Holmes) 8, Rebel (Stewart Whitehead) 9, Vondeling (Anthony Ward) 10, Jolt 2 (Peter Harrison) IRC Class 3 1, Tokoloshe (David Bartholomew) 2, La Reponse (Andrew McIrvine) 3, Premier Flair (Jim Macgregor) 4, Zero II Localletterbox (James Gair) 5, Hurrycane (Kenny Bruneflod) 6, Trustmarque Quokka (Philippe Falle) 7, Cyberark (Alex & Andy Moore) 8, Aberdeen Sailplane (Gordon Ketelbey) 9, Cobra Gill Race Team (Michael Blair) 10, Britannia Lancelot II (Britannia Lancelot II) IRC Class 4 1, Strait Dealer (David Franks) 2, Yes! (Adam Gosling) 3, Rhapsodie V (JJ Godet) 4, Dunkerque Plaisance (Dunkerque - Gill Race Team) 5, Xinska (Bernard Olesinski) 6, Bengal Magic (Knight Build Ltd) 7, Bonexemple (Jochem Visser) 8, Saffier Nitro (Dennis Hennevanger) 9, Salvo (Mr & Mrs Peter Morton) 10, Tanit (Richard Harris) IRC Class 5 1, Zarafa (Major Peter Scholfield) 2, Raging Bee (Dussere Louis-Marie) 3, Xcitable (Peter Hodgkinson and Sarah Bailey) 4, King Louie (Fiona & Malcolm Thorpe) 5, Elaine (Mike Bridges) 6, Winsome (Harry Heijst) 7, Extra Djinn (Neville Hodkin) 8, Jos Of Hamble (Professor Roger Williams) 9, Induljence (Nick Munday) 10, Alaris (John Howell) IRC Class 6 1, Etb Tyres Jiggery Pokery (Chaz Ivill) 2, Brightwork (Bob and Jon Baker) 3, Black Diamond (Justin Leese and Mark Brown) 4, J'Ronimo (David Greenhalgh) 5, Simplicity (Rory Fitzwilliams) 6, Buccaneer (Peter Pearson and Mike Lilwall) 7, Insatiable (Tim Cunliffe) 8, Clarionet (Sam Laidlaw and Rob Gray) 9, Icom Cool Blue (Simon Cory) 10, Sheevra (Jonathan Wallis) IRC Class 7A 1, Woof (Jo Richards) 2, Fianchetto (Ed Brand) 3, Vinyl Solutions (William Lack) 4, Two Frank (Oliver Love and Samantha Flint) 5, Google-Eye (Pat Stables and Nigel Hunter) IRC Class 7B 1, Madelaine (Madelaine and Isobella Donald) 2, Mandarin (Paul Dunstan) 3, Mw Dream On (Nathan Cordy) 4, Jiminy Cricket (Mike & Barbara Harrison) 5, Tudor Rose (Ian Cooke) 6, Meow (Chris Charlesworth) 7, Connie (Ian Stow) 8, Merganser (Catherine Munro Kerr) 9, Rosaire (Michael Squire) 10, Hannah J (Richard & Sarah Johnson) Contessa 32 1, Blanco (Ray Rouse) 2, Drumbeat (Eldred Himsworth) 3, Blue Shark (Ken Mizen and Don Laing) 4, Gualin (Rob Duke) 5, Nimbus (Michael Hill) 6, Mary Rose Tudor (Ed Bell) 7, Corafin (Jess Hoggarth) 8, Jemma Of Bosham (Keith Hardy and Tim Hardy) 9, Coh Karek (Tim Devlin) Cork 1720 1, Crescendo (James W Flynn O.B.E) 2, Midnight Cowboy (Steph Merry) Cruiser (Div A) 1, Sky Hunter II (Peter Bainbridge) 2, Brevity (Mark Devereux) 3, Thunder Squall (Julian James) 4, Alamara B II (Ole Bettum) 5, White Heather (Janet, Lionel and David Miller) 6, Annarchy Of Wight (Anne Noon) 7, Alexirblue (Robert Davison) 8, The Packhouse (Alison Hougham) 9, Dotty Dot (Clive Cutler) 10, Phizz Of Caen (Trevor Hardaker) Cruiser (Div B) 1, Haggis (Andrew Buchanan, Rebecca Taylor and Stuart Buchanan) 2, Skai (Andrew Yates) 3, Gazelle (Minka Armitage) 4, Sunbow II (Andrew Quicke) 5, Little Spirit (Brian Cooper) 6, Forrader (David Hall) 7, Monkey Business (Grant Woodall) Daring 1, Dolphin (David N Gower) 2, Dauntless (Giles Peckham, Milo Carver and Richard Romer-Lee) 3, Dynamite (Anthony Balme) 4, Double Knot (John Hackman) 5, Damsel (Jamie Scrimgeour, Daniel Stephenson, Jamie Campbell and Mich) 6, Ding Dong (Larry Lugg) 7, Decoy (Andrew Norton, Richard Ottaway, David Chaplin, Julian Goodwi) 8, Defiant (C A G Perry, R A Aisher OBE, P Blackwell, P Buckley, P L F F) 9, Division Belle (C Hill, B Green, C Sillars, I Rawlinson, Bear Grylls, A Spea) 10, Diamond (Mike Fox) Dragon 1, Aimee (Graham Bailey) 2, Bertie (Simon Barter) 3, Jerboa (Gavia Wilkinson-Cox) 3, Furious (Owen Pay) 5, Ecstatic (Eric Williams) 6, Ganador (Martin Makey) 7, The Old Bailey (Chris Brittain) 8, Virago (Tim Blackwell and Lisa Guy) 9, Chime (Michael Issaias) Etchells 1, Moonlight (Mark Downer) 2, Stampede (Rob & Ashley Goddard) 3, Exabyte V (Shaun Frohlich) 3, Ziggy (Kevin Downer, Timothy Eccles and Josh Downer) 4, Murray Martini (Ian Dobson, Thomas Brennan and Murray Chapples) 5, Ice (Andrew, Donna and Freddie Cooper) 6, Elvis (Tim Daughton) 7, Shamal (Hugh Evans and Roger Reynolds) 8, Darling S (Tarra Gill-Taylor) 9, Idea (Jack Wilson) First 40.7 1, Incognito (Paul McNamara and Tony Lowe) 2, Mitchellson Interceptor (James Wilkie) 3, Anticipation (Peter Newlands) 4, Fandango (Brendan McMahon and Adam Ridett) 5, Playing Around (Francis Carr) 6, Britannia Lancelot (Britannia Lancelot) 7, Edigital Research (eDigital Research) 8, Cheeki Rafiki (Ifan James) 9, Britannia Parallel Blue (Britannia Parallel Blue) 10, Flying Fish Hot Stuff (Flying Fish) Flying 15 1, Men Behaving Badly (Rupert and John Mander) 2, Black (Nick Clarke) 3, Ffreefire 20 (Sam Chan) 4, Affore The Weak (Mike & Alex Tatlow) 5, Ffuraha (Mike Boll & Gil McCutcheon) 6, Triffs (Richard Triffitt) J/70 (Race 1) 1, Django (Malcolm Jaques, Tristan Jaques, Naomi Rowbotham and Nix Broo) 2, North Sails (Ruairidh Scott) 3, Boats.Com (Ian Atkins) 4, Jugador (Jack Davies) 5, Team Rafbf Spitfire (Wing Commander Simon Ling RAF) 6, Wilson Covers (Ian Wilson) 7, Pheebs (Simon Cavey) J/70 (Race 2) 1, North Sails (Ruairidh Scott) 2, Team Rafbf Spitfire (Wing Commander Simon Ling RAF) 3, Wilson Covers (Ian Wilson) 4, Django (Malcolm Jaques, Tristan Jaques, Naomi Rowbotham and Nix Broo) 5, Boats.Com (Ian Atkins) 6, Jugador (Jack Davies) 7, Pheebs (Simon Cavey) J/80 1, J.A.T (Chris Taylor) 2, Doolalli (Colin Simonds and Family) 3, Rascal (Johanna Asplund, Meg Backhouse, Jamie Diamond, Kieren Hill a) 4, Swallow (Chris Body) 5, Seafire (Ben Richards and Andrew Dallas) 6, Peloton (Mark Greenaway) 7, Jumblesail (Rachel Woods and Rob Hunt) 8, Wild Wally (Robert Walters, David Walters and James O'Neill) 9, Juicy (Donald Suter, Tom Samuels, Russell Hearn, Peter Carroll) 10, Jasmine (Flora Greville) J/109 1, Harlequin (Jonathan Calascione and Jonnie Goodwin) 2, Juno (Stanley,Walker and Williams) 3, Designstar 2 (Roger Phillips) 4, Sardonyx IX (William Edwards) 5, Joule (Arjen van Leeuwen) 6, Tigh Soluis II (Rich Hinde Smith) 7, Inspara (Tor Mclaren) 8, Jumunu (Jamie Sheldon) 9, Jet (Christopher Sharples and Richard Acland) 10, Basic Instinct (Mr Patrick Seely) J/111 1, Jeez Louise (James Arnell) 2, Shmokin Joe (McDonald/Thomas) 3, McFly (Tony Mack) 4, J-Dream (David & Kirsty Apthorp) 5, Sweeny (Sweeny Sailing Team) 6, Icarus (Andrew Christie and John Scott) 7, Jitterbug (Cornel Riklin) 8, Toe In The Water (Capt Lloyd Hamilton MBE) 9, Djinn (S de Liedekerke) Mermaid 1, Dragonfly (Richard Prest) 2, Bluebell (Charles Tilley & Michael Smith) 3, Zara (Will Caws) 4, Jade (Helen Birchenough) 5, Mimosa (Jamie Nimmo) 6, Sirena (Max Baines) 7, Amethyst (Charles Glanville) 8, Scuttle (Kate Broxham) 9, Halluf (Tom Holbrook) 10, Cynthia (Clare Simonds) Multihull 1, Buzz (Phil Cotton) 2, Wandering Glider (Matthew West) Quarter Ton 1, Bullit (Morty) 2, Whiskers (Cat Southworth, Liz Rushall and Lincoln Redding) 3, Magnum Evolution (Eric Reynolds) 4, Espada (Louise Morton) 5, Bullet (Howard Sellars) 6, Phoenix (Welch, Fulford, Flemming and Manser) 7, Catch (Olivia Dowling) 8, Cri-Cri (Paul Colton) 9, Blackfun (Tony Hayward) 10, Joker (Ed White) Redwing 1, Quail (B Huber, C Blackburn, A Greene) 2, Harlequin (John Raymond and Matt Alexander) 3, Goose (Major Nick Woolgar and Olav Cole Esq) 4, Toucan (Colin & Becky Samuelson) 5, Capercaillie (Mary Luxmoore-Styles and Jonathan Nainby-Luxmoore) 6, Gosling (Serena Gosling) 7, Siskin (Thomas Montagu Douglas Scott) 8, Banzai II (Mr & Mrs Nick Rowton-Lee and Mr & Mrs Rory Morrison) 9, Avocet (Rupert and Michael MacInnes) 10, Plover (Andrew, Sabrina and Edward Eddy) RS Elite 1, Kandoo III (Crauford) 2, Aeolus (Jono Brown) 3, Usain Boat (Peter Dudgeon) 4, Escapade (Mark Allerston) 5, Wombat (Jonathon Proctor) 6, E'Tu (Steve Powell) 7, Limelite (Andrew Christie) 8, Soak Therapy (Egerton-Warburton Family) 9, Flying A (Anthony & Alice Duggan) 10, Swan Song (M Charles Platt) SB20 (Race 1) 1, Henri Lloyd / Forelle (Joe Llewellyn) 2, Sportsboatworld.Com (Jerry Hill) 3, Slam (Tim Saxton) 4, Melston Team (Kirill Frolov, Alexey Murashkin and Egor Ignatenko) 5, Volvo (Helena Lucas) 6, 3-Some (Duncan Pryde) 7, Chill Pill Plus (Scott Graham and Nick Elder) 8, Gill (Sarah Allan) 9, Trouble & Strife (Ian Armstrong) 10, Bcg Sailing Team (Konstantin Lukoyanov) SB20 (Race 2) 1, Sportsboatworld.Com (Jerry Hill) 2, Henri Lloyd / Forelle (Joe Llewellyn) 3, Slam (Tim Saxton) 4, Volvo (Helena Lucas) 5, Melston Team (Kirill Frolov, Alexey Murashkin and Egor Ignatenko) 6, Whyaduck (Tom and Richard Clay) 7, 3-Some (Duncan Pryde) 8, Darling Associates (Chris Darling) 9, Pp Projects (Phil Plumtree) 10, Chill Pill Plus (Scott Graham and Nick Elder) Sigma 33 1, Workout (Jeff Worboys) 2, Whippa Snappa (Richard J Puddifoot) 3, Excelle (T Claridge and J Fox) 4, Spirit Of Kudu (Mark Watkins) 5, Chaser (David Cheney) 6, Muskoka (Ed Smith) 7, Polished Manx (Kuba Szymanski) Sigma 38 1, With Alacrity (Chris & Vanessa Choules) 2, Mefisto (Kevin Sussmilch) 3, Light (John & Susan Rainger) 4, Pavlova III (Max Walker) 5, Vitesse (Peter Hopps and Hilary Cook) 6, Sigmagician (Sigmagician's) 7, Gambit (Cees Schrauwers) 8, Rho (Equinox Sailing) 9, Flying Formula (David McCarthy) Sonar 1, Bertie (Alistair Barter and Ed Suckling) 2, Miscreant (David Peerless) 3, Periscope (Peter Collins) 4, Paralympic Girls Team (Hannah Stodel, Megan Pascoe, Carol Dugdale, Bella Walsh and) 5, Wisconsin (James Holman) 6, Pisces (Greg Driver and Penny Carter) 7, Discovery (Brian Malone) 8, Fiscal (Steve Hargreaves) 9, Biscuit (Rosy Jones) 10, Hibiscus (Keith Gibbons) Sportsboat 1, Betty (Jon Powell) 2, Crescendo (James W Flynn O.B.E) 3, Clipper Marine B/One (Richard Root) 4, Royal 3 (Christopher Daniel) 5, Midnight Cowboy (Steph Merry) 6, Officer Cadet (OCdt George Jorgensen) 7, Royal 4 (Sarah Fraser) Squib 1, Lady Penelope (Malcolm Hutchings and Andy Ramsey) 2, Surprise (Duncan Grindley) 3, Squib (Dick Batt) 4, Osprey (Chris Gear, Andy Foulks and Miss Alex Porteous) 5, Polyphagus (Stephen Porter) 6, Firecracker Too (Andrew Porteous, David Coombes and Jerry Westbrook) 7, Lizz Whiz (Ray Prime) 8, Aldebaran (Iain Jones and Peter Jackson) 9, Satu (Kev Gibson and Marney Gibson) 10, Panther III (Amy Gaskin and George Downer) Sunbeam 1, Firefly (Stewart Reed) 2, Melody (Commander John Ford) 3, Fay (Richard Pearson) 4, Alchemy (Mark & Nicola Harvey) 5, Penny (Julian Money) 6, Emily (Malcolm Glaister) 7, Dainty (Peter Nicholson and Mike Hollis) Sunsail F40 1, Cardiovascular Health (The Cardiovascular Health Clinic) 2, First Sailing (First Sailing) 3, Schroders Alpha (Schroders Alpha) 4, Powell Systems (Powell Systems) 5, Panik (Panik) 6, London Business School (London Business School) 7, Aberdeen Edinburgh (Aberdeen Edinburgh) 8, Casenove Diversity (Casenove Diversity) 9, Deloitte 2 (Deloitte 2) 10, The Collinson Group (The Collinson Group) Swallow 1, Marengo (Oliver Sloper) 2, Solitude (Anthony Lunch and Andrew Reid) 3, Cockersootie (Paul Ward) 4, Curlew (CUCrC: Fiona Hampshire, Arthur Henderson and Honor Fell) 5, Whimbrel (Peter Snell) 6, Migrant (Charles Fisher and Richard & Carol Thompson) 7, Avocet (John Houghton) 8, Kingfisher (Graham Barnes and Tim Wood) 9, Harrier (Charles Prescot) 10, Archon (Sir Malcolm Green) Victory 1, Pelican (Hugh Pringle) 2, Zircon (Gareth Penn) 3, Variety (Janet Dee and Shaun Hopkins) 4, Ziva (Mark Dennington, Jo Dennington and Jim Downing) 5, Peregrine (Duncan Evans) 6, Shearwater (Russell Mead) 7, Zelia (Geoff & Sarah Dixon, Maxine Reeves and Hugh Winter) 8, Zinnia (John Scammell) 9, Zarena (Bill Arnold and John Hartley) 10, Zest (KF and SA Taylor) X One Design 1, Lass (John Tremlett, Jeremy Lear, Richard Jordan and Richard Bullo) 2, Silhouette (Tom Vernon) 3, Felix (Peter Taylor) 4, Lara (Willy McNeill and Ted Tredrea) 5, Princess Jalina (David Palmer) 6, Phoenix (Alastair Shaw) 7, Foxglove (Al & Jackie Ashford and Richard Neall) 8, Excalibur (Adrian Summers, Ian Paton and Philip Lawrence) 9, Gleam (James Meaning) 10, Zephyr (Jonathan Clark)