Many thanks to Rupert Holmes for his report from Cowes Week. Ed
The penultimate day of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week was another warm day with plenty of sun and winds of around 8-15 knots that increased to 12-20 knots with occasional stronger gusts during the afternoon as thermal enhancement boosted the gradient west-north-westerly breeze.
The larger Black Group classes started today on the Black Group Committee Boat, which was stationed near Lee on Solent on the north shore of the eastern Solent, before heading to the western Solent on a long beat against the tide and eventually finishing on the Royal Yacht Squadron line, in a classic Cowes Week finish under spinnaker and as close to the shore as they dared to keep out of the adverse tidal stream.
First to finish in IRC Class 2 was 83-year-old Piet Vroon’s hugely successful Ker 46 Tonnerre de Breskens 3, almost 10 minutes ahead of the second boat to cross the line, Richard Rankin’s elegant 12 Metre Italia. Both were able to save their time on handicap, with Andrew Pearce’s Ker 40 Magnum 3 taking third place on corrected time.
Although Pearce started today’s race comfortably leading the fleet overall, with a cushion of six points on Italia having scored only podium results, Vroon was able to discard an uncharacteristic 20 points from his retirement on Sunday, to win the class overall with a score of six points. Pearce took second overall on 11 points and Rankin third on 13 points.
IRC Class 3 encompasses five Figaro lls, a variety of fast 40 footers, including 11 First 40s, a trio of J/122s as well as older larger boats such as Jeremy Paul’s Nicholson 55 Astra and Lloyds Yacht Club’s Swan 53 Lutine. At the start of today’s race David Bartholomew’s King 40 Tokoloshe held an unassailable overall lead on 11 points, 8 points ahead the Mills 39 Zero ll Local Letterbox, skippered by James Gair. Third overall going into the final race was the lowest-rated boat in the fleet, Jim Macgregor’s Elan 410 Premier Flair.
Nicolas Loday’s French Grand Soleil 43 Codiam was first to finish today and saved her time to also win on handicap by four seconds over Macgregor. With Loday also able to discard a 21st place on the first day, he takes second overall, five points behind Bartholomew and 3.5 points ahead of Macgregor.
Photo finishes
The J/111 fleet – racing first time in their own class at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week – also enjoyed a tantalisingly close finish, with the first six boats crossing the RYS line in a period of 105 seconds after two hours of racing. James Arnell’s Jeeze Louise, overall class leader at the start of the day, had a disappointing race but was able to discard a fourth place to retain victory in the series.
By contrast, Duncan McDonald’s Shmokin Joe had a better race, notching up their second first place this week. However, it was not enough to lift them out of second overall. A second place today for Lloyd Hamilton’s Toe in the Water, one of the boats sailed by profoundly injured servicemen, saw her tied on 17 points with David and Kirsty Apthorp’s J-Dream, with Toe in the Water taking third overall on count back.
Another sign of the intensity of competition in this class is that Tony Mack’s McFly finished the week on 18 points to take fifth place. However, had McFly finished with one point fewer she would have won the count back for third place thanks to winning Monday’s four-hour long race by 27 seconds.
The First 40.7 fleet started today with any of six boats having a mathematical chance of scoring a podium place in the overall results. Pete Newland’s Anticipation was first to finish today, 11 seconds ahead of Paul McNamara and Tony Lowe’s Incognito. However, although the boats are all very similar, they are not one design and race on handicap. On corrected time Incognito was 23 seconds ahead – her fourth win of the event – which secured first place overall. Despite his second place today, Newlands had to be content with third overall – James Wilkie’s Mitchellson Interceptor, took third place today, just 35 seconds behind Newlands, and was able to discard a sixth place from Monday to take third overall in the class.
The J/109 class was dominated last year by Jonathan Calascione and Jonnie Goodwin’s Harlequin, which also won Black Group overall. However, this year she has had a close fight with Ross Walker’s Juno – going into the final race the two boats were separated by only a single point. The 109 is a class with a reputation for close racing and today was no exception, with half the 18-strong fleet finishing during a nail biting period of just 59 seconds.
Harlequin won today’s race to notch up a fourth win and secure the overall class title three points ahead of Juno. A fifth place today was enough to secure third overall for Tor Mclaren’s Inspara in a three-way battle for the final podium place with Christopher Sharples and Richard Acland’s Jet and Arjen van Leeuwen’s Joule.
Barging at the start
Multihulls and the smaller IRC classes started on the Bramble line today, heading west against up to two knots of east-going tide. With the committee boat end of the line strongly favoured, there was a big pile up here at the IRC Class 4 start, when a pile of boats attempted to barge in around the stern of the Committee boat. There were still boats stuck between the inner limit mark and the committee boat a minute after the start and one competitor hooked the anchor line of the inner limit mark with her rudder, towing it off station.
Despite the bias on the line, Adam Gosling’s Corby 36 Yes! opted to avoid the pack, starting in clean air in the middle of the line. It was a wise move that saw him back in his familiar position at the front of the fleet and he won today’s race by a margin of almost five minutes on corrected time, securing the overall class victory and an overall win in Black Group.
Sigma 38s were next away, with Chris and Vanessa Choules’ With Alacrity, the top placed boat overall, looking to gain an advantage by closing the committee boat after passing the inner limit mark on the correct side. However, she had a disappointing race, finishing fifth, a result she was able to discard and therefore retain the class win. Similarly, a win today for Cees Schrauwers’s Gambit – their best result of the week – was not enough to lift them out of fifth place overall. Kevin Sussmilch’s Mefisto took second overall, with Max Walker’s Pavlova lll third.
IRC Class 5 has been dominated by a French JPK1010, Dussere Louis-Marie’s Raging Bee. At the start of today’s race they were leading the class with eight points and were able to discard today’s third place, while her competitors had high scores. A win today for Peter Scholfield’s HOD 35 Zarafa saw him tied on 18 points for second place with John Howell’s Dehler 36SQ Alaris, who finished second today, with Zarafa ahead on count back.
In the Sigma 33 class, Richard Puddifoot’s Whippa Snappa was again leading the fleet overall at the beginning of the final day, but with only a three-point buffer on T Claridge and J Fox’s Excelle. However, a fourth win for Puddifoot saw him retain the class title, while Claridge and Fox held on to second overall on count back after a fifth place today left them concluding the series tied on 12 points with Jeff Worboy’s Workout.
Roger Swinney’s Innuendo had a great start in the Quarter Ton class, as did Liz Rushall, Lincoln Redding and Catrina Southworth’s Whiskers, which stared nearer the committee boat. Eric Reynolds’ Magnum Evolution was first to tack onto port, ducking behind Whiskers, but clearing ahead of Roberts/Assael’s Bad Toad. With Whiskers having already secured a class win, the race today was to secure the other podium places. Tony Hayward’s Blackfun notched up her first win of the event, to take third overall, while a second place for Reynolds today secured second place overall.
There has been an intense battle all week at the head of the Contessa 32 class, with Eldred Himsworth’s Drumbeat and Ray Rouse’s Blanco on eight and nine points respectively at the start of the final race. Rouse was back on form today, winning from Himsworth by almost 83 seconds, leaving the duo tied on 10 points. With Rouse having won four races during the week, against Himsworth’s two, Blanco wins the tiebreak.
In IRC Class 6 Charles Ivill’s J/97 ETB Tyres Jiggery Pokery took line honours today and again saved their time on handicap to take a fourth win and overall victory in the class, counting just six points. Justin Leese and Mark Brown’s Figaro 1 Black Diamond was second today, and third overall, while third place today secured second overall for Bob and Joan Baker’s X332 Brightwork.
In IRC Class 7 Jo Richard’s H-Boat Woof took a fifth win today and was able to discard 27 points picked up on Wednesday to win the class counting only first places. Madelaine and Isobella Donald’s Folkboat Madelaine was third today but was able to retain second overall ahead of another Folkboat, Paul Dunstan’s Mandarin.
The Sunsail F40 class is generally one that sees a high-scoring series, however, this year Panik had a clean run of top five results, leaving her with 16 points overall. However, First Sailing, takes the class win, counting four first places and one second, as with six races sailed she is now able to discard the points picked up from retiring yesterday. Simply is third overall with 22 points.
Peter Bainbridge’s J/122 Sky Hunter ll won Cruiser Division A with a day to spare, having won every race apart from Wednesday’s, when he finished second. However, there was a four-way tussle for second place, with two J/100s – Julian James’ Thunder Squall and Ole Bettum’s Alamara B ll – and Janet, Lionel and David Miller’s classic Swan 44 White Heather and Mark Devereux’s Swan 42 Brevity. A win for Devereux today saw him take second overall, five points ahead of the J/100s who were tied on 16 points, with the count back resolved in favour of Bettum.
In Cruiser Division B the top three places were determined with a day to spare. Minka Armitage’s Grand Soleil 343 Gazelle scored a perfect run of first places, after finishing fourth on the opening day to win the class overall. Next was one of the smallest boats in the fleet, Andrew Buchanan, Rebecca Taylor and Stuart Buchanan’s Conquest 23 Haggis, while Brian Cooper’s First 375 Little Spirit took third place overall.
White Group
A number of the dayboat classes also conclude today, including the SB20 class. Jerry Hill’s sportsboatworld.com has again dominated the fleet this year, but he started prematurely today and had to return to restart. Despite that disadvantage, he still won today’s race, but by a margin of only two seconds over Paralympic gold medallist and Ladies Day trophy winner Helena Lucas’ Volvo. In an adrenaline-pumping finish, Sarah Allen’s Gill crossed the line just two seconds after Volvo to take third place today.
While Hill had the overall win sewn up, Lucas, Allen and Scott Graham and Nick Elder’s Chill Pill Plus were in a tight battle for second place overall. This went to Allen, who ended the regatta one point ahead of Lucas, with Graham and Elder just half a point further back in fourth overall.
In the J/80 fleet Colin Simonds’ Doolalli made an excellent start for the second successive day, but was pipped at the finish by Jamie Diamond’s Rascal. This fleet has been dominated this year by Chris Taylor’s J.A.T., who was able to discard a sixth place today to win the class overall by three points from Simonds. Taylor’s success in the class also gains him the Young Skipper’s trophy. Diamond’s win today gives him third overall in the class, one point ahead of Ben Richards and Andrew Dallas’ Seafire.
The RS Elite class was won decisively by Crauford McKeon’s Kandoo lll, with Jono Brown’s Aeolus second and Steve Powell’s E’Tu third. By contrast, there was a tight battle at the top of the Victory class. A win for Mark Dennington, Jo Dennington and Jim Downing’s Ziva today saw her take third place overall with 15 points. Hugh Pringle’s Pelican finished seven seconds after Ziva today and takes second overall on 13 points, while Janet Dee and Shaun Hopkins’ Variety wins the class with 12 points.
Friday night sees a display by the Red Arrows aerobatic team and the event’s famed fireworks. Racing at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week concludes tomorrow for the remaining White Group classes and for Black Group competitors that will race for daily prizes. There will also be a cruiser class race aimed at providing a simplified introduction to racing at the regatta.
Image: © Rick Tomlinson
