Thanks to Suzanne and Alan Whitewood for this report from Easter’s sailing challenge in Cowes. In their own words. Ed
Over the Easter weekend several well known yachts and sailors have been competing in the RORC Easter Challenge at Cowes.
On Good Friday racing started on time at 1300 and with the wind rarely getting above six knots, the tide was a vital factor, ebbing throughout the afternoon at more than two knots.
British Keelboat Association took part
As well as several well known racing yachts a number of keelboats based in Cowes belonging to the British Keelboat Association took part.
The BKA trains young sailors aged up to 24 to become professional racing keelboat crew and fielded five boats at the RORC Easter Challenge. This involved 35 sailors, almost the entire BKA squad.
Another significant presence on the water at this event was the biggest boat in the fleet, the dark grey Farr 52 that has previously been known as Bear of Britain and subsequently Bob. Earlier this year owners Tony Hayward, Sam Laidlaw and Rob Gray donated the boat to Toe in the Water, the charity which uses competitive sailing as a vehicle to re-inspire injured servicemen and women.
Toe In The Water steered by record-breaking sailor
Toe in the Water was steered by Brian Thompson, who most recently set a new record aboard the 40m long trimaran Banque Populaire for being the fastest to sail non-stop round the world. On this the average speed for the 45 day long voyage was 26.5 knots, so Friday’s racing lacked a little pace in comparison.
“I am steering the boat and you are doing all the very fine details, upwind and downwind, so it is a different sport and it is very nice to sail with those guys,” said Thompson, who is a Toe In the Water ambassador.
Light breeze for race three
On Saturday under a grey overcast sky, race three of the series got underway on time in a light breeze, but on the second beat the wind turned, causing the race to be shortened and finish at the end of that leg. After this the wind resolutely failed to return, causing the final two races to be cancelled.
In IRC One, 2010 Commodores’ Cup winner Anthony O’Leary and his silver Ker 39 Antix won Saturday’s race but overall leader in IRC One was Michael Bartholomew’s King 40 Tokoloshe.
In IRC Two Jim Macgregor and his Elan 410 Premier Flair hung on to their overall lead after the race on Saturday , although they finished fourth. Macgregor said that he was finding the RORC Easter Challenge a good gauge of the competition lining up for the British team’s trials for the Brewin Dolphin Commodores’ Cup.
Peter Morton on his Mat1010 won their race in IRC Three to take the lead from the British Keelboat Academy squad sailing David Aisher’s J/109, Yeoman of Wight. In IRC Four A Grant Gordon and his J/97 Fever continued her unbroken run of bullets as did Nigel Biggs’ MG30 Checkmate XV in IRC Four B.
Round the world navigator Steve Hayles, racing with the British Keelboat Academy on the Farr 45 Kolga, felt that the race committee had made the right call to send the fleet home mid-afternoon.
Last day
Conditions finally came good for the last day of the RORC Easter Challenge with the wind backing into the south and building to double figures. Runaway winner in IRC One was South African Michael Bartholomew on Tokoloshe. A 5-1-5 scoreline today saw them conclude the regatta with a nine point lead over Irishman Anthony O’Leary’s 2010 Commodores’ Cup-winning Ker 39, Antix.
Jim Macgregor and Premier Flair maintained their lead in IRC Two to win by three points from Jeronimo.
In IRC Three competition was tight with an outstanding performance on Easter Sunday by David Franks and his new JPK 1010 Strait Dealer, which posted three bullets in as many races. Unfortunately after a slow start to the regatta this was not enough for them to catch David Aisher’s British Keelboat Academy crewed Yeoman of Wight, which was top of the seven J/109s but one point shy of Peter Morton’s MAT 1010 in the overall points.
After Sunday’s three races there was a leader change in IRC4A with father and son, Mike and Jamie Holmes and their J/97 Jika Jika overhauling Grant Gordon’s Fever, to win by just two points.
IRC 4B was dominated by the Half Tonners, but by one in particular – the 1985 vintage MG30 Checkmate XV, skippered by Nigel Biggs which completed the RORC Easter Challenge with a perfect scoreline.
