A couple of weekends ago, you might have noticed 30+ yachts of all sizes sailing clockwise from Cowes, passing Ryde, Bembridge, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor and round the back of the Wight to the Needles and over along the mainland coast.
They were competitors in the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race and line honours were achieved by the Medallia crew in the early hours of this morning (Thursday). Trish Jenkins from RORC reports. Ed
IMOCA Medallia, skippered by Pip Hare, took Line Honours in the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race in an elapsed time of ten days, 13 hours, 23 minutes and 22 seconds.
High pressure had dominated the early part of the race causing the Medallia team to take over seven days to get to Muckle Flugga. The second half of the course was much quicker with Medallia taking just over three days to finish the race in the early hours of Thursday 18th August.
As Medallia crossed the finish line at the southern extremity of the course, the tenacious teams at the back of the fleet were rounding Muckle Flugga to the very north with near gale conditions. James McHugh’s Tquila is leading the Class40s, but fickle breeze, 350 miles from the finish line is making for tense decisions in the North Sea.
Hare: Really stoked to get line honours
Pip Hare commented,
“It is not often I go into a race wanting to take line honours, but that really was a goal, so we are very happy.
“We were gutted that Ollie Heer’s IMOCA had to pull out as it would have been a great competition. Medallia is a newer generation boat, but Ollie’s is more suited to light airs.
“We concentrated on trying to extend from the other boats in the race and get around the course as quickly as possible. I am really stoked to get line honours in a race around Britain and Ireland.”
A jubilant Pip added,
“In the Vendee Globe it is a big deal to race around Cape Horn, but the Shetland Islands is way further north than Cape Horn is south. I’m very, very proud to have my name against line honours in this edition of the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race.
“I have full admiration for everyone out there; this is a tough race for all of us, but the first cold beer when you cross the line makes it all worthwhile!”
Team Medallia included Pip Hare, Paul Larsen, Nick Bubb, Kevin George, Ben Schwartz.
Live! Blog
The Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race Live! Blog reveals reports of up to 30 knots gusting from the north. The blog details the real ordeals of beating to Muckle Flugga and the tense moments as spinnakers are hoisted to send it south.
Nick Martin racing Sun Fast 3600 Diablo with Cal Finlayson,
“Pleased to have rounded Muckle Flugga last night. A big spinnaker wrap at night cost us two hours; frustrating. All well on board.”
Deb Fish racing with Rob Craigie on Sun Fast 3600 Bellino,
“A wild night last night. We rounded Muckle Flugga in a 25 knot northerly with overfalls from the tide. The most difficult helming I’ve ever done with a kite up and just trying to keep the boat under the rig in the big waves. Good progress until we wrapped and blew the kite which took a long time to fix. We waited for dawn to hoist our S3 and had yet more dramas. We started to round up and heeled rapidly, we eased the sheet and nothing happened – it was still in the jammer on the leeward side. Rob tried to free it but slipped into the guard rails. I grabbed him and helped him back; he freed the sheet and we were sorted. Rob is a tough cookie. We have now both got some sleep and are fine.”
See the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race Live! Blog for the latest news.
Image: Line Honours for Team Medallia – L to R: Nick Bubb, Paul Larsen, Pip Hare, Kevin George, Ben Schwartz © Paul Wyeth
