Thanks to Suzanne and Alan for this latest sailing update. Ed
Was it really Easter and time to set sail for a new sailing season on the water? This was the question asked by many a sailor at the start of the RORC Easter Challenge.
However despite the very cold temperatures and blustery conditions these hardy sailors took up the challenge and a very successful regatta took place in the waters of the Solent.
RORC Easter Challenge
Based in Cowes Yacht Haven this event was the UK season opener for the Royal Ocean Racing Club and traditionally doubled as a training regatta in preparation for the season ahead with well known trainers on hand to answer the questions which followed the racing.
For the RORC Easter Challenge, the outside assistance rule is waived allowing coaching mid-race. At the post-race debriefs, with accompanying video showing the highlights and horrors of the day, there was standing room only.
Day One
After Day One races, RORC Easter Challenge regular Simon Henning and his Farr 45, Alice II, were the runaway leaders in IRC One. This year Alice II is in good company with two other Farr 45s to race, plus a trio of Ker 40s.
This regatta saw the first competitive outing for 5°West, the former TeamOrigin TP52, helmed by Sir Keith Mills and featuring a crew led by Volvo Ocean Race sailor Robert Greenhalgh and with Laser Olympic gold medallist Paul Goodison calling tactics.
After Day One 5° West was in fourth place in IRC One after a disappointing opening race. Also competing and having a tough time on Day 1 was the Farr 52 Toe in the Water, skippered by Lloyd Hamilton.
Day two
Day two and the all-star crew aboard 5°West proved to be the fastest boat in the fleet. Being steered by Sir Keith, the TeamOrigin boss and creator of Air Miles, 5° West had taken the lead on handicap in IRC One after three races on the central Solent. One race was around the cans, and this was followed by two windward-leewards, held in continued challenging conditions, spring tides and a freezing Arctic breeze from the northeast.
Day one leader, Simon Henning’s Alice II, had a disappointing day and dropped to fourth overall, however this made for tied points with their Farr 45 sistership Kolga, crewed by the British Keelboat Academy crew.
Owned by former Skype co-founder Niklas Zennström, Kolga is this year being skippered by 20 year old James French and at the RORC Easter Challenge she was the only entry crewed solely by British Keelboat Academy trainees.
In the IRC Two’s 12-strong class, which is popular with officers of the RORC, Admiral of the Club, Andrew McIrvine and his First 40, La Réponse, was lying sixth.
McIrvine, was particularly proud of his port tack start in race three and said that his crew was improving in what was their first UK regatta of 2013.
Day three
Day three and the sun broke through, raising the temperature on the Solent to above freezing. Combined with more 15 knot winds, Easter Sunday’s two races provided the perfect conclusion to the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s UK season opener and training regatta.
5°West take top title
With some tight racing the overall winner of IRC 1 was Sir Keith Mills’ TP52 5°West. This was the first regatta for the TeamOrigin boss as an ‘owner driver’. Magnum3 was second and Hooligan7 third.
Runaway leader in IRC Two was the King 40, Tokoloshe, owned by South African Michael Bartholomew. This Hamble-based crew podiumed in all seven races over the weekend to finish 15 points clear of the second placed boat, Jeronimo.
David Franks and his JPK 1010, Strait Dealer were winners in IRC Three. Their two wins on Sunday saw them conclude the regatta with straight bullets across the event’s seven races.
In IRC Four, Peter Schofield’s HOD35 Zarafa dominated and won both of the Sunday races. This Lymington based team finished 6.5 points ahead of Altura & Steamy.
Image: © 5 Degrees West-Paul Wyeth
