J/122s Ramble-On @ Winter Series

(Solent, Hamble, England)- A bit like their musically spiritual compatriots in England, "Led Zeppelin", the J/122s continue to "Ramble On" and keep the pedal-to-the-metal in class this past weekend.  Not sure what got this train running down the tracks so fast, but surely the crews on the J/97 JIKA-JIKA and INDULJENCE have got it dialed in so far this fall season on the Solent.

This weekend HRSC hosted some close racing and some epic on-water battles in the Hamble Autumn Championships and Garmin Hamble Winter Series, in conditions that ranged from gusty to fresh & frighteningly epic?! There was some masterful sailing - and the odd impressive wipeout - across the fleet.

In IRC results are starting to look like a classic American "roller-coaster".  In IRC 1 Class, Doctor Ivan Trotman is now leading with his J/122 JOLOU with a 1-4-3-6 record for 14 pts.

Next weekend sees the third Winter Series race day on Sunday.   Sailing photo credits- Hamo Thornycroft   For more Garmin Hamble Winter Series sailing information

Malta's J/122s Rule Middle Sea Race

J/122s Cruise Overall/ Class Wins!
(Gzira, Malta)- The 32nd edition of the 606-nautical mile Rolex Middle Sea Race, which began last Saturday, 22 October from Grand Harbour in Malta, with 70 boats from 18 countries, will be remembered as an epic drama that saw FOUR (not one, not two, not three, but 4) J's battling for the overall and class leadership in one of the most challenging offshore races on planet Earth.  And, seemingly, all four boats were part of the Maltese Navy, a "family" from that little island nation known as Malta.  In a drama worthy of Homer's ODYSSEY, where Odysseus's voyage is punctuated by many bizarre twists and turns, it was the Maltese merchants of war that took home all the booty this time around-- hauling off enough silverware to make it seem almost illegal were it not for the fact their chosen steeds of war were nothing else than simple racer-cruisers like the J/122 and J/133. Truth be told, the "locals" won.  Royal Maltesian sailors Lee Satariano and Christian Ripard on their J/122 ARTIE won overall and IRC 4, too.  For them, it was truly the "third time is a charm", having finished second twice before!

After finishing second overall in 2006 and 2010, owner Lee Satariano was clearly pleased with his first overall win, “It’s a moment to enjoy – it is a dream come true. Since 2002 the fleet has grown bigger, the competition is tremendous. The Rolex Middle Sea Race is a beautiful track. The race is one you can never forget –every year something challenges you to go back out and enjoy the race.”

Satariano was quick to credit Ripard and the rest of his crew and said, “They have been preparing the boat the whole year and have been dedicated to the local races. The preparation for this race was even more and more intense - a lot of effort went into optimizing the boat and sails. During the race the crew worked round the clock, sometimes there were 5-7 sail changes in ten minutes; they worked fast, and in any conditions. It was very nice for them to do so well in such a race.”

As to what made this year’s race unique, aside from the obvious winning, he added, “Every corner had something we weren’t expecting – you were expecting one thing and then obviously facing different winds, rain, different directions, but it was totally exciting.”
The Middle Sea Race is the flagship race of the Royal Malta Yacht Club and each year, members of the club, young and old take part in the spectacular race. It is a special honor to be the first Maltese boat to finish the Rolex Middle Sea Race, as Georges Bonello Dupuis, Commodore of the Royal Malta Yacht Club explains, “For the entire race, all of the Maltese boats will be concentrating on crossing the line first, it is an incredible honor filled with pride and elation. All of their families will be in the yacht club, hoping that they will win. It is a great feeling to be the first home but a real welcome home party awaits them all.”

Laid out on a chart, the RMSR looks simple- it's just a "giant around the islands race" (like Jamestown or Isle of Wight, but on much, much larger scale- for those of you counting, only 606nm).  Just start from Malta, head north to the Straits of Messina, go through it avoiding massive whirlpools and currents (and mythical serpents). Then, go a few bits to the north, avoid island volcano called Stromboli (note 1), keep it to the left, head west past Sicily (yet another island volcano) along its northern shore.  At the NW corner of Sicily off the islands of Favignana (note 2), turn left again and head south keeping the islands of Pantelleria (note 3) to the left and Tunisia (north tip of Africa) to your right (pirates included).  After Pantelleria, head down to the rock (island by some standards) of Lampedusa and turn left, heading east to the finish of Malta (a story and challenge in and of itself)(note 4).  Easy, eh? In some respects, it makes the RORC Rolex Fastnet Race look like a "piece of cake"-- head west from Cowes, turn around Fastnet Rock and finish at Plymouth, your basic "out and back race".  Not!  So, you can begin to understand "why" the "new" RORC 600 Race in the Caribbean and the classic Rolex Middle Sea Race have such appeal, they're easily one of the most challenging offshore races on the international racing calendar. Some times, all sun, fun, shorts and sunscreen.  Other times, one's contending with sailing's version of a nuclear wind with powerful, hurricane-like meltemi's/ scirocco's blasting off the desert or northern Europe.  It's a full-on team effort to simply sail well in this race, forgetting the fact that you're hoping to even get some silverware. In other words, full-blown, fully professional teams paid zillions of dollars can fail and be beaten by "family" teams.  The story, in fact, of this year's race.  David and Goliath reincarnate, if not one worthy of a Greek odyssey.

Who were lined up against the "family" J/Teams in this year's Rolex Middle Sea Race?  Well, nothing short of the 2011 RORC Boat of the Year- Inter-Galactic Winner- Nik Zennstrom's 72 footer RAN. Plus, a few other quick boats like ESIMIT EUROPA, a 100 ft canting-keel "needle" and other "wannabes" in the fast boats category. The collective payroll for one race on the top five finishing boats would pay for ALL four J's that took most of the silverware.  Perhaps sailing is the ultimate egalitarian endeavour.

Before we forget, we must mention the fact that a "newbie" to the local Maltese J/Navy is the J/122 OTRA VEZ sailed by Aaron Gatt Floridia / Edward Gatt Floridia.  Remarkably, in their first race on a J/122, against the most formidable competition imaginable, they managed a third overall and a third in IRC 4.  Not bad.  A podium finish in Class and Overall on their first try?  So, what happens when they actually "learn" the boat from the masters in Malta and go faster without hitting any corners?  Sounds like trouble for their competitors anywhere they decide to take their new race-horse.

Not to be forgotten are their stablemates, the J/133 JUNO sailed by David Anastasi racing in IRC 3.  They were nipping at their heels like a mad hound-dog all the way around the track.  Luck was not on their side.  Nevertheless, despite a few mistakes, JUNO hung very tough to get fifth overall and 2nd in IRC 3 Class, helping to lead to a J sweep of IRC 3 and IRC 4 classes.  Not far off the pace was the J/130 ANDAYA sailed by her Italian owner Lorenzo Libe-- ANDAYA won 3rd overall in the 1996 Rolex Middle Sea Race.

Prophetically, Christian Ripard on ARTIE had this to say just 24 hours before the start, "The forecast looks to be quite light for the first couple of days....but with the thunder clouds lurking around at the start we could have very unstable weather which could bring us anything from zero to fifty knots in squalls.....as always this race is the longest around the cans race which will keep us working continuously hour after hour."  Given that perspective (truer than what most would've imagined), here's what happened during the race.

SUNDAY Report:
On the first night, the fleet parked up off the coast of Sicily near Catania – in the shadows of Mount Etna.  The bulk of the fleet was nearing the Strait.  The crew of the J/133, OILTANK KING JUNO (MLT), was clearly enjoying itself despite one or two issues yesterday, reporting in with a recap the early adventures, "Once out of the harbour, some local storm clouds brought with them squalls. We saw some boats tear their code zeros and spinnakers. On JUNO, we were not free of problems either. Even though we made the correct sail calls at the right times, at one point we lost both our spinnaker sheets and tack lines, giving us major problems with one of our spinnakers. Due to great teamwork, we managed to make a good recovery and now find ourselves sailing up the east coast of Sicily towards the infamous straits of Messina."

MONDAY Report:
Forty-eight hours into the race and the fleet had encountered all of the challenges and conditions that tacticians and navigators had anticipated well before the race start.  The 606-nautical mile course around Sicily is notorious for its changeable conditions, and local anomalies in wind, current, and weather. Many competitors work out a game plan that breaks the course into several parts – each with its own challenges. And over-riding all race plans is the weather forecast – this year the predictions were for lighter breeze at the start, though several fronts passing through the area were expected to bring more wind along the western coast of Sicily.

After a faster than expected first 24 hours, the front-runners suffered on the stretch of the course along the north coast of Sicily where lighter winds finally materialized slowing the boats down to a relative crawl. But once they could stick their bows around the northwest corner of Sicily, past San Vito lo Capo, they were back in the breeze and off again.

Said one navigator in the midst of IRC 3 and IRC 4 fleets, "Looking ahead we expect our world to change when we round the western tip of Sicily and enter the southerly winds. The strength will increase and be more on the nose. At the moment we are peeling between the code zero and headsails, but we will just be using headsails shortly. We’re happy with that. We made a good decision last night to stay north, away from the wind shadows of Sicily and the Aeolian Islands.  Further ahead we think that Lampedusa could be a problem and another park-up. There is a low tracking over Malta on Tuesday that could bring really light winds, changing the picture all over again and really changing the shape of the race."

The bulk of the fleet - including all of Classes 3 and 4 - were fairly closely packed along the rhumbline off the northern coast of Sicily. Abeam of the island of Alicudi (one of the Aeolian Islands), one skipper said they had a visual sighting of 34-35 boats around them. He reported, "It was a tough night, we rounded Stromboli with good breeze around 2300 - its usual eruptions and a very nice view. About an hour later, the breeze started to die, and then it was just a big swell with sails flapping, shock loading the boat. We now are sailing in six knots of wind, making 6.3 knots of boat speed, with the apparent wind just forward of the beam. We anticipate the wind to increase by midday, though forecasts have been mostly inaccurate! Anyway, that’s the name of game. Right now we have bright sunshine some cloud cover."

To give you some perspective from the top of the fleet, Nik Zennstrom, owner/skipper on RAN, said "We studied the different weather models that were available to us, and really tried to understand the race-course as well as possible. I think we handled it well; we didn’t make a lot of mistakes, which is what it’s all about in this kind of race. Though it was pretty light conditions; you didn’t have the tough conditions where you really have to handle the boat. It’s a fun race because there are always different corners to go around, different islands-- for sure it’s very tactical.”  RAN's tactician Adrian Stead, echoed that and said, “It was a pretty challenging race-- intriguingly, this race was not a case of the rich getting richer, as the weather conditions continued to confound even the race leaders right to the end – and served as a reminder of what may lie ahead for the rest of the fleet still racing. The last 50 miles into the finish were incredibly tricky. Originally we were pointing straight at Malta, then we were slowly headed and effectively faced with a 30-mile beat to the Comino Channel, and coming in to here at midday the breeze started to get very fickle off the shore, with very big shifts.  The last nine miles saw 40 degree shifts, and breeze as light as five knots to as much as 11 knots. You had to keep your wits about you the whole way.”

The conditions overnight definitely favored the lighter displacement boats and two Maltese yachts came to the fore. J/122 ARTIE skippered by Lee Satariano and double race winner Christian Ripard had an excellent night and were now very much in contention. Aaron and Edward Gatt Floridia’s J/122, OTRA VEZ also came into the running. These two local yachts were barely half a mile apart.

By noon on the third day, the Rolex Middle Sea Race was living up to its billing as a highly changeable and tactically demanding race. As the majority of the fleet turns the corner northwest corner at Favignana, they should encounter stronger head winds, rain and a building sea state; the third night at sea looks set to be a testing one.

TUESDAY Report-
By Monday evening, the fleet began to experience a situation contrary to the forecast– a reminder again of the fickle weather conditions around Sicily. Several squalls swept through and a few boats were caught unawares, left to quickly douse spinnakers and run through sail changes, as the wind swung around from southeast to northwest.  Then it swung back again!  The fleet were experiencing the roughest conditions of the race so far. Beating into a stiff southeasterly breeze with an agitated sea state, it was a rock and roll ride for the fleet, soaking wet on deck with fresh supplies of food depleted and little sleep, a battle of attrition was the main course and a few hours restless sleep the desert. Malta’s capital Valetta’s famous battlements are testament to the fighting spirit of the nation and several Maltese yachts have come to the fore in these difficult conditions.

In Class Three, at Favignana, the J/133 JARU Team EC, skippered by Andrew Calascione and John Ripard were leading the class on handicap and by 0830 Tuesday morning JARU had pulled ahead of close rival ARTIE (racing in Class Four) by one and half miles to lead the fleet of eight Maltese yachts in the Rolex Middle Sea Race. Challenging for the lead and very much in the hunt in Class Three was the other J/133 OILTANK KING JUNO skippered by David Anastasi.

Continuing to lead Class 4 were the two J/122s from the Maltese fleet-- ARTIE and OTRA VEZ. As Ripard said presciently before the race start, “It’s not a long passage race, you have a lot of corners, a lot of changing winds when you go around a corner. They get becalmed, you run away; you get becalmed, they catch you up, it really keeps you on your toes, the whole way around. That’s why it’s so much fun, but it’s so hard doing it.”

OTRA VEZ had a full on battle Monday night, sustaining damage that prevented them from flying any spinnaker. OTRA VEZ was probably the only yacht that was hoping that they will beat all the way to the finish. OTRA VEZ crew, Sean Arrigo Azzopardi contacted the Royal Malta YC Tuesday morning at 1030 with news from on board- "We’re all fine, doing well overall. The boat is coping, but we broke the bowsprit last night. We were carrying the Code Zero a bit too high in a big chop, and seem to have blown it. I don’t know if we can get it fixed, I hope we don’t need to use it. We had big waves rounding Favignana, and about 20 knots of wind. When we freed off slightly to make Pantelleria, we were sailing at a true wind angle of 050, the wind settled, big waves, and we were doing about 8.5 knots. It was pretty comfortable.  It is a beat to Lampedusa. We’re not sure if we are going to need the bowsprit. The wind looks as though it might come around, but we are not too sure since the wind has been doing its own thing. Apart from in the Strait we have not really had what we’ve been expecting. From the beginning to half the race, nothing at all like what we thought.  Before Favignana, we encountered the squalls, but mildly. Not as bad as others seem to have. Maybe we were ahead of it. We slowed down a lot at Trapani. We were hoping not, it looked like it was going to pull us through but it didn’t. The wind for us did not come around too much.  It is a beautiful day now, the wind is blowing 13 knots, we are beating tight, with a wind angle of 040 heading towards Lampedusa, the sea is mild. It’s pretty nice. Some bigger boats are closing from behind, but we are still chasing ARTIE who is about a mile and a half away. We were together with JARU at Trapani, but he did not slow down like we did. He managed to sneak away, so maybe he is a couple of miles ahead.  Right now we are trying to get as much rest as possible to try and fight out the last bit. We’re loving every minute."

WEDNESDAY Report- Finish
With 18 yachts finished and two retirements, the bulk of the remaining yachts were still battling to reach the finish at the Royal Malta Yacht Club. Lighter conditions beset the fleet but those that rounded Lampedusa were now sailing in a southeasterly breeze and maintaining good boat speed, flying downwind sails. The Royal Malta YC was expecting a monumental party Wednesday night with six Maltese yachts expected to finish in the afternoon and early evening.

At 0930 hours, leading the Maltese fleet of eight yachts home was the J/122 ARTIE, she was 24 miles from the Comino Strait and leading her class, the Maltese fleet and the entire race on IRC handicap!  Can we say that a "Triple-Crown winner" was a possibility?  Nipping at their heels less than 5 nm behind in the final mad dash to the finish line were the three other Maltese J's- the J/133s JARU Team EC, OILTANK KING JUNO and the J/122 OTRA VEZ!  It was a family affair, too.  JARU, was skippered by Andrew Calascione and John Ripard (first cousin to ARTIE's Christian Ripard). John Ripard is also sailing with his son Sebastian. The J/122 OTRA VEZ, co-skippered by brothers Aaron and Edward Gatt Floridia, had to be cursing their luck, their broken bowsprit was now a serious handicap. As they sailed towards the finish off-the-wind, OTRA VEZ couldn't fly their fastest sails.

Finally, after racing over 606 nm, the J/122 ARTIE crossed the finish line at 15.22 CEST, eight minutes in front of the J/133 JARU TEAM EC and, in doing so, was the first Maltese boat home. That finish also put the local entry, co-skippered by Lee Satariano and Christian Ripard, ahead of Zenstrom's RAN (GBR) as overall handicap leader.  As a result, ARTIE and crew may have been the first "Triple Crown" Winner ever in the history of the Rolex Middle Sea Race- Overall IRC Winner, IRC Class 4 Winner and Maltese Fleet Champion!

Owner Lee Satariano was clearly relieved to beat his local rivals home and said, “It was very achievable because we worked very hard. The crew has been preparing the boat for the past several months, we even have a new sail wardrobe. Being the first Maltese boat gives us a big satisfaction because the local competition is very, very big.”  Christian Ripard, co-skipper said, “It’s a great feeling. We ended up doing most of the race alongside or crossing tacks with JARU; it’s nearly a re-run of last year, though this time we managed to beat them.  We were sailing the boat as well as we can. We knew if we had the same conditions as the rest of the competition, we’d do well. The boat is going exceptionally well, and it’s a very good crew. This was a very enjoyable race. When you race on a Maxi you tend to be on your own, but when you’re with the smaller boats, then you really have a race on, there are different dynamics -- you’re crossing tacks with foreign boats, with local boats -- it was one of the most enjoyable races for me."

Notes:
(1) Part of the Aeolian island chain, Stromboli is located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the north coast of Sicily. The active volcano is approximately 900 m (3,000 ft) high, and its most recent eruption was in August 2009. There are two villages on the island with several hundred inhabitants.  Stromboli gained acclaim in 1950 when Italian director, Roberto Rossellini set the classic movie 'Stromboli' starring Ingrid Bergman, on the island. The island, and nearby Strombolicchio, are marks of the Rolex Middle Sea Race course, left to port by the race fleet.  Stromboli is part of the Aeolian Island archipelago, named after the wind god, Aeolus. The largest islands in the group are Lipari and Salina; others include Vulcano, Stromboli, Filicudi, Alicudi, and Panarea, as well as nearby islets. The islands are of volcanic origin and include two active volcanoes: Vulcano and Stromboli. Over 40 species of birds are found on the islands, including ten that are on the Sicilian Red List for threatened species.

(2) The Rolex Middle Sea Race Mark is unusual as many of the marks of the course are physical islands. At the northwest corner of Sicily, off Trapani, lie the Egadi Islands. These islands (Favignana and Levanzo) must all be left to port, except for the island of Marettimo, which must be left to starboard.  The permanent population for the three islands is around 5,000. Although a popular summer destination, it is still possible to find secluded coves and walking paths. The islands are rugged and hilly, but offer wonderful beaches for swimming in the cobalt blue sea.

(3) the Italian island of Pantelleria lies 100 km (62miles) southwest of Sicily and only 60 km (37miles) east of the Tunisian coast. The island has an area of 83 sq km, and a population of around 3,000 inhabitants. Despite being volcanic, Pantelleria is surprisingly fertile. Not to be missed is the Montagna Grand, a natural park and the highest point (836m) on the island. As well, there are many beaches and sea caves to explore.

(4) The finish line for the Rolex Middle Sea Race is inside Marsamxett Harbour, opposite the Royal Malta Yacht Club in Ta’Xbiex. Marsamxett is the northern of Valletta’s two main harbors (the other is Grand Harbour). This natural harbour is dedicated more for leisure use – with plenty of dockage for recreational and tourist boats.  The harbour is ringed by fortifications. As well as the walled Citadel of Valletta to the south, in the middle of the harbour sits the 18 century Fort Manoel, built by the Knights of Malta, under the patronage of Portuguese Grand Master Manoel de Vilhena. The former home of the Royal Malta Yacht Club, the fort is undergoing major restoration work to repair damage sustained during the Second World War.   To experience live video footage from the J/133 JUNO- access their archives.  Rolex Sailing Photo credits- Rolex/ Kurt Arrigo.   For more Rolex Middle Sea Race sailing information.

  

A Smashing Day for J/122s

Hamble Winter Series Update
(Hamble, England)-  After the first weekend's boisterous conditions, light winds saw in the 2nd weekend of the Garmin Hamble Winter Series, with the conditions giving all classes some sparkling sailing and nail-bitingly close racing.

This weekend featured the Hamble Big Boat Series on both days, with top-class racing for everyone. Thanks to Rule 26 who sponsored the event. Saturday dawned with 8-12 knots of breeze from the east, expected to shift to the right during the day. Four races were run, with a windward-leeward course set across the North Channel from a committee boat at East Knoll

By contrast, Sunday morning saw thick fog, with ships sounding their way slowly up Southampton water with foghorns blaring. PRO Jamie Wilkinson set an hour's postponement to let the fog clear, later postponed by a further hour when ABP, backed up by a competitor in a RIB reported that the Southampton Water was impassable. Every cloud has a silver lining, however, and this wasn't an unpopular move as it allowed competitors to watch the end of the rugby.

By 1000 the fog began to clear to reveal a millpond, with zero wind – but by 1230 a light breeze had built from the WSW and the race committee hurriedly set a course for all classes, with starts combined to get racing underway as soon as possible.

After a false start, the wind built to 10 knots during the race, which meant that all classes converged on the leeward mark at once, with large gains for the taking for those with an inside overlap.

In IRC 1 Class, the good Doctor Ivan Trotman continues to be a force amongst the leaders on his J/122 JOLOU with his 1-4-5 record to be currently lying 2nd in class.  Ken Lowes J/122 GHOST is showing improvement every race  and with his current progress may be winning by next week!  So far GHOSTS record of 9-8-4 for 21 pts is promising. 

Next weekend sees the third Winter Series race day on Sunday.   Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth   For more Garmin Hamble Winter Series sailing information

  

J/122 Wins Silver in RORC Season Championships

(London, England)- It was a tough year.  It was a Fastnet year.  And, an RORC 600 year.  It was not going to be easy for any boat participating in this years RORC Seasons Points Championships to easily walk off with all the silverware and pickle-dishes.  Nevertheless, some J/Teams prevailed despite some harsh and very, very challenging conditions offshore- some absolutely not within the "wheelhouse" of where these J/Teams can succeed, if not dominate offshore.  Again, this year's series points to the fact that a good all-around design is critical to offshore success-- too "type-formed" and you win big in one event and get crushed in the next.  Such was the case this year.

In the IRC Classes the best five offshore races are counted towards the RORC Season's Points Championship. These were heavily contested and in some of the classes, the results were undecided until after the Cherbourg Race, the last race of the season.  For the J/Teams, "Congratulations" are in order for those that persevered and prevailed against the best offshore sailors from Western Europe.  Here's the scoreline for these J/Teams:

- Emily Verger Plate - IRC Two Overall-  JOOPSTER- J/122 - Neil Kipling (GBR.

In addition to the winners, special mention should be made of the following performances:

- IRC Overall- the J/122 sailed by Neil Kipling was third overall.

The net, net of the 2011 RORC summer sailing season is that it takes solid, easy-to-sail, all-around boats to succeed in the RORC events.  Again, with primarily all amateur/ corinthian teams, the fleet of J sailors not only had fun but won their fair share of silverware, too.  Nothing like adding a few more pickle-dishes to the serving inventory at home!  For more RORC Offshore Season sailing information.

  

Rolex Middle Sea Race Preview

(Gzira, Malta)- The 32nd edition of the 606-nautical mile Rolex Middle Sea Race begins this Saturday, 22 October from Grand Harbour in Malta. Currently, there are 80 boats entered from 18 countries.  The RMSR is easily one of the most challenging offshore races on the international racing calendar.  Asked whether there is anything about the race in particular that drives sailors to participate over the years, one sailor said, “I don’t think there is one thing-- there are several things. Getting through the Strait of Messina is always a challenge (a.k.a. "the around boot challenge"), you are always relieved to get through it. Next on the way is Stromboli, a volcano that erupts about every 20 minutes or so. For people that haven’t seen it before it is an amazing sight. From there it remains interesting all the way through to the finish, turning left around two enormous rock precipices jutting out from the ocean, and right up to the line in Marsamxett Harbour where the wind is fickle and you are not finished until you are over the line.”

Looking forward to their first tour in the RMSR are two new J owners, one sailing the J/111 and the other in a J/122.  Said J/Boats Italy's Paolo Boido- "The first J/111 J-STORM just delivered to owner Massimo Colosimo will race the Middle Sea Race.  They just called me now (Wednesday night), on their way to Malta, reaching with full main and Code 0 in medium/heavy SW at the remarkable average speed of 18 knots!"  Sure sounds like that Italian crew are going to have a fun, challenging time racing around the track.  If there was a race ever purpose-built for any one boat, the J/111 sailed conservatively should do just fine (avoid the corners, my friends!).  In addition, a new J/122 added to the local fleet is OTRA VEZ sailed by Aaron Gatt Floridia / Edward Gatt Floridia from Malta, sailing in IRC 4.

Joining these two "newbies" in the RMSR are perhaps the craftiest and smartest Maltese yachtsmen, the teams on JUNO and ARTIE, both of whom have either won the RMSR overall on handicap and/or won their classes over many, many years.  Leading the charge at least boat-for-boat will be the J/133 JUNO sailed by David Anastasi racing in IRC 3.  Nipping at their heels like a mad hound-dog will be that tenacious team on the J/122 ARTIE, led by renowned Maltese sailors Lee Satariano and Christian Ripard, dueling it out not just for IRC 4 Class honors but for overall honors as well.  If J/News readers recall, in last year's 2010 RMSR, both JUNO and ARTIE were not only class leaders, but overall RMSR IRC leaders literally up to the final 5 miles in the harbor-- which, as everyone knows, can be the "heartbreaker" for many well-sailed, tenacious teams.

Starting Saturday afternoon UTC time, you can track these teams as they make their way around this epic race course.  Sailing photo credits- Rolex/ Carlo Borlenghi.  Please take a look at the official Rolex Middle Sea Race website.

  

THE Winter Series Opens With a Bang!

(Hamble, England)-  This weekend saw the Garmin Hamble Winter Series get underway, with some exciting, blustery conditions to see in the start of the event’s 30th anniversary.  Perhaps one might refer to this eponymous event as "THE Winter" Series as it has always enjoyed an immensely popular following amongst knowledgeable and enthusiastic sailors over time.  Like some other events across Europe and the America's, it does assume a bit of a "Goodwood-type" or "Woodstock-like" pilgrimage from the cozy confines of the tree-lined squares in London and surrounding suburbs down to the sleepy little seaside town alongside the Hamble River just north of the boisterous and, sometimes, sublime "river" of water known around the world as simply "The Solent".


BLACK FLEET Report- The first weekend, Sunday, also saw the first day of racing for the Black Fleet in the main series, with two races scheduled. PRO Jamie Wilkinson set a range of windward-leeward courses for the different classes. At 1045 the wind shifted left by 20 degrees, causing some bigger boats to overstand their windward mark. This first race saw 17-20 knots of breeze and a classic wind-over-tide chop which made for some impressive surfing on the downwind leg. By the second race, the wind, now in the south-west, was building, with regular gusts of 25 knots.

In IRC Class 1, Dr Ivan Trotman’s J/122 JOLOU leads the fleet, yet another fresh face amongst the leadership in IRC I with a 1-4 for a total of 5 points.  Ken Lowe is sailing his J/122 GHOST and lies 7th after collecting a 9-8 for 17 points.

For more Garmin Hamble Winter Series sailing results.   Sailing photo credits- Eddie Mays

  

Western Oz J/122 LITHIUM Smokes Perth

(Perth, Fremantle, Australia)- Graeme Monkhouse sailed his recently acquired J/122 LITHIUM in his first double-handed race.  Graeme purchased LITHIUM after a long selection process.  The objective was to find a boat which can be comfortably cruised with the family, be competitive on IRC, and have a turn of speed which keeps the excitement levels up.  The J/122 ticks all the boxes. LITHIUM reduced its IRC rating from 1.086 with class sails to 1.058 with a furling number 4 jib and A5 spinnaker to suit double-handed sailing in the predominantly fresh Fremantle breezes. Good move.  The "Fremantle Doctor", if you all recall, was the notorious wind that smoked many an America's Cup program in 1987 with steady 20-35 knot breezes!

The first offshore race of the Perth summer season saw record numbers compete in gentle, uncharacteristic 0–12 knot winds.  The Double-handed race was a 25nm course off Fremantle.  The race started in no wind before a south westerly change saw spinnakers hoisted to the day buoy.  In 5 knots of breeze the fleet sailed close hauled 5nm before tacking for a 4nm reach into the shipping channel.  LITHIUM set its Code Zero to great advantage and was doing over 8 knots in under 10 knots of breeze.  A 6nm beat up to Garden Island saw the lead narrow and it was a close battle for first place at the rounding mark.  However the 6.5nm square run down the channel saw LITHIUM drop back.  A 2.3nm broad reach to the finish and LITHIUM crossed the line second and placed 2nd on IRC, a tantalizing 56 seconds off 1st place.

  

The DRAGON Wins AYC Fall

(Rye, NY)- For the 59 J's sailing in a fleet of 90 boats (60% of the fleet), it was a challenging two weekends of sailing.  No wind, floods, massive shifts.  Perfect conditions with sun crystal clear skies.  OK.  Just another fall day on Long Island Sound in classic mid-October weather.  Granted that, it was still good sailing for all competitors.

The J/122 One-Design class had a solid turnout with six boats.  This time, it was "the DRAGON" showing their forked-tail to the rest of the fleet.  Andrew Weiss and team on CHRISTOPHER DRAGON took three firsts to secure their lead on this competitive class by four points.  Their erstwhile nemesis, the triumvirate of Bruno/ Boyle/ Callahan sailed to a solid second place with three seconds for nine points.  Third was a good showing by Barry Gold on SUNDARI, winning two races, but not being consistent enough with three 4ths to miss first by five points.  For more AYC Fall Series sailing information

  

J/122s Dominate AYC Fall Series

(Rye, NY)-  The forecast was not good.  Cloudy, drizzly Saturday.  ESE nothing, building to nothing.  Sunday, clearing slowly, from the WSW nothing, building to almost nothing.  Seems it was true for most of the East Coast.  Except for those areas that can build sea-breezes from nothing into something, like Newport and Buzzards Bay!  And so it was.

For the 59 J's sailing in a fleet of 90 boats (60% of the fleet), it was an exercise primarily in frustration with the weather Gods.  This time it had less to do with the "classic Long Island Sound" weather conditions producing nothing, but more to the point that wind gradients and weather systems were stalled, pouring buckets of rain on those who needed it the least (already flooded out, mind you)!

Undaunted, the huge turnout of J/Teams nevertheless produced good racing for the ONE race that was conducted all weekend long.  Ouch. The J's sailing in the "handicap racing world" had their work cut out for them in the challenging conditions in both IRC and PHRF.

In IRC 5 Division, the J/122s showed up "en masse" and with five of them entered, it was certain that many would be amongst the leaders of the class.  Sure enough, the J/122s finished 2-3-4-5, led home by Andrew Weiss's family team aboard the famous CHRISTOPHER DRAGON, followed by Mike Bruno and Jim Callahan on WINGS, then Stephen Furnary on PATRIOT and Barry Gold on SUNDARI.

 For more AYC Fall Series sailing information

J's Sweep LIS IRC/PHRF Championship

(Riverside, CT)- At host Riverside YC and Storm Trysail Club this past weekend, there was quite a remarkable display of corinthian sailing by J sailors across the spectrum, from the tippy top of the IRC racing spectrum to the "classic" PHRF warhorses that have proven time and again they're good, competitive sailboats.  J/Team's swept first place in FOUR of the five classes sailing in the 2011 Long Island Sound IRC/ PHRF Championships!  The sailors were all treated to spectacular easterlies with 10-17 knots and clear skies on Saturday's racing.

In IRC 3, Tom Boyle's J/122 WINGS won with three 2nds, a 1st and 3rd.  Andrew Weiss’s J/122 CHRISTOPHER DRAGON won the first two races on Saturday to place second in the IRC 3 division.  Third was Jim Bishop's J/44 GOLD DIGGER winning the last two races to finish just one point out of second.

Sailing photo credits- Daniela Clark/ photoboat.com 

For more Long Island Sound sailing information

  

IRC Atlantique Regatta

(Lorient, France)- Concurrent with the J/80s sailing one of their French J/80 Season Series, the offshore boats were racing one of their premiere fall regattas on the offshore French sailing circuit- The Groupama IRC Atlantique Regatta.  Sailing in IRC 1 were a range of J's including Jean Marie Patier's J/122 ILE DE FRANCE, Yves Lanier's J/120 LES QUATRE VENTS BREST (a.k.a. the "four winds of Brest"), Stephane Blanchard's recently launched J/111 LE JOUET and Alain Rouaults' veteran offshore team on the J/133 JIVARO just back from the Rolex Fastnet Race.

After a series of races that saw all forms of weather thrown at them, it was Patier's J/122 ILE DE FRANCE that managed to capture a fourth place in fleet with a 5-7-3-9-1 score.  Just two points behind them was Lanier's J/120 LES QUATRE VENTS BREST with an 8-4-4-6-5.  In one of their first tune-up regattas of the season, Blanchard's J/111 LE JOUET managed 9th overall.    For more IRC Atlantique Regatta sailing information

  

J/Dragons Eviscerate Vineyard Race

(Stamford, CT)-  Imagine fifteen classes of offshore keelboats racing from the middle of Long Island Sound, out through the infamous "Race", out around Buzzards Tower and back, then imagine one brand of boats and their fun-loving owners that passionately enjoy the sport of sailing and you most likely have a pretty good recipe for success on a race course that provides its participants the ultimate challenge in all-around sailing.  That's exactly what happened in this year's edition of the Vineyard Race.  Six class wins by one brand, nearly 50% of the podium silverware went to J owners across the spectrum.

Labor Day weekend's Vineyard Race is a classic American yachting event; a 238-mile course stretching from Shippan Point, through the swirling currents of the Race or Plum Gut, past Block Island, and on to the light tower at the entrance to Buzzard's Bay, to return leaving Block Island to starboard en route to the finish in Stamford Harbor. Begun in 1932, it has attracted the finest sailors and fastest boats for over 70 years, and its intricacies and challenges bring them back time after time. Those who are successful nearly always credit local knowledge of these tricky waters and a good deal of luck.  The event now has three courses to accommodate the needs of various sailors, from the shorter Cornfield Point course, to the middle-distance Seaflower Reef course, to the original Vineyard course.

The formula for winning was apparently straightforward for most of the class winners.  Andrew Weiss' J/122 CHRISTOPHER DRAGON was perhaps the textbook example of how to win.  On the way out, most of the faster boats sailed rhumbline towards the Race.  Going through the eastern end of Long Island Sound, DRAGON went just north of Plum Island and south of Gull Island, staying in stronger southerly breezes with better current.  From there DRAGON sailed down the middle of channel between Point Judith and Block Island, staying further to right (south) of the fleet.  After rounding Buzzards Towers at the opening of Buzzards Bay, DRAGON headed off on starboard tack for several miles offshore before tacking onto port tack and laying the Block Island mark.  From there, DRAGON headed through Plum Gut between Plum Island and Orient Point and stayed just south of rhumbline headed back to finish line off Stamford's Shippan Point.   For more Stamford-Vineyard Race sailing information

  

Foggy Cherbourg Race Finale

J/105 DH'ers Knife Through Mist to 1-2
(Cherbourg, France)-  After a record breaking Rolex Fastnet Race, the final race of the RORC Season's Points Championship took place last weekend. After a scintillating season of racing with the Royal Ocean Racing Club, current weather models predict a light airs race, in sharp contrast to a very windy season, for the 78 nm dash across from the eastern end of the Solent across "La Manche" to Cherbourg.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club's Season's Points Championship consists of a testing series of races that attracts an international and varied fleet. For the serious offshore sailor, trying to win the Season's Points Championship is a real challenge. The Season's Points Championship this year included the tactically and physically challenging Rolex Fastnet Race, the oldest and most prestigious offshore yacht race in the world.  Pending the outcome of the race was the IRC Overall Season Points Championship for IRC 2 for Neil Kipling's J/122, JOOPSTER.

At the end of it all, one could call this race "the foggy bottom version".  After a wet and windy season the weather gods conjured up a new and unusual challenge for the finale of the RORC 2011 season: light airs and thick fog. Speaking after the race, RORC Vice Commodore, Mike Greville said that it was a good and challenging tactical race. "The combination of thick fog and light patchy breeze made it really difficult to sail to the wind. The instruments were not a lot of help because of the wind sheer and we struggled to see the tell tales in the thick fog in the dark. The secret of success appeared for many was to go west. There was more breeze and at a better angle particularly as boats closed the finish at Cherbourg."

The fog also caused the race committee problems at the start and the RIB at the outer distance mark was invaluable in checking for OCS boats. The wind was westerly force 3 and the fleet were just able to carry their kites. Exiting the Solent to the East there were large holes in the wind to spot and avoid off Bembridge.

The light wind prevailed throughout the race.  David Ballantyne's J/133 JINGS took second in both IRC One and IRC Overall finishing at 1057. After them there was a long wait until the rest of the fleet trickled into Cherbourg over the course of the afternoon.  In IRC Three Nikki Curwen triumphed in her J/105 VOADOR from sister ship DIABLO-J sailed by Rear Commodore Nick Martin, a remarkable feat considering they're racing against fully-crewed boats.  Both boats finished 3rd and 4th, respectively against their IRC Doublehanded competitors.

The outcomes of the race had a meaningful impact on the overall standings with J sailing teams well represented in the top five in each class, by far the best performance of any sailing brand in European waters.  For IRC Overall, the J/122 JOOPSTER finished fifth and in IRC Two, the J/122 JOOPSTER wins!

For more RORC Cherbourg Race Sailing information 

J/122s Enjoy Ida Lewis Distance Race

(Newport, RI) - A highlight of the Newport summer offshore season is the only round trip distance race to begin and end in Newport, the Ida Lewis Distance Race.  The event, which enjoyed its seventh edition this year, is a qualifier for the 2011 New England Lighthouse Series (PHRF); Northern and Double-Handed Ocean Racing Trophies (IRC); and the US-IRC Gulf Stream Series. Furthermore, the race incorporates something that was a first amongst all known offshore races- the Youth Challenge.   The Youth Challenge is comprised of teams that have more than 40% junior sailors to qualify for a special trophy.  In fact, one of the fastest growing divisions in this end of summer event is the Doublehanded PHRF Division!

There are five courses the RC can choose from depending on wind and weather conditions that range from 70 nm to 150 nm.  This year the IRC Class sailed the longest version, the 150 nm Block Island Course.  Sailing in this class were two J/122s, Marc Glimcher's CATAPULT and George Shaw's TUMBLEWEED, they finished fourth and seventh in class, respectively.

For more Ida Lewis Distance Race sailing information

  

NUTMEG IV Wins Fastnet Race IRC 2A

(Cowes, IOW, England)- This year's Rolex Fastnet Race provided the sailors plenty of drama but mostly of the anxiety-inducing kind associated with watching enormous leads evaporate into thin-air while sitting at anchor, in no wind, and watching the night horizon behind you growing into an armada or red and green lights descending upon you like locusts!

As we said earlier, for those who love the 608 nm traverse offshore of southwestern England and southern Ireland, the 2011 race delivered on all counts. It proved a hugely tactical race and competitors fought for speed in a whole variety of conditions from 30 knots of breeze through to what was a complete shut-down in the pressure. Extraordinarily frightening for some, gut wrenchingly frustrating for others, incredibly rewarding for those who got it right.

The J/122 NUTMEG IV, owned and raced by Francois Lognone and his crew were the top J overall in the Fastnet 2011. As a seasoned offshore campaigner, it's a well deserved and hard fought result for the French skipper and crew of this forty footer. Their 8th IRC overall translates to 3rd in IRC 2 Division and 1st in IRC 2A Class! Another J/122, Neil Kipling’s JOOPSTER finished 16th place in IRC Overall and 5th in IRC 2A.  By virtue of this strong showing in the Fastnet Race, Neill's JOOPSTER now leads the RORC Season Points Championship in IRC 2!

For more Rolex Fastnet Race sailing information

 

Fastnet Race Update

(Cowes, IOW, England)- Drama has yet again struck the Fastnet Race, continuing it's legendary status as not only one of the oldest offshore yacht races in the world, first taking place in 1925, but also one of the roughest and toughest.  As most offshore racers recall, the 1979 Fastnet was no picnic- over half the fleet retired from broken boats to broken bodies and, sadly, tragedy too.

The 608-mile race passes Land’s End (notorious for raging currents, whirlpools and awesomely steep (scary) breaking waves) before turning north-west across the Celtic Sea towards West Cork. Participants round the famous Fastnet Rock lighthouse three miles off Cape Clear Island before heading to their ultimate destination of Plymouth, leaving the Scilly Isles to port on the way home.  A total of 314 boats started the race off Cowes on the Isle of Wight on Sunday, beating the previous record turnout of 303 entries registered for the tragic 1979 installment.  However, the race so far has taken it's toll, with several boats breaking masts/ tearing sails and, in the case of George David's RAMBLER 100, losing its canting-keel and capsizing (story below) just after rounding Fastnet Rock.

For those who love the Fastnet Race, the highlight of the European offshore summer season, the 2011 race has delivered on all counts. It has proved a hugely tactical race and competitors have fought for speed in a whole variety of conditions from 30 knots of breeze through to what was almost a complete shut-down in the pressure. Extraordinarily frightening for some, gut wrenchingly frustrating for others, incredibly rewarding for those who got it right.

So far, the J/122 NUTMEG IV, owned and raced by Francois Lognone and his crew were the top J overall in the Fastnet 2011. As a seasoned offshore campaigner, this is a well deserved and hard fought result for the French skipper and crew of this forty footer. So far, with only one-third of the fleet finished, the eighth IRC overall translates to third in IRC 2 Division and first in IRC 2A Class!! 

Another J/122, Neil Kipling’s JOOPSTER crossed the finish line in very good shape and is currently in fourteenth place in IRC Overall.  


More later next week. For more Rolex Fastnet Race sailing information

 

JINJA 2nd Cowes Week

(Cowes, IOW, England)- Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week simply had an epic week, bashing and crashing around the buoys on the Solent in winds ranging from 10 to 30+ knots, with boats literally flying downhill under spinnakers at 20+ knot boat-speeds!  It was the "thrilla from Manila" reincarnate on the famous Royal Yacht Squadron starting line.  The competitors played "rope-a-dope" with each other, battling for advantage on every gybe and tack, trying to avoid spinnaker wraps, launching crews overboard (by mistake), or "shrimping" spinnakers for the umpteenth time!

The big battle for supremacy on the Solent was seen in the huge IRC 2 Class.  Sailing like maniacs was Ian Matthew's beautifully sailed J/122 JINJA, garnering a few wins during the week on their way to second in class. 

Wednesday summary:
As to the conditions for Cowes Week, after a strong start on Sunday through Tuesday (as reported last week), Wednesday saw more high adrenaline racing in strong winds and bright sun- a sailing photographers dream come true! The Solent was sandwiched between areas of high and low pressure and as the day progressed, the wind began a relentless non-stop upwards trend that lasted for five hours, peaking with mean speeds of 25 knots and gusts well over 30 through the afternoon.  It was another day of hard, wet beats to windward, followed by high speed downwind blasts that had competitors grinning from ear to ear as they came ashore.

Thursday summary:
The big winds continued, powering the biggest J's to blistering speeds approaching 25 knots. Most dayboat classes were set short courses that ensured they had finished racing before gusts to 38 knots were encountered in the afternoon.

Friday summary:
The penultimate day of the event was a more gentle day than those earlier in the week, starting with bright sun and a gentle breeze that built to 15-18 knots. It also saw incredibly tight racing across dozens of classes.  The top of Class 2 turned into a super-tight battle between three fast J's. with Ian Matthews’ J/122 JINJA getting a second.

Saturday summary:
A blanket of cloud over Cowes in the morning quickly gave way to bright sun and a rapidly increasing wind. Weather forecasters outlined several possibilities for Saturday, but the most likely scenario prevailed-- the initial south-westerly wind of 10-14 knots building to a west-south-westerly of 13-19 knots by midday, with gusts adding as much as 40 per cent to the base wind speed.

“It’s the first time I can remember such a consistently breezy Cowes Week,” said CEO Stuart Quarrie “It’s certainly the first one with an average windspeed over 20 knots, but the feedback we’ve had so far was that it’s been one of the best Cowes Weeks ever.”
Sailing photo credits- Rick Tomlinson- http://www.rick-tomlinson.com
For more Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week sailing information

 

J/122s Battle in RORC Channel Race

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The RORC Channel Race is often considered the last, final good run at getting teams functioning well and in offshore mode prior to the classic Rolex Fastnet Race later in August.  It's a good test of navigators and crews since the teams are presented with a wide variety of conditions in what is, in essence, a large ocean triangle that takes the teams out into "La Manche", criss-crossing shipping lanes, tidal lanes, wind lanes and throws in a mix of inshore/offshore tactical decision-making.  It's a tough race to do well in and hard to escape from bad tactical errors.  It also rewards consistent sailing and boats that can perform well on a variety of wind/ wave conditions.  In short, an amazing race for J sailors, taking 7 of the top 16, including 5 of the top 10, taking 1,2,4,6,8 overall.

This year, the RORC fleet set off east under spinnaker for the start of the 122 mile race with the entire fleet hugging the island shore in the best of the early tide. Despite the fickle breeze the 98 yachts in the fleet made relatively good speed past Hurst Castle. However in the vicinity of the Bridge Light Buoy the wind faded away causing the fleet to compress.

The leg to St Catherine's down underneath the south side of the Isle of Wight to its westernmost point was painful and as the new breeze filled in from the South West it was those who were offshore that benefitted. Later one, those who stuck it out were rewarded with some excellent sailing in a moderate breeze once they got to Bembridge Ledge.

The shy reach east to Saltdean Light Buoy (off Brighton) favored the yachts carrying asymmetric spinnakers and by the time the fleet finished back in the Solent it was a glorious day with fair winds for a wonderful finale to the race.

IRC Two produced a titanic battle between two J/122s, Neil Kipling's JOOPSTER from England, and Alain Catherineau's LORELEI from France. JOOPSTER won class by just under three minutes on corrected time.  For more RORC Channel Race sailing information

J/122s Prep for Rolex Fastnet

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The waiting is nearly over for the 44th edition of the 608 nautical mile Rolex Fastnet Race, one of the great ocean challenges, starting on Sunday, August 14th. With a staggering 350 entrants at the ready, 1979’s record-breaking tally of 303 participating yachts will almost certainly be surpassed. The sheer size of the fleet is impressive. Its quality and diversity quite breathtaking. Inspiring and exhilarating in equal measure, there is every reason to believe that the 2011 Rolex Fastnet Race will maintain the event’s pioneering and prestigious tradition.

Regarding the "draw" of the Rolex Fastnet, one sailor said, "It is a mythical race. This year will be our seventh time and we are always very pleased and enthusiastic to participate with the crazy dream of winning it one more time."   John Towers is helming the J/122 OOJAH (GBR) with a US-based crew joining British boat owner Peter Tanner, their navigator for the race. The English Channel is some distance from their usual racing haven of the east coast of the United States. "As a group of Americans, we consider the Rolex Fastnet Race to be a once in a lifetime adventure that is a natural compliment to our passion for distance racing," explains Towers, "the Fastnet is a big deal for us and an adventure that we have been planning for the last two years.  Our goal will be the same as any other race we enter. Priority one is a safe passage. Priority two is that the experience is very positive for all members of the crew. Our third priority is to be competitive."

IRC 2 Class, with 77 boats, the largest and arguably the most competitive in the entire Fastnet fleet!   J/122s have a very experienced contingent of offshore veterans, including JOLLY JELLYFISH (David Richards), JOOPSTER (Neil Kipling), two French teams that include LORELEI (Alain Cathireneau) and NUTMEG IV (Francois Lognone) and an American team on OOJAH (John Towers).   For more Rolex Fastnet Race sailing information

 

Cowes Week Attracts Strong J/122 Teams

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- Since 1826 Cowes Week has played a key part in the British sporting summer calendar and is one of the UK’s longest running and most successful sporting events. It now stages up to 40 daily races for around 1,000 boats and is the largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world.  Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week, as the event is now known, is a fusion of many exciting elements, with its great mix of competitive sailing and social activities. The 8,500 competitors range from Olympic and world class professionals to weekend sailors.  In excess of 100,000 spectators come to watch the sailing, enjoy the parties and live entertainment, and to experience the unique atmosphere. It is genuinely a one-of-a-kind event.

In attendance are throngs of J sailors sailing on eighty-six J's ranging from J/80s to J/133s looking forward to the challenging racing on the capricious Solent, renowned for its wild currents and eddies, and engaging in the navigational puzzle of "Where's Waldo" every day -- "what's the course and where's the bloody mark"!?  Many a Cowes Week has been blown either by misguiding the rounding of a mark in 5 knots adverse current or simply missing one altogether!

IRC Class along will have 32 J's sailing in a fleet of 207 boats, or about 15% of the fleet.  Sure to be a factor will be the winning J/122 JINJA (Ian Matthews) will keep everyone honest and perhaps win a race or two and take a podium finish!  This group is a tough one to put down a "betting line" on since just about everyone has won something in the recent past!   For more Cowes Race Week sailing information

 

J/122s @ J-Cup St Peter Port

(St Peter Port, Guernsey)- The J-Cup 2011, our tenth anniversary regatta, was brought to you by the principal event sponsors B&G, Dubarry of Ireland, Lombard Marine Finance, North Sails, Universal Marina and Nautical Guernsey, and was supported by Ray and Scott, Zenith Watches and Harken. The indisputable stars of the show were, as ever, the 350 J Boat owners and crew who made it happen.

The final day of racing at the J-Cup 2011, hosted by the Guernsey Yacht Club, took place on Thursday in The Little Russell just off St Peter Port. The breeze was a light 6 to 10 knot north westerly. Whilst the PRO had planned to run three races for each of the four competing classes but the dying breeze and the fact that the fleet had their monster J-Cup Prize-giving Party scheduled for later in the day meant that two races were sailed and the fleet were sent home in good time for tea and medals at 1300 hours.

The two top boats in IRC 1 as set off for the two final races on Thursday were Nigel and Donna Passmore’s J/133 Apollo 3 in first place and Rob Craigie’s J/122 J Bellino in second, each tied on nine points. Key Yachting’s J/111 J Spirit was in third with twelve points and Colin Wall’s J/111 True Love had fourteen points. Tricky, sticky, light stuff for two races and it was ‘All Change’ in IRC 1 at the end of the seven race series. True Love won both races on Thursday which shot them into the top slot for IRC 1. Apollo 3 finished second in class, on equal points with the winner and only losing out to True Love on the count-back for number of race wins! J Bellino took third in class. The North Sails Boat of the Day Prize for IRC 1 was presented to David Cule’s J/122 Mint Julep.

As the 350 J-Cup 2011 prize-giving party-goers took their seats at their dinner tables on Thursday night, everyone of course knew who had won each of the competing classes, and the champagne duly flowed freely. However, those who have never attended this epic event in the past were blissfully unaware of the sheer number and variety of seriously significant prizes and awards that were yet to be presented to a whole host of winners.

As supper commenced so did a game of ‘Heads and Tails’ the like of which most of us had never previously experienced. Ray and Scott (a specialist jeweller and diamond specialist on Guernsey) had arranged with Zenith Watches to offer a beautiful and extremely valuable Zenith Watch in response to donations from the J-Cup fleet for their chosen charity, Toe In The Water. Everyone present made a donation to Toe in the Water by way of an ‘entry fee’ to the game  and then 350 sailors stood on chairs to make their ‘heads or tails’ calls as the coin was tossed by Jeff Fox of Ray and Scott. After much hilarity, Paul England of the J/122 Majic won the Zenith Watch. However, the real winners here are the injured servicemen and women whom Toe in the Water help to rehabilitate through the sport of Sailing. Toe in the Water is £1773 better off today, thanks to the generosity of Zenith Watches, Ray and Scott and the J-Cup fleet. What a way to go!

The J-Cup 2012 will be hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club in Hamble from Wednesday 18th July to Saturday 21st of July. You have to be in it, to win it.   For more J-Cup sailing information.  Sailing photo credits- Tim Wright/ Photoaction.com

 

122s Slog Through Cowes-St Malo Race

(St. Malo, France)-  The 164 nm race to St. Malo from Cowes has always been a popular event and this past weekend 177 yachts raced across the English Channel to the famous port where the the race finishes just outside St Malo- the medieval walled port.  It was a spectacular start from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line in Cowes, England. The impressive RORC fleet got off to a flying start reaching across the line in an awesome display of power. The Race Committee elected to start the fleet to the East to avoid sending the fleet through Hurst Narrows where 30 knots of wind over tide and congestion may well have proved hazardous for the racing yachts. The wind persisted in direction and strength as the fleet sailed down the Eastern Solent to turn to the west and out into the English Channel.

"The wind was forecast to abate and veer to the West, which it did and those yachts that went West made big gains" commented RORC Racing Manager Ian Loffhagen. "The tricky decision was how far West to go and those that got their tactics right held the advantage. The breeze dropped as it veered but the wind held for most of the fleet until they got to Jersey. However, the faster boats had breeze all the way into the finish, this year, the conditions definitely favored the faster boats."

In IRC Two 48 yachts entered in one of the most competitive divisions.  Proving their RORC Season Points win two years ago was no fluke, Frenchman Phillipe Delaporte's J/122 PEN AZEN finished fourth in class and 12th IRC Overall, just 8 minutes out of 2nd overall and 34 minutes shy of winning the class.  Another French J/122, NUTMEG IV sailed by Francois Lognone finished 9th and yet another French J/122 LORELEI sailed by Alain Catherineau finished 14th.  Top British J/122 was Dave Richard's JOLLY JELLYFISH lying in 24th place.

For more RORC Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race sailing information