Westmacott One Design Regatta success in the Eastern Solent

The Royal Albert Cup (1865) - awarded to the winner of the Westmacott One Design Regatta for day boat classes © Royal Naval Club and Royal Albert Yacht Club

Fifty two boats took part in the inaugural Westmacott One Design Regatta for day boat classes in the Eastern Solent on 6th and 7th June 2009. Twenty one were Portsmouth Victorys celebrating their 75th anniversary this year.

The organisation of the event, hosted by the Royal Naval Club and Royal Albert Yacht Club and the Victory Class, was much praised by all and is now set to become an annual fixture in the Solent racing calendar.

Alfred Westacott designed many of the local dayboat classes especially for Solent conditions and bringing them together for their own event proved particularly appropriate as they currently enjoy the surge of interest in one design day boat racing.

The main prize was the magnificent Royal Albert Cup, first presented in 1865, and which bears the names of some of the most illustrious sailors of the past, including King George V.

Apart from the local Victorys , there were fleets of Squibs from Royal Victoria Yacht Club from Fishbourne and the Redwings, together with the eponymous One Designs, came from Bembridge.

XODs travelled from Itchenor SC and one from Parkstone YC made an 8 hr passage from Poole to get to the event. A Seaview Mermaid also came along on Saturday.

The first three races of four were completed on an overcast Saturday in a chilly 15 knot southerly with lumpy seas but the main contenders for the trophy were quickly apparent.

Three firsts were scored by Jeremy Lear's Zinnia In the Victorys , R Ebsworth's Quintessence in the Redwings and Mike Probert's Pani Munta in the Squibs.

A dinner attended by over 120 people including William Westmacott, Alfred's grandson, was held at the RNC and RAYC on Saturday evening.

The final race on Sunday morning was a brighter affair with sunshine and a shifty 10 knot breeze backing to the east and strengthening towards the end.

Both Zinnia and Quintessence maintained their unbeaten record but ,as the Royal Albert Cup scoring system takes account of fleet size, the trophy was won by Jeremy Lear and his team of John Tremlett and Sally Heatlie. Mike Probert in the Squibs was second and Clive Cokayne, second in the Victory fleet, in Zara, was third.

The presentation of the Cup was made by another of Alfred's grandsons, Richard Westmacott, who observed that his grandfather was in fact more of a cruising than a racing man. Richard and his brother William own and sail an XOD with a third grandson Peter.

Next year's event will be held on the 12/13th June 2010.

Individual Fleet results

Victory Class:
1 Zinnia - J Lear
2 Zara - C Cokayne
3 Zest - K Taylor

XOD:
1 Felix - P Taylor
2 Relaxation - Miss C Scott
3 Judy - W Mallem

Bembridge One Design:
1 - sail no 8
2 - sail no 11
3 - sail no 9

Redwing:
1 Quintessence - R Ebsworth
2 Toucan – P Romer-Lee
3 Siskin - T Scott

Squib:
1 Pani Munta – M Probert
2 Hussar - M Harrison
3 Firecracker too – A Porteus