SORC Solo Round the Island Race
by Peter Olden 19 Sep 2011 19:14 BST
18 September 2011
Jbellino takes line honours in the SORC Solo Round the Island Race © Peter Olden
Voador wins
At about 0530 hours on a dark September morning 19 yachts left Cowes Yacht Haven for the JOG starting line off Egypt point. Sadly the original entry list of 28 boats was depleted for a variety of reasons.
The race started on time at 0630 in a westerly breeze of between 15 and 20 knots.
Mike Saqui on Edith had an excellent start crossing the line first with Simon Curwen on Voador in hot pursuit. About half an hour after the start the wind gusted up to 30 knots making it a tough beat to the Needles.
Half the fleet rounded the Needles in reasonable tide, however some of the smaller boats struggled with the early flooding tide, but with plenty of breeze so it was not too painful.
First to the Needles was Rob Craigie on Jbellino followed by Chris Rustom on Ding Dong and then Peter Newlands on Anticipation. Only two boats (Voador and Edith) attempted the gap between Goose Rock and the Varvassi wreck in the very confused seas.
On the deep run to St Catherine’s with 25 knots of wind and a big following sea, spinnakers were flown by Voador, Ding Dong and Fastrak VIII shedding one put up a second!
Once past St Catherine’s the wind moderated to around 15 knots for a fetch up to Bembridge and an easy beat to the finish, the later boats having the benefit of favourable tide.
Jbellino took line honours by just 3 minutes from Ding Dong.
Simon Curwen on Voador was rewarded for good start, inside the wreck passage and braving the spinnaker with a win in class two and Overall under IRC, second was Peter Newlands on Anticipation and third was Rob Craigie on Jbellino.
Peter Newlands on Anticipation won class 1, second was Jbellino and third Ding Dong.
Nigel Colley on Fastrak was second to Voador in class two and third was Steve Thomas on Truant.
Mike Saqui’s Edith won class 3 with Charles Emmett on British Beagle second and third was Chris Flewitt on Tringa.
Full results at www.offshoresolo.com