Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club Spring Regatta 2019
by William Harris 21 May 2019 14:15 BST
11-12 May 2019
Royal Channel Islands YC Spring Regatta class 6 - Purr Energy leads the pack © Simon Ropert
It is fair to say that the weather has not always played fair, so far, this year. However, it did come true for the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club's Spring Regatta held in St Aubin's Bay over 11th and 12th May when a little under sixty boats turned out for the Island's first mixed fleet regatta of the season.
Conditions on Saturday were mostly overcast with a moderate to fresh north-westerly breeze holding up throughout the day to give a reasonably flat sea inshore for the sport catamaran, day boat and dinghy classes whilst things were significantly lumpier for the cruiser and F18 sport catamaran classes racing in the south of the Bay. Overall, the programme went well without any significant hitches on the organisational front. For some competitors, however, the day was not uneventful with the dinghy and sport catamaran classes keeping the guard boats busy standing by capsizes throughout the proceedings. Whilst capsizes are par for the course for these sailors others were even less fortunate with one F18 sport catamaran retiring with a split mainsail and a visiting dinghy retiring after being T-boned on the first day.
Come Sunday, the sun shone from an almost cloudless sky, the wind had veered to the east and dropped to a gentle breeze with the accompanying slight sea. Whilst the race officers understandably viewed the forecast for light winds with a great degree of apprehension these conditions persisted until the very last race of the day when a modicum of course realignment become necessary as the wind veered further southwards. Overall, the whole programme was satisfactorily completed giving both the organisers and competitors little to complain about if the total absence of protests is anything to go by.
As ever, the fleet was split between two independent race committee boats, one operating inshore, the other offshore with the cruisers and F18s. Whilst the number of cruisers racing was disappointingly low, the turnout in the dinghy and sport catamaran classes was very good. Indeed, a large proportion of the dinghy fleet had come pretty well hotfoot from St Catherine where the St Catherine's SC had held a Liberation Day Regatta just two days earlier. Ever welcome and ever a challenge, Guernsey was very well represented by five boats in the fast dinghy class, chalking up many 'podium' places on both days and taking the overall trophy.
Two back-to-back races were scheduled each day for the cruiser and F18 classes whilst all others had three.
Just two boats raced, very competitively, in each of the cruiser classes with David Myatt's classic 8 Metre, Erica, and Julian Barber's Farr 727 winning classes1 and 2 on both days, respectively.
Two boats raced each day in the day boat class with Ben Jones' Cornish Coble, Baloo, taking Saturday whilst Nick Querée's Saltern's Tela, Norah, won on Sunday. Baloo won overall, just one point clear of Norah.
The F18 sport catamaran class was well represented with honours shared over the two days. Sailing their Hobie Wildcat, Andy Hart and Michael Kinross took Saturday and, with four wins to their credit, the overall title whilst Adrian Jesson and Paul Martin, also on a Wildcat, won on Sunday and were runners-up overall.
Aaron Le Cornu's Hobie 16, Top Cat, sailed well to take Saturday whilst Elsa Swetenham and Owen Harper's 16, Rubicat, won on Sunday. Sailing consistently well over the two days, however, it was to be Gordon Burgis and Kenny Snell sailing their 16, Purr Energy, with three wins who won overall, relegating Top Cat to second place.
The dinghy classes, also, provided some spectacular sailing with Guernsey taking the top spot on both days in the fast dinghy class, Adam Knight's 100K Out winning on Saturday and last year's winners, Henrik Asplund and Georgina King, sailing a borrowed RS200, winning on Sunday. To complete the hat trick, however, it was Guernsey's Andrew Bridgman, sailing a borrowed Laser, who won overall, ahead of Jersey's top performer, James Tilley, also on a Laser.
Honours were split between Will Dengate and Jason Wyatt in the slow dinghy class with Dengate's Optimist first on Saturday and Wyatt's Topper on Sunday, the latter having sailed on Sunday only. Dengate won overall by the narrowest of margins with Olliver Boyle's Optimist, with two wins over the two days, just one point behind at the close.
Speaking at the closing reception Rear Commodore Kevin Newman thanked all competitors for their support mentioning especially those who had travelled from Guernsey and put in such a fine performance. He continued by expressing the Club's great appreciation for the commitment and expertise of the thirty plus people who had provided and manned the committee boats and guard boats. Before presenting the many place prizes, Commodore Richard Hall followed by saying that the Club was delighted to sponsor the event, adding his thanks and congratulations to all.
The detailed results are available through www.rciyc.je/sailing
Day 1 Results:
Class 1 - Erica - David Myatt
Class 2 - Super Q - Julian Barber
Class 4 - Baloo - Ben Jones
Class 5 - Wildcat - Andy Hart
Class 6 - Top Cat - Aaron Le Cornu
Class 7 - Dragoon - Tom Hunt
Class 8 - 100k Out - Adam Knight (Guernsey)
Class 9 - Optimist - Will Dengate
Day 2 Results:
Class 1 - Erica
Class 2 - Super Q
Class 4 - Norah - Nick Querée
Class 5 - Wildcat - Adrian Jesson
Class 6 - Rubicat - Elsa Swetenham
Class 7 - Dragoon - Else Blakeley
Class 8 - Surprise, Surprise - Henrik Asplund (Guernsey)
Class 9 - Topper - Jason Wyatt
Overall Results:
Class 1 - Erica
Class 2 - Super Q
Class 4 - Baloo
Class 5 - Wildcat - Andy Hart
Class 6 - Purr Energy - Gordon Burgis
Class 7 - Dragoon - Else Blakeley
Class 8 - Laser - Andrew Bridgman
Class 9 - Optimist - Will Dengate
Forthcoming events:
6th 8th July 24th Waller-Harris 2-handed Triangle Race
4th August Rossborough Round the Island Race
24th 25th August Savills 28th Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championship
5th 8th September 21st Jersey Regatta & Spinlock IRC Channel Islands Championship