JOG Lewmar Lonely Tower and TeamO Great Escape Races 2025
by Martin Banfield 25 Mar 14:09 GMT
22-23 March 2025
Fleeting heading West - JOG Lewmar Lonely Tower and TeamO Great Escape race weekend © Paul Wyeth /
www.pwpictures.com
The JOG Yacht Racing season for 2025 got off to very busy start with the Lonely Tower race, sponsored generously by Lewmar.
The fluctuating forecast, whilst kind for the shakedown race of the year, nonetheless gave a steady breeze to take the 93 strong starters from the start line near to Egypt Point off Cowes, out to the Nab Tower and, via the splitter mark, Winner Buoy, back through the Solent Forts to the finish line. A distance of about 35 miles if you ignore the many tacks and gybes necessary.
No course records were broken but with four classes starting at 15 minute intervals from 10:00 am, first finishers were arriving from 15:14 in the afternoon. The sun shone, the rain held off and the breeze was sustained to finish 89 of the starters.
Line honours went to the, well sailed, J109, Frank 4, which was, unsurprisingly, top of her class 3 and also the best corrected time of the P30 fleet. Second in class was another J109, Just So, who were just 23 seconds behind on handicap corrected time. Karaboudjan, another J109 was third having led her class over much of the race but a dive into Osborn Bay where less wind took her down the rankings!
Class 1 was dominated by Cobra, a Summit 40 King 2.5 who, together with Dawn Treader, a JPK in 2nd place and Rogan Josh, a First 40 in third place, also all represented the P40 class.
Class 2 winner was Bellino, a lower rating Sunfast 3600, in second place a Sunfast 3300, Orbit, and in third place Griffin, another 3600.
The Class 4 boats, after a spirited and hard contested start, saw Quokka 9, an older half ton Andrieu design, Liquidity Risk 11, a Corby 25 and First Light, an Elan 333 taking the top three spots.
Double-handing, an increasingly popular class, was won by Joyride, a J97 with an overall best corrected time across all classes.
As part of the run up to the race, a group of less experienced sailors from amongst the Generation JOG group, enjoyed training days and an introduction to a number of different boats, culminating in two days of competition with a pro skipper to complete both the Lonely Tower and the further Great Escape race on Sunday, the Gen JOG, Lewmar, prize going to a crew member on Frank 4.
Post race, the Captain and President of JOG hosted social gatherings at both the Royal Southern YC at Hamble and the Island Sailing Club in Cowes where the club's 75th anniversary was celebrated, courtesy of Lewmar, who provided suitable refreshments!
The TeamO Great Escape race on Sunday provided challenging, light wind, conditions with a forecast for a complete shutdown by mid-afternoon resulting in a shortened course in the central Solent with the hope of as many finishers as possible.
A down tide start to the East got all four classes away on time and within an hour or so, the 4 knots at the start increased to a more friendly 7-8 knots from the north in the main but with local shifts and shutdowns to keep everyone guessing.
After passing between Prince Consort and Snowden buoys, just to the East of Cowes, the fleet headed north on a close hauled beat to the mainland shore and then west across the northern edge of the Bramble bank in spinnaker reaching conditions to TeamO race mark to the south of Calshot. From there a continuing spinnaker leg past the Beaulieu entrance and then a cross Solent leg back to the Island side brought the fleet home to the finish with the East going tide still in favour.
As forecast, the wind dropped and went south easterly towards the very end of racing allowing all boat a couple of entrants to complete the race from a starting number of 59.
Line honours were taken by Bulldog (J122), who were also first in class 1. A two-handed entry by Dusty P (First 40) took second and Elysium 1V (Sunfast 3600) took third.
Class two winners, for the second day were Bellino, followed by Zephyr (Sunfast 3300) and Hot Rats (First 35).
Class three saw a change of winners with the Archimbault 31 taking first, Frank 4 the runner up and Mostly Harmless (J105) in third place.
The strongest class with 21 entrants was Class 4 with Quokka 9 continuing her winning performance, Adelie (X Yachts 332) in second and Stan (Sigma 33) in third.
The doublehanded class winner was Dusty P with Mzungu (JPK) in second spot and Bulldog, line honours and Class 1 winner also had the Generation JOG winner aboard.
TeamO, providing RIB support and commentary from their RIB on both days provided vouchers for all class winners to spend on their range of safety products including their recent DAME award-winning lifejackets. They will again be sponsoring the Weymouth race on 12th April.
All in all, with the rain again holding off, there were many happy faces on the dockside after a compelling and testing weekend.
JOG welcomes new members to join us and run a full programme of destination races throughout the season: www.jog.org.uk