RORC IRC National Championship 2009

En hög med riktigt sweeta båtar under andra dagen av RORC IRC National Championship. Notera årets trend (även här hemma) – stagseglet. 62 båtar i 5 klasser (appropå klassindelning) fick ihop totalt 40 races över tre dagar.

Zenströms Ran radade upp en perfekt serie med bara spikar, men totalvinnaren räknas ut efter en formel där en båt i en större klass kan ta hem titalen. I år blev det Mills 39 MarinersCove.ie som också vann IRC 1 före Corby 36 Quokka. Foton: Paul Wyeth.

A-35 Waterjet vann IRC 3. David Aisher blev femma med bästa J/109 Yeoman of Wight. Många andra 109:or var i Deuville.

Ker 46 Tonnerre de Breskens vann IRC Z före förhandstippade King 40 Tokoloshe.

IRC SZ
1 GBR528R Ran TP 52 Niklas Zennstrom 1.37
2 GBR952R Cutting Edge TP 52 Robert Lutener & Martin Elwood 1.364
3 GBR52R Chernikeeff 2 Farr 52 Peter Harrison 1.317
4 GBR76R John Merricks II TP 52 RYA Keelboat Programme 1.367

IRC Z
1 NED46 Tonnerre de Breskens Ker 46 Pieter Willem Vroon 1.243
2 GBR5940R Tokoloshe King 40 Michael Bartholomew 1.112
3 GBR54R Atomic of Cowes Farr 45 Tony Langley 1.226
4 GBR4601L Fair Do’s VII Ker 46 John Shepherd 1.191
5 GBR11N Apollo J/133 Nigel Passmore 1.117
6 GBR95R Dark & Steamy DK 46 Nick Haigh 1.204
7 GBR906R Assassin Stimpson 42 P Jackson & G Shaffer 1.132
8 FRA34649 Magic Mix X-41 John Lawrence 1.116
9 NED8020 Split2nd Salona 42 Yan Trouwen 1.133
10 GBR236R Erivale III Ker 39 Michael Greville 1.117

IRC 1
1 IRL39000 MarinersCove.ie Mills 39 David Dwyer 1.103
2 GBR1236L Quokka Corby 36 Peter Rutter 1.069
3 GBR1223L Panacea J/122 John Patterson 1.088
4 GBR8410R Premier Flair Elan 410 Jim Macgregor 1.079
5 BEL3939 Allard Sydney 39 Nadia Ifticene 1.104
6 GBR4070L Incognito First 40.7 Paul McNamara 1.06
7 GBR9335T Portia First 40.7 Andrew Iyer 1.066
8 GBR704R Tradition Philosophie IV First 40.7 Nicolas Gaumont-Prat 1.063
9 GBR79R Software Mistress Ker 36 Ian Maclean 1.084
10 GBR410L Esprit Elan 410 Neil Vardy 1.074

IRC 2
1 GBR7735R Waterjet A35 Steve Northmore 1.032
2 GBR4206T Sleeper J/39 Jonty Layfield 1.047
3 GBR1347R No Doubt First 34.7 Chris & Hannah Neve 1.014
4 GBR73R Salvo First 34.7 Peter Morton 1.011
5 GBR1242R Yeoman of Wight J/109 David Aisher 1.013
6 GBR9033R No Retreat! Corby 33 David Riley 1.039
7 GBR1132L Alaris Dehler 36 John Howell 1.024
8 GBR362T Extra Djinn X 362 Neville Hodkin 1.023
9 GBR9359 Sir Ducktion HOD 35 Roy Morgan 1.029
10 GBR1405R Elaine Elan 37 Mike Bridges 1.03

IRC 3
1 GBR3033L Yes! Corby 30 Adam Gosling 0.988
2 GBR50R Espada Quarter Tonner Louise Morton 0.906
3 GBR7055 Runaway Bus Quarter Tonner Paul Kelsey 0.891
4 GBR4416 Whippa Snappa Sigma 33 Richard Puddifoot 0.911
5 GBR9250R Who’s To No J/92 Richard Sparrow 0.983
6 GBR9716R Hot Rats Humphreys 30 Elisabeth Robinson 0.99
7 GBR506R Anchor Challenge Quarter Tonner Peter Morton 0.922
8 GBR8414 Aguila Quarter Tonner Rob Gray 0.906
9 NED317 Cisne Swan 43 David Collins 0.975
10 GBR4080T Crakajax X-95 Richard Hollis 0.912

Race Report: RORC IRC National Championship, Cowes

Overall Winner of the RORC IRC Championship Trophy: (IRL) Marinerscove.ie, Mills 39, David Dwyer, (Series Points 9)

Jackdaw Trophy (Second Overall): (GBR) Quokka, Corby 36, Peter Rutter, (Series Points 11)

RAN all the way home but Irish eyes are smiling

It was blowing half a gale overnight, but by dawn the skies had cleared to provide sparkling conditions for the competitors in the RORC IRC National Championship. Before the end of play, the weather closed in once more to give a variety of conditions for the crews in the eastern Solent, including a 60 degree wind shift on the last beat of the championship.

In Class Super Zero, the cream of British yachting racing Niklas Zennstrom’s TP 52, RAN, finished off the regatta in style with a perfect row of eight bullets. The crew included: Ado Stead; Steve Hayles; Andy Hemmings; Guy Reid and Mo Gray who have all competed in the America’s Cup.

RAN Skipper, Tim Powell commented: “It will be a while before we are sailing in the Solent again, so we were motivated to go out on a bang and eight straight wins was very satisfying. Heartfelt congratulations to Marinerscove for winning the overall title.”

The overall champion is decided with a formula that reflects the size of the classes so despite a perfect score, RAN was beaten by the winners of a larger class.

Robert Lutener & Martin Elwood’s TP 52, Cutting Edge was second and the UK Sailing Academy racing Peter Harrison’s Farr 52, Chernikeef 2 was third.

In IRC Class Zero, Michael Bartholomew’s King 40, Tokoloshe won the penultimate race by less than a minute, but Piet Vroon’s Ker 46, Tonnerre de Breskens bounced back to take the last race to clinch the class title. ” I am delighted for Piet and his crew,” commented yacht designer Jason Ker. “I am sure there is more room for improvement, but they handled the boat extremely well in a huge variety of conditions. Winning our class at the RORC IRC National Championship shows that a fast light boat, under 50ft, can rate well under the rule. Tonnerre will be competing for the De Guingand Bowl next weekend and we will find out how she goes offshore.”

Tokoloshe had a fine regatta to take second place in class and Tony Langley’s Farr 45, Atomic of Cowes managed to sneak into third place, with a second place in the last race of the championship.

There was a titanic battle in IRC Class One between Dave Dwyer’s Mills 39, MarinersCove.ie and Peter Rutter’s, Corby 30, Quokka and it went right to the wire. Quokka won race seven to pile on the pressure and MarinersCove.ie responded, winning the last race by under a minute. The victory not only meant a class win, but the MarinersCove.ie team from Ireland also won the glittering prize of overall champion for the RORC IRC National Championship 2009.

“I am absolutely delighted to have come here and won. It is tremendous. We came over here to practice for the Rolex Commodores’ Cup, but now we have a very short time to get back to Ireland to defend the IRC National title we won in Howth last year.”

Tactician Andy Beadsworth added: “I have sailed with Dave and his crew on MarinersCove on many occasions and they are always great fun to sail with. I would have to add that I would be amazed if the boat is not selected to represent Ireland at the next Rolex Commodores’ Cup.”

Quokka was second in class and overall to claim The Jackdaw Trophy. Third in the class was John Patterson’s J 122, Panacea.

There was high drama in IRC Class Two as the runaway leader, Steve Northmore’s A 35, Waterjet and Mike Bridges Elan 37, Elaine had a collision. However, Waterjet managed to hold on to claim first place in IRC Class Two overall, but lost their chance of winning the overall title with two mid-fleet results on the last day’s racing. Chris & Hannah Neve’s First 34.7, No Doubt was third overall and was also the best performing First 34.7 at the championship.

Adam Gosling’s Corby 30, Yes! was the clear winner of Class IRC Three. “It was a great three day event with a bit of everything; a good range of courses, variable wind conditions and some superb sailing. I think the medium to heavy weather really suited the Corby, but make no mistake, the well prepared and sailed Quarter Tonners have really improved the standard of racing amongst the smaller boats in the Solent.”

Louise Morton’s all-girl crew on the Quarter Tonner Espada was second and sister ship, Paul Kelsey’s, Runaway Bus was third.

After the prizegiving at the Cowes Yacht Haven Event Centre, RORC Racing Manager, Ian Loffhagen said: “62 boats competed in a total of 40 races over three days and the variable conditions caused many adjustments to race courses. Getting all of the races in was a difficult task for the RORC Racing team and they should be applauded for their efforts. At this year’s championship, we have seen a high standard of boat handling and a very impressive fleet of new, old and stunning examples of custom boats built for IRC.”