Hamble Winter Series Update(Hamble, England)- After the first weekend's boisterous conditions, light winds saw in the 2nd weekend of the Garmin Hamble Winter Series, with the conditions giving all classes some sparkling sailing and nail-bitingly close racing.
This weekend featured the Hamble Big Boat Series on both days, with top-class racing for everyone. Thanks to Rule 26 who sponsored the event. Saturday dawned with 8-12 knots of breeze from the east, expected to shift to the right during the day. Four races were run, with a windward-leeward course set across the North Channel from a committee boat at East Knoll
By contrast, Sunday morning saw thick fog, with ships sounding their way slowly up Southampton water with foghorns blaring. PRO Jamie Wilkinson set an hour's postponement to let the fog clear, later postponed by a further hour when ABP, backed up by a competitor in a RIB reported that the Southampton Water was impassable. Every cloud has a silver lining, however, and this wasn't an unpopular move as it allowed competitors to watch the end of the rugby.
By 1000 the fog began to clear to reveal a millpond, with zero wind – but by 1230 a light breeze had built from the WSW and the race committee hurriedly set a course for all classes, with starts combined to get racing underway as soon as possible.
After a false start, the wind built to 10 knots during the race, which meant that all classes converged on the leeward mark at once, with large gains for the taking for those with an inside overlap.
IRC 3 was dominated by J/Boats, the top five slots all being held by Js! The J/97s JIKA JIKA and INDULJENCE were first and second respectively whilst David Greenhalgh and John Taylor's J/92 J-RONIMO was third. Fourth was Tony Mack's J/97 McFLY and fifth was Andy Howe & Annie Kelly's J/92s BLACKJACK. Special mention should go to J/97 INDULJENCE which was out for the second time with new owners, Nick and Adam Munday. Adam helmed his Dad’s new boat and he’s a fab sailor. At the age of only 19, Adam comes from good J sailing pedigree, having been part of the J/109 European Champ winning crew on Dave and Kirsty Apthorp's J-DREAM. So far, the J/97 JIKA-JIKA is dominating the proceedings with three straight bullets and the J/97 INDULJENCE is just off the pace only one point out of second!
Paul Griffith’s JAGERBOMB won the J/109 class with David McLeman’s OFFBEAT in second and Richard and Valerie Griffith’s OUTRAJEOUS took third in Class. Overall standings so far continue to see OUTRAJEOUS in first with a 1-1-4 record for 6 pts; David and Mary McGough's JUST SO in second with a 5-2-3 record for 10 pts; and JAGERBOMB just one point back from them.
In IRC 1 Class, the good Doctor Ivan Trotman continues to be a force amongst the leaders on his J/122 JOLOU with his 1-4-5 record to be currently lying 2nd in class. Ken Lowes J/122 GHOST is showing improvement every race and with his current progress may be winning by next week! So far GHOSTS record of 9-8-4 for 21 pts is promising. The big curve that got thrown at the IRC 1 Class was a the presence of the J/111 JENGA VI being sailed by Chaz Ivill, scoring 2nd in their first race. David and Kirsty Apthorp also started sailing their new J/111 J-DREAM and are working on their speed and crew work. More good things to come next week!
In IRC 0 Class, racing the Black Fleet are four J/133s with the top J/133 being Jackie and Robert Dodson's JERONIMO, followed by Neil Martin's JAMMY DODGER second, Dave Ballantyne's JINGS third and Ian Dewhirt's JUMP in fourth. In IRC handicap, the Dobson's JERONIMO is lying in fifth just 9 pts back from second overall.
Next weekend sees the second Autumn Championships weekend, with racing for J/109 and J/80 one design classes on both days, plus the third Winter Series race day on Sunday. Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth For more Garmin Hamble Winter Series sailing information
