(Solent, Hamble, England)- A bit like their musically spiritual
compatriots in England, "Led Zeppelin", the J/97s continue to "Ramble
On" and keep the pedal-to-the-metal in class this past weekend. Not
sure what got this train running down the tracks so fast, but surely the
crews on the J/97 JIKA-JIKA and INDULJENCE have got it dialed in so far
this fall season on the Solent.This weekend HRSC hosted some close racing and some epic on-water battles in the Hamble Autumn Championships and Garmin Hamble Winter Series, in conditions that ranged from gusty to fresh & frighteningly epic?! There was some masterful sailing - and the odd impressive wipeout - across the fleet.
Saturday was the start of the second Hamble Autumn Championships weekend, with racing on two courses for J/80 and J/109s. The wind, a gusty and shifty SSE'ly of 14-18 knots, provided some useful shifts for competitors, allowing some to make big gains. Race officers Jamie Wilkinson and Ian Sumner set good windward-leeward courses, and all classes enjoyed some extremely close combat over the day's four races.
The
J/80s sailed 3 races on Sunday. J2X edged past J.A.T to take the first
two races, and OI! beat both of them in the final race of the series,
but it wasn't enough to keep J.A.T off the top spot overall. So far,
Phil Taylor on J.A.T. leads by 3 pts with 17 total points in 14 races--
about a 2nd average! Lying second is Rob Larke's J2X with 20 points.
Third is Thor Askellende's ELLE'S'APPELLE with 54 points, about 34
points back. What's abundantly clear is that a "regime change" has
occurred, rapidly, in this year's version of the Fall Championships.
John Cooper's OI! and Patrick Liardet's AQUA-J, leaders from last year's
event, are simply scrambling to keep the fabulous pace that has been
laid down by Taylor's and Larke's team.
While
this weekend's results for the J/109 One-Design class saw OUTRAJEOUS
and STALKER win races, the J/109 fleet standings continue to see Richard
and Valerie Griffith’s OUTRAJEOUS in first with 17 pts; Steven Tapper's
STALKER in second with 21 pts; Jody Windmiller's J2EAU in third with 32
pts; David and Mary McGough's JUST SO in fourth with 43 points; and Tor
McLaren's INSPARA in fifth with 45 pts. On the Winter Series side of
the equation, it's OUTRAJEOUS hanging onto first overall with Paul
Griffiths' JAGERBOMB in second and JUST SO in third.In IRC results are starting to look like a classic American "roller-coaster". In IRC 1 Class, Doctor Ivan Trotman is now leading with his J/122 JOLOU with a 1-4-3-6 record for 14 pts. Over in IRC 3, still dominated by J's, the top four of five slots are all held by Js! The J/97s JIKA JIKA and INDULJENCE are first and third, respectively, whilst David Greenhalgh and John Taylor's J/92 J-RONIMO is fourth. Fifth is Andy Howe & Annie Kelly's J/92s BLACKJACK.
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- Hamo Thornycroft For more Garmin Hamble Winter Series sailing information
