First UK J/111 One-Design Sailing Event(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The Royal Corinthian Yacht Club will host the eighth Vice Admiral’s Cup Regatta this coming weekend. Since its introduction the Vice Admiral Cup has gone from strength to strength with it’s simple close-racing format and fun social program making it enjoyable for the competitors. This year there will be six classes, including one-design classes for the J/109 and J/111 as well as provide the inshore element for the 2012 GBR Team trials for the Brewin Dolphin Commodores’ Cup.
This year record numbers of yachts are expected for Vice Admiral's Cup, with over 60 entries to date. The courses will be predominantly laid windward-leeward format with up to eight races scheduled over the three days of racing.
For the Commodore's Cup selection, all boats wishing to qualify will be participating in Class 0, made up of mostly forty footers of various ilk from Elan, First, King, Ker, Corby and others. Included in the mix is the well-sailed J/122 JOOPSTER skippered by Neil Kipling and two J/109s, David Aisher's YEOMAN OF WIGHT and Robert Stiles & Neil Angel's DIAMOND JEM.
In the one-design world, the five J/111s will likely find out that all five boats will learn how to sail faster every single race-- exactly as what happened with their colonial compatriots during the Annapolis NOOD regatta two weeks ago. Their learning curve will be fast and furious as teams learn to tweak them to go much faster uphill and downhill. Even steering techniques will be refined, as many drivers learned on the Chesapeake, e.g. pinching is not fast in light-medium breezes! As this is the first meeting of these teams, it's too early to tell what will happen. Nevertheless, certainly one of the most experienced teams is Cowes Week 2011 winner Duncan McDonald and crew on SHMOKIN JOE. Certainly Rolls & Christies' ICARUS, Arnell's JEEZ LOUISE, Tavoncelli's MANIC and Ivill's J-SPIRIT will all enjoy having a go at Duncan and "the JOE" team.
The usual suspects of leading J/109 teams are participating with a slew of teams all capable of rounding out the podium. In completely random order, you can expect to see all these boats get a top three finish at some point during the event, including David McGough's JUST SO, Paul Griffiths' JAGERBOMB, Beckhelling's RED ARROW, Richard and Valerie Griffith's OUTRAJEOUS, Dave Richard's JUMPING JELLYFISH, Steve & Jody Maine's J2EAU and Franks & Lockett's JYNNAN TONNYX. In other words, over half the fleet is competitive enough to lead around the course depending on a zillion factors-- great one-design racing with this group.
As always the Royal Corinthian will look forward to welcoming competitors après sailing to relax at its delightful clubhouse which enjoys panoramic views across the Solent. There will be a two-course steak barbeque dinner on Friday and Saturday's open for dinner on the panoramic veranda-- hard to beat the view, hoping the weather cooperates! For more Vice Admirals Cup sailing information
