The J/105 As IRC Offshore Weapon?(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The final event of the challenging RORC 2012 sailing season is now upon us. The RORC's Cherbourg Race sets sail on Friday. For some, it's sweet solace that they can reflect on a remarkable season of sailing and simply enjoy a "romp" across "La Manche" (the English Channel) over to Cherbourg to savor some delicious French wines and cheeses in celebration of class wins already sewn-up. For others, it will be an outright battle, if not war, to secure a good score to factor into the season championship. For a certain J/105 sailing into history in the hallowed halls of an ultimate sailing champion, it will be a celebratory sail for one division win, but the ultimate fight for another class and overall! How can that be?? Well, read on to understand what an amazing season this J/105 has sailed to date-- for a double-handed crew, no less!
In recent years, the 75-mile-sprint to Cherbourg has always been the last hurrah of the RORC Season’s Point Championship. This year’s championship has been one of the most hotly contested for many years. Three yachts are contesting the overall championship and many of the podium places, in the seven classes racing under IRC, are still hanging in the balance.
“Most of the yachts will finish the race in time to enjoy a party atmosphere at the Yacht Club de Cherbourg,” commented RORC Racing Manager, Nick Elliott. “The end of the season is a time when a lot of the sailors really get a chance to meet up and share their memories of the season, the 2012 RORC Season’s Points Championship has been one of extremes with many very windy races but also barely enough breeze to keep going in others. The forecast for this weekend looks likely to give the fleet a downwind finale to the season with a north to north west moderate breeze and clear skies. However, it is highly likely that the wind will drop significantly on approach to Cherbourg and with a strong tide, we could see a exciting finish to the race and a dramatic end to seven months of racing.”
For the RORC Overall Championship, just 17 points back in second overall is Nick Martin’s J/105 DIABLO-J. Reigning RORC Season’s Points Champion, Piet Vroon’s Ker 46 Tonnerre de Breskens lies in third place just 2.4 points further back! How's that for a dichotomy in offshore racing boats-- a 1992 design (the J/105 now 30 years young!) sailed by an amateur family crew against the latest from Jason Ker's IRC drawing board just 2 years old sailed by a professional yacht-racing crew!
In IRC One, Tonnerre de Breskens will be fighting it out for the class win. Meanwhile, the J/105 DIABLO-J is currently leading in IRC Three, but an overall winner is far from settled. The IRC classes are decided upon by the best four scores for the season. Up to four boats can all snatch victory on the last race just in IRC Three.
In the Two-handed Division, the J/105 DIABLO-J has secured the class win-- an early "good on'ya'mates", but no time to rest on their laurels as Nick aims for the IRC 3 win and RORC Overall, too! Thanks for the contribution from Louay Habib/ RORC. For more RORC Cherbourg Race sailing information
