(Warsash, England)- 164 boats racing and over 60 races were laid on the
water over the opening weekend (18/19 April) of the Brooks Macdonald
Crewsaver Spring Championship and the Warsash Spring Series. The Black
Championship Group were racing windward-leeward courses out in the
Solent, with starts based near Flying Fish buoy. Peter Bateson, Series
Chairman “It was an incredible weekend’s racing. We have more boats
entered this year for the Championship which, combined with the weather
has led to some really close and challenging racing this weekend”.
Saturday
saw 22 knots of wind that started in the NE and gradually swung to the
SE and back again by the end of the day. Sunday had a generally steadier
ENE breeze of 8 to 10 knots with gusts in the low teens and the
occasional drop to 5 knots. The Black Flag had to be dusted off for
Sunday’s races with the initial wind against tide pushing the normally
conservative IRC4 fleet across the line; resulting in a general recall
and the black flag to ensure they got away cleanly at the second
attempt.The J/70’s followed and similarly were recalled and got away at the second attempt, but four boats at the pin end did pick up a disqualification. The J/80s spotted the problem and managed better.
By the start of the second race the tide was beginning to turn and with it the starts improved as boats were being pushed down the line rather than across it. A drop to just 5 knots and the wind shifting around by 30 degrees at the end of the day led to some rather tight approaches to the leeward gate as boats misjudged the strength of the tide.
In
the White Championship Group Ian Atkin’s J/70, BOATS.COM looks set to
repeat his winning performance from last year having gained podium
places across all the weekends races bar one. So far, Atkins’ team has
accumulated just 16.5 pts after seven races. Newcomer to the fleet
Russell Peters is sailing fast, as he should being a former UK
International 14 Champion. Peters’ comfort with the J/70 was such that
he peeled off three straight bullets in his last three races! On that
pace, the BOATS.COM boys had better keep a close watch on their rear
view mirror! Just off the pace behind these two is Jamie Arnell’s
LITTLE LOUISE with 41 pts. BETTY’s (Jon Powell) dominance of the J/80 fleet in the Spring Series extended on into the Championship with a good lead of 6 points over Mike Lewis’s JESTER. Ali Hall’s BOYSTEROUS is giving the boys a run for their money, too.
The
dynamic duo of Stew Hawthorn & Paul Heys on the J/88 JI-FI continue
to show pace and smarts, leading the J/88 one-design fleet with just 8
pts in six races. Constantly nipping at their heels and waiting to
pounce have been Paul Ward’s crew on EAST SLEEP J REPEAT with all 2nds
and 1sts for 10 pts, just 2 pts back from the lead. Third is Ivan
Trotman’s JOJO sitting on 19 pts.As they’ve done for quite some time, David Mcgough’s J/109 JUST SO started the championships off slowly, but they’ve found 2nd and 3rd gear and have rapidly ascended the standings to be winning on a tie-break with 20 pts. Second is Chris Copeland & John Smart’s JUKE BOX and just 3 pts back is Paul Griffith’s perennial contenders on the JAGERBOMB!
The J/111s are just starting to get warmed up for the season and showing good form early is Cornel Riklin’s JITTERBUG, posting 5 bullets in just 6 races to hold a 3 pt lead. Second is Chris Body & Andrew Christie’s ICARUS and third is Chris Jones & Louise Makin’s JOURNEMAKER II.
As
we head into the final Sunday (26 April) of the Warsash Spring Series
we see that Body & Christie’s J/111 ICARUS in IRC 1 have extended
their lead with 10 pts, followed in 2nd by Riklin’s JITTERBUG with 17.
In IRC 2, the J/88 JI-FI is lying 4th and is easily within reach of the
top three. Andy Howe’s J/97 BLACKJACK II is sitting in 6th but only 7
pts from third place. Griffiths’ J/109 JAGERBOMB leads their class with
Owain Franks & Jean Lockett’s JYNNAN TONNYX tied with Joe Henry’s
JOLLY JACK TAR for second & third place. The massive J/70 class of 24 boats is having a scream in the final stages of the Spring Series and Arnell’s LITTLE LOUISE is leading after 9 races with 30 pts net. In a close second is Dave Mitchell’s JUMANJI 4 pts back. A duel for third has two boats tied on 48 pts net- Patrick Liardet’s COSMIC and David Mcleman’s OFFBEAT. For more Brooks MacDonald Warsash Spring Series sailing information
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