Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Spectacular Cowes Week Regatta!

J/109 sailing off CowesJ/112E’s Crush Class, J/109 Tops Black Fleet!
(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- Cowes Week is one of the UK's longest running and most successful sporting events and is a key highlight of the British sporting summer. It has been held in early August every year since 1826, except during the two World Wars.

The event offers a great mix of competitive sailing and social activities. The 8,500 competitors range from Olympic and World-Class professionals to weekend sailors. In excess of 100,000 spectators come to watch the sailing, enjoy the parties and live entertainment, and to experience the unique atmosphere. It is genuinely a one-of-a-kind event.

The 2018 edition of the annual LENDY Cowes Week Regatta started August 4th and ended August 11th with a bang- with the final day’s racing canceled due to 25-35 kts winds bucking a strong 3-4 kt current, making for steep 6-8 ft breaking waves with “no backs” to them (e.g. a “cliff”)- it would have been a gear and people-buster for sure!

In the end, here is what happened in each class after a total of six days of actual racing out on the waters of the ever-challenging Solent.

J/70s starting off CowesUltimately, the forty-two boat J/70 class saw Paul Ward’s EAT SLEEP J REPEAT take the win with 17.5 pts in the best of six races.  Second was Marshall King’s THE JANITOR, third Simon Cavey’s JUST4PLAY, fourth Glynn Williams’ EV EXPERTS, and fifth Simon Spraggs’ JACKAL.

A class veteran won the nine-boat J/80 class with nearly straight bullets- Jon Powell’s BETTY.  Second was Ray Mitchell’s CHECKMATE, third was Chris Body’s MOCKINGJAY, fourth Mike Lewis’ JESTER, and fifth Richard Powell’s PURPLE HAZE.

The J/92s were out in force for this year’s Cowes Week and it was extremely competitive racing for class honors.  Winning by just one point was Robin Stevenson’s UPSTART, with the trio on NIGHTJAR (Banks, Overstall, & Searle- sounds like a law firm!) taking second and David Greenhalgh’s J’RONIMO taking third yet one more point down- tough sledding for all!

J/105 sailing on windy FridayThe eighteen-boat J/109 class always has spirited competition all week-long.  This year, 1st in class and 1st Overall in Black Fleet was Caroline van Beelen and Rutger Krijger’s JACK RABBIT from the Netherlands. Second was Simon Perry’s JIRAFFE, third Chris Sharples & Rick Acland’s JUMPING JELLYFISH, fourth the quartet on BROWN TEAL (Clementi, Sheldon, Stanley, & Walker), and fifth Neil Mcgrigor’s BOO.

The IRC 2 Class of twenty-three entries had several good performances by J/Crews.  Chris Daniel’s J/122E JUNO took the silver while Tony Mack’s J/111 McFLY wore the bronze medal.  Chris Jones & Louise Makin’s J/111 JOURNEYMAKER II managed an 8th in the highly competitive class.

J/112E LEON wins IRC 4 Class at CowesWith two-dozen entries, the IRC 4 Class had two lethal weapons of the 35-foot-plus variety- the new J/112E’s.  Sweeping the top two spots quite comfortably were David Franks’ J/112E LEON on the top podium step, while Chaz Ivill’s very successful J/112E DAVANTI TYRES had to settle for the silver- the first major event in months where they had not won their class!

IRC 5 Class had twenty-five entries, and quite a few J/teams in the 30-footer range had a successful outing during the week- 5 of the top 10.  Andy & Annie Howe’s J/97E BLACKJACK II took 3rd, David Greenhalgh’s J/92 J’RONIMO was 5th, Banks Overstall & Searle’s J/92 NIGHTJAR placed 6th, Robin Stevenson’s J/92S UPSTART took 7th, and Jim Owens’ J/97 JET was 10th.

After a week of demanding sailing in the IRC Doublehanded Class, the two J/105s both podiumed; Natalia Jobling’s MOSTLY HARMLESS finished 2nd and Andy Roberts & Bill Edgerley’s JIN TONIC was 3rd.  For more Lendy Cowes Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.