Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race Preview

 

(Fort Lauderdale, FL)- While nowhere near the record fleets of 100+ boats of the past, the remarkably strong turnout of twenty-seven keelboats for the 2021 pandemic edition of the SORC Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race is sure to be a fun time! The weather forecast looks promising, with a frontal passage promising 15-20 kts winds from the N/NW. That could mean an amazing starboard tack sleighride down around the Florida Keys reefs, right-turn signal blinking the entire way!

A fleet of twenty-seven keelboats will be starting on Friday afternoon hoping to pop their Code Zeros or spinnakers as they head south down the Florida coastline. The largest class is the nineteen-boat ORC Class. Participating will be the J/121 WINGS sailed by Ashley Maltempo & Bill Wiggins from Johns Island, SC; Chris Lewis's J/44 KENAI from Seabrook, TX; the J/109 HARM'S WAY skippered by Andy Wescoat from Galveston Bay, TX; and the J/92 HILLBILLY sailed by Brad Stowers from Melbourne, FL. Have fun! Thousands of J/Sailors will be dreaming of their virtual sleigh ride, too!  For more SORC Key West Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

RORC IRC Nationals Update

 

(Cowes, IOW, England)- The central Solent delivered on the opening day of the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s IRC National Championship. The westerly wind started off light, but built to a solid 18 knots, the September sun even putting in an appearance, as the three-class fleet progressed through two windward-leeward races and one round the cans.

Despite it being so late in the year, for many competitors this is their first event of 2020 thanks to the hiatus caused by the pandemic. For some this meant blowing the cobwebs away after a year away from sailing. The challenge has further increased as to improve social distancing on board, crews are only permitted to sail with 80% of their usual number.

In IRC 2 Class, Michael O'Donnell's J/121 DARKWOOD took the final round the cans race. At the end of play (and subject to a protest), DARKWOOD leads on countback from David Franks’ J/112E LEON.


Franks only came out of isolation today and will race LEON tomorrow. Today his tactician Graham Sunderland helmed. The IRC Nationals is their second outing of the year but as a team Franks and Sunderland have continued to race their beloved Etchells this summer. Unfortunately, the maths of the crew reduction has not worked in their favour and they are sailing with six rather than nine. Nonetheless, they are enjoying it and are coming to terms with their new roles.

As to the conditions, the Winning Tides co-author Graham Sunderland stated, “it was tough. It was never really up the middle and you weren’t certain if it was right or left. The left was high risk and the right was stable but average. It was a difficult race track.”

Racing resumes Saturday, when another three races are scheduled for the IRC Nationals in what the forecast indicates will be similar conditions to today. The event will also double in size with the start of the IRC Two-Handed National Championship which will run alongside for the remainder of the event.  For more UK IRC Nationals sailing informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.