Stage is set for 2018 as Half Ton Classics Cup ends in Kinsale

by Half-Ton Class Association on 19 Aug 2017 With the overall regatta decided on the penultimate day, the Euro Car Parks Half Ton Classics Cup was presented to Phil Plumtree and the crew of Swuzzlebubble at Kinsale Yacht Club, Ireland on Friday night.

A single ‘round the cans’ final race earlier in the day also delivered a full eleven race programme despite losing a day to strong winds.

Swuzzlebubble’s series ended on Thursday after ten races of mostly first and second places confirmed their pre-event favourite status and this year’s win is the third victory in the 40-year old boat’s modern record adding to previous wins with Peter Morton and Greg Peck.

The battle for second place went down to the wire and the outcome of the eleventh race which was won by Nigel Biggs on Checkmate XVIII and he succeeded in beating David Cullen on Checkmate XV by a half point margin to take the first runner-up place.

The Half Ton True Spirit trophy, the other major award for the week was presented to Paul Wayte and the crew of Headhunter in recognition of their camaraderie within the fleet both afloat and ashore but especially for their sportsmanship. Wayte loaned a spare mast to Superhero after their own rig was badly damaged en route to Ireland that enabled the Finnish entry to start the regatta last weekend.

Tributes were paid to Principal Race Officer Anthony O’Leary and Regatta Director John Stallard of Kinsale YC with their team of volunteers who delivered a memorable series.

Class President Philippe Pilate on General Tapioca was best of the continental entries in fifth overall in the 21-strong turnout. At the prize-giving ceremony, he confirmed that the 2018 championship will be held at the Royale Koninklijke Yacht Club (KYCN), Nieuwpoort in Belgium from the 20th to 24th August where a team of volunteers are already planning a week of great racing and hospitality.

The 2017 event was sponsored by Euro Car Parks together with AGK Displays, MF Services, Windward Hotels, Provincial Floor Coverings, Martin Reilly Motors and Harken UK.

Euro Car Parks Half Ton Classics Cup 2017 (at Kinsale YC, Ireland)

Final overall standings after Day 5 - eleven races (21 entries)

1 Swuzzlebubble Phil Plumtree (UK)
2 Checkmate XVIII Nigel Biggs (UK)
3 Checkmate XV Dave Cullen (Ireland)
4 The Big Picture Michael & Richard Evans (Ireland)
5 General Tapioca Philippe Pilate (Belgium)
6 Miss Whiplash Paul Pullen (UK)

Provisional Results:

	Series Place	Sail No	Bow No	Boat	Country	Owner	Handicap	Series Points	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5	Race 6	Race 7	Race 8	Race 9	Coastal PF1.5	Race 11
	1	KZ3494	19	Swuzzlebubble	UK	Phil Plumtree	0.975	19.5	1	2	8	1	2	1	2	1	2	7.5	22
	2	GBR66R	2	Checkmate XVIII	UK	Nigel Biggs	0.952	23	4	4	2	2	3	2	10	2	5	3	1
	3	IRL2016	1	Checkmate XV	Ireland	Dave Cullen	0.947	23.5	8	1	5	4	1	6	1	6	1	1.5	3
	4	IRL5522	20	The Big Picture	Ireland	Michael & Richard Evans	0.944	31.5	6	5	1	5	5	3	3	3	8	4.5	2
	5	BEL7548	7	General Tapioca	Belgium	Philippe Pilate	0.956	47.5	2	7.5	9	3	11	4	15	5	3	9	5
	6	GBR5435	12	Miss Whiplash	UK	Paul Pullen	0.954	62.5	3	3	4	10	9	7	11	22	9	13.5	4
	7	IRL1484	9	Harmony	Ireland	Jonny Swan	0.948	63.75	5	7.5	10.5	9	8	8	6	8	4	11.25	6
	8	GBR5694	10	Headhunter	UK	Paul Wayte	0.963	78.5	9	6	3	8	6	11	12	9.5	12	18	8
	9	GBR4080T	5	Crakajax	UK	Richard & Ursula Hollis	0.898	78.5	10.5	11	15	13	14	5	5	4	14	6	10
	10	BEL8500	16	Red Cloud	Belgium	Tom Florizoone	0.949	82.25	10.5	15	13	7	10	10	4	9.5	7	11.25	13
	11	IRL8094	11	King One	Ireland	David Kelly & Patrick Boardman	0.952	85	14	9	7	6	15	13	8	7	11	15	9
	12	GBR2759	13	Per Elisa	UK	Robbie Tregear	0.962	85.5	7	10	6	11	4	15	16	11	10	19.5	7
	13	GBR6521	21	Trastada	UK	Dan Challis & Roddy Angus	0.958	99	12	13.5	12	12	7	9	14	14	6	16.5	11
	14	GBR8444	6	Demolition	UK	Mel Sharp	0.929	120.5	18	12	14	22	13	12	7	12	13	22.5	15
	15	ESP2655	4	Cortagedo	Ireland	George Radley	0.951	128	13	13.5	10.5	15	12	18	13	16	15	24	12
	16	FRA17416	14	Pivoine	France	Patrick Dijoud	0.896	135	16	16	17	14	17	16	9	13	16	21	14
	17	FRA9187	15	Rampage	UK	John Hicks	0.961	155.5	15	18	18	16	16	17	19	15	17	25.5	16
	18	FRA9292	3	Concorde	UK	Francis Marshall	0.965	172	17	17	16	17	18	14	18	22	22	33	22
	19	BEL5394	8	Fantasy	Belgium	Ian Van Burm	0.942	174.5	21	19	19	19	19.5	19	17	17	18	27	22
	20	IRL5530	17	Scorpio	Ireland	Dominic O'Sullivan	0.952	183	20	20	20	18	19.5	20	20	22	22	28.5	17
	21	GBR5384	18	Superhero	Finland	Toni Stoschek & Janne Tulokas	0.944	206	19	22	22	22	22	22	22	22	22	33	22