Antix crowned 2014 RORC IRC National Champion

by Louay Habib on 16 Jun 2014 RORC IRC National Championship 2014 - The most sensational finish in the 13-year history of the RORC IRC National Championship played out in the central Solent.

In the tightly packed combat zone, the prize of overall national champion was decided in the ninth and final race of the series. Three yachts swapped the overall lead during the last three races. Keeping in clear air and playing the shifts were the big factors towards a top performance but maintaining concentration, in an adrenalin packed final day, was just all important.

IRC One
Anthony O'Leary's Irish Ker 39, Antix continued their impressive display, winning the first two races of the day to secure the IRC One title, and third place in the last race of the regatta was just enough to secure the overall win. Antix was crowned RORC IRC National Champion to the delight of the Irish crew.

'Antix has been coming here for years, we have won class here before but this is the first time we have won the event overall - it is just tremendous,' smiled Anthony O'Leary. 'Dave Lenz did a phenomenal job on tactics and the rest of the crew have been together for many years and that understanding kept our manoeuvres clean. The combination of smart strategy and good boat handling was the key. As one of the smallest boats in our class, we knew that we would be dictated to at the starts, and on several occasions, we did have to tack away for clear air.

However, our heads never went down, and many-a-time we were in good shape by the top mark. This is a confidence boost for the Commodores' Cup but our feet will be firmly on the ground and we will continue to prepare for next month's big event.'

Mike Bartholomew's South African GP42, Tokoloshe II, was second in class and Marc Glimcher's American Ker 40, Catapult, finished the regatta in style winning the last race to place third.

IRC Two
Going into the last race, Jim Macgregor's British Elan 410, Premier Flair, needed to win to secure the overall IRC National title by just half a point. However, the team from Poole YC could only manage fourth. Premier Flair was class champion and second overall, winning the Jackdaw Trophy.

IRC Two produced a highly competitive fleet with seven yachts all scoring podium finishes and virtually every race was decided by seconds, so close in fact that Premier Flair and Adam Gosling's Corby 36, Yes!, scored a dead heat for Race seven. Kevin Miller's Scottish First 40, Zephyr, held on to second place for IRC Two. Yes! damaged their backstay in Race eight, ending any remote chance of a class win, but first in the last race of the regatta secured Yes! third in class.

'To be honest, if Yes! had not had their problems, we would have been beaten,' admitted Jim. 'The competition in our class this year was as good as I can remember and we are delighted to be taking the Jackdaw Trophy back to Poole YC. We had no idea we were in the running for the overall win, that comes as a bit of a shock for a Corinthian team. We were just taking it one race at a time, and thoroughly enjoyed every one of them.'

IRC Three
David Franks' British JPK 10.10, Strait Dealer, won all three races today to secure the class. Scoring six bullets during the regatta, Strait Dealer was an outstanding performer. However, the smaller class size put the team from Cowes out of the running for the overall win. Last year's IRC Three champion, James Chalmers' British J/35, Bengal Magic, was second and Willem Schopman's Dutch Bashford Howison 36, Intention, was third.

'This is our second class win at the championship but every year it gets harder and harder,' commented David. 'The RORC have put on another excellent event, especially in difficult conditions, and that should not be underestimated. Each day was very different and all of the Solent came into play, at one stage or another, which kept us all thinking, as well as the race officer.'

IRC Four
Peter Morton's Half Tonner, Swuzzlebubble, was the winner of the class but struggled today in the fresher breeze. Giovanni Belgrano's Whooper won the first race of the day and secured second overall. Sadly, Ian Southworth's Hamble based Quarter Tonner, Whiskers, was unable to race after yesterday's rig damage, but after being awarded redress, ended the regatta third in class. Michael Kershaw's Half Tonner, Chimp, won Race eight and last year's class winner, Nick and Adam's J/97, Indulgence, finished the regatta on a high, winning the last race.

'This is the first big regatta for the boat since it was re-launched and we have learnt a lot about how to sail her,' commented Peter Morton, skipper of Swuzzlebubble. 'We were joined this weekend by Tom Schnackenberg, who has won the America's Cup three times and knows a hell of a lot about these boats. I bought Swuzzlebubble for one euro, I have spent a lot of money on her, but about only half the cost of some of the boats racing this weekend. She definitely goes well in the light but against the displacement boats, we suffered in more breeze.'

Racing with the Royal Ocean Racing Club continues with the Morgan Cup Race on Friday 27th June, followed by the Round Ireland Race, Saturday 28th June.

2014 IRC National Championship IRC One Entries: 13      Races Sailed: 9      Discard: 1 Provisional Results

Series Place Sail No Boat Type of Boat Owner Sailed by Handicap Series Points Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6 Race 7 Race 8 Race 9 1 IRL3939 Antix Ker 39 Anthony O'Leary   1.130 15 3 2 1 8 3 1 1 1 3 2 GBR1682R Tokoloshe II GP 42 Michael Bartholomew   1.260 27 1 1 2 7 7 3 4 9 2 3 USA61253 Catapult Ker 40 Marc Glimcher   1.211 33 6 6 8 1 1 2 11 8 1 4 GBR7745R Eala Of Rhu Swan 45 James McGarry   1.183 36 4 5 5 4 8 8 2 3 5 5 NED40010 Baraka GP Ker 40 Harmen J de Graaf   1.195 40 2 3 7 2 5 11 5 6 10 6 IRL39000 Zero II Mills 39 Cowes Race School James Gair 1.116 42 14 4 3 5 6 9 7 2 6 7 GBR741R Hooligan VII Ker 40 Edward Broadway   1.192 57 7 10 9 12 12 4 3 5 7 8 GBR8448R Rebel Farr 45 Stewart Whitehead   1.216 60 10 7 4 10 2 10 8 11 9 9 GBR9160T Espresso Martini Farr 45 Jeffrey Blue   1.216 60.5 9 8.5 6 6 4 7 10 10 14 10 GBR5955T Kolga Farr 45 British Keelboat Academy Tim Powell 1.215 69 8 11 11 13 13 6 9 7 4 11 GBR43N Antilope Grand Soleil 43 Willem Wester   1.127 76 14 14 14 9 9 12 6 4 8 12 GBR9181R Chaos Mills 43 Custom Mark Lloyd Michael Boyd and Niall Dowling 1.175 77.5 5 8.5 10 11 10 5 14 14 14 13 ITA42007 Problem Child GP 42 Mark Lloyd   1.262 98 14 14 14 3 11 14 14 14 14

Sun 15 Jun 14 15:42

2014 IRC National Championship IRC Two Entries: 13      Races Sailed: 9      Discard: 1 Provisional Results

Series Place Sail No Boat Type of Boat Owner Sailed by Handicap Series Points Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6 Race 7 Race 8 Race 9 1 GBR8410R Premier Flair Elan 410 Jim Macgregor   1.072 17.5 2 2 1 3 2 8 1.5 2 4 2 GBR8140C Zephyr First 40 Kevin Miller   1.090 26 1 1 5 8 4 2 6 4 3 3 GBR4863R Yes! Corby 36 Adam Gosling   1.067 39.5 14 14 3 1 1 4 1.5 14 1 4 GBR73R Salvo JND 35 Peter Morton   1.059 40.5 10 5 2 10 7 3 4 7.5 2 5 GBR8601R Ino Corby 36 James Neville   1.082 54.5 5 4 7 9 5 9.5 9 6 12 6 GBR3213L Dusty P First 40 Richard Patrick   1.079 56 14 14 14 6 8 1 3 1 9 7 GBR7404R Interceptor Logic First 40.7 Stuart Wilkie Sailing Logic/Tim Thubron 1.053 58 9 10 4 13 10 7 5 5 8 8 GBR7737R Aurora Corby 37 Roderick Stuart & Bill Ram Roderick Stuart 1.092 59 3 8 14 2 12 12 8 3 11 9 GBR7207T Playing Around First 40.7 Nick Rawbone   1.055 59 11 7 10 4 6 5 12 9 7 10 GBR1111X Jitterbug J/111 Cornel Riklin   1.094 61 4 9 6 5 13 13 7 11 6 11 GBR4070L Incognito First 40.7 Paul McNamara & Tony Lowe   1.051 64 8 3 9 7 3 6 14 14 14 12 GBR111N McFly J/111 Anthony Mack   1.095 71 7 11 8 11 9 11 10 10 5 13 GBR42N La Réponse First 40 Andrew McIrvine   1.083 72 6 6 11 12 11 9.5 11 7.5 10

Sun 15 Jun 14 15:42

2014 IRC National Championship IRC Three Entries: 6      Races Sailed: 9      Discard: 1 Provisional Results

Series Place Sail No Boat Type of Boat Owner Sailed by Handicap Series Points Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6 Race 7 Race 8 Race 9 1 GBR1250N Strait Dealer JPK 10.10 David Franks   1.014 12 5 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 1 2 IRL725 Bengal Magic J/35 James Chalmers   1.014 22.5 6 3 5 1 2 2 3.5 3 3 3 NED7623 Intention Bashford Howison 36 Willem Schopman   1.047 23 2 2 6 5 1 5 2 4 2 4 GBR732R Raygun Ker 32 Mark Devereux   1.045 31 4 4 2 2 6 6 6 2 5 5 GBR1405R Elaine Elan 37 Mike Bridges   1.008 31.5 3 6 3 6 4 3 3.5 5 4 6 GBR2187L Stiletto First 35 J Barrett & P Woodward John Barrett 1.014 34 1 5 4 4 5 4 5 6 6

Sun 15 Jun 14 15:42

2014 IRC National Championship IRC Four Entries: 13      Races Sailed: 9      Discard: 1 Provisional Results

Series Place Sail No Boat Type of Boat Owner Sailed by Handicap Series Points Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Race 4 Race 5 Race 6 Race 7 Race 8 Race 9 1 KZ3494 Swuzzlebubble Half Tonner Peter Morton   0.974 18.5 1 3 1 3 1 2 5 3.5 4 2 GBR363R Whooper One Off Giovanni Belgrano   0.915 21 2 2 3 6 3 1 1 9 3 3 GBR902R Whiskers Quarter Tonner Catrina Southworth   0.909 29.9 3 1 4 1 2.3 2.3 2.3 14 14 4 GBR1497R Induljence J/97 Nick & Adam Munday   0.979 39 7 4 2 10 14 6 7 2 1 5 GBR5261 Chimp Half Tonner Michael Kershaw   0.929 40 4 7 7 7 4 4 8 1 6 6 ESP3090 Cote Quarter Tonner Rob Gray Sam Pearson 0.909 49 6 11 14 4 7 3 6 5 7 7 GBR9250R Who's To No J/92 Richard Sparrow   0.975 51 5 8 6 8 5 7 10 7 5 8 GBR629R Cor Blimey Corby 29 Giles Redpath   0.992 57 8 9 8 2 9 14 9 10 2 9 NZL3311 Blackfun Quarter Tonner Tony Haywood Tom Forrester-Coles 0.910 57 14 14 14 5 2 5 3 6 8 10 NED118 Winsome S&S 41 Harry J. Heijst   0.984 61.5 14 6 5 11 6 14 2 3.5 14 11 GBR1397R Jaslan J/97 Helen Hofmann   0.974 78 10 12 10 9 8 8 12 12 9 12 GBR3033L Wild Child Corby 30 Brian Wilkinson   0.984 79 9 10 9 12 10 9 11 11 10 13 GBR8700R Phoenix Quarter Tonner John Welch Penny Fulford 0.910 87 14 5 14 14 14 14 4 8 14

Sun 15 Jun 14 15:43

Event website

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