UBS Jersey Regatta and Spinlock IRC Channel Islands Championships

by Bill Harris on 20 Sep 2014 The sixteenth combined clubs’ Jersey Regatta, sponsored for the second year by leading global financial services company UBS AG, was held in the beautiful confines of St Aubin’s Bay in near-perfect conditions over the weekend of 12th – 14th September. The sunny weather and slight to moderate seas proved to be a race officer’s dream, not least the moderate eastnortheasterly breeze that hardly budged over the whole three days. The occasional slight shiftiness was never enough to require further assistance from the mark layers once the course was down.

The Jersey Regatta is a really stunning event when the Island’s sailing community turns out in force, opening its doors wide to visiting boats. One hundred and nine boats raced, presenting an amazing spectacle for onshore spectators and competitors alike. As ever, there was a very warm welcome for visitors from the Guernsey, France and the UK.

The packed programme got under way early on Friday morning with the first of three back-to-back races for the cruiser classes. This year saw the inaugural Spinlock IRC Channel Islands Regional Championship for IRC cruisers that helped give proceedings that added bit of edge and interest.

Sailing ‘around the cans’ on a course to the south of the Bay, Angus Bates’ J-133, Assarain IV, made her presence felt from the outset with three straight wins ahead of Alex Ohlsson and Neil Machlachlan’s J-109, Jai Ho. The tables were turned on Saturday, however, with Jai Ho winning the class by just one point from Assarain IV. Rhys Perkins and Ptnrs’ Archambault A35, Abracadabra, finished third. With the wind piping up a notch, Sunday was Abracadabra’s day with Assarain IV once again second. The J-133, nevertheless, proved to be overall winner, well clear of her two challengers, to take the best-in-class title and become the first winner of the Spinlock IRC CI Regional Championship in Class 1.

The story in Class 2 was very similar with Steve Pearl’s X-79, Less Xpense, winning all three races on Friday. UBS’ Tom Hill’s Runaway Bus was second with three third places ahead of Pierre Paris’ Pinguin Playboy. With the quarter tonners racing as a sub-set of Class 2, Runaway Bus won the Quarter Ton Salver of the day. Despite a fourth place on Saturday, Less Xpense went on to win the day, after three races, with Pinguin Playboy, the first quarter tonner, a close second. Runaway Bus was third. Sunday saw Ben Rogers’ and David Howell’s quarter tonner, Tom Bombadil come to the fore, winning well ahead of Less Expense and Pinguin Playboy. Less Xpense, with six wins to her credit, won overall to take the Spinlock IRC CI Regional Championship in Class 2.

Racing in Class 3, under the Island Handicap system, Chris Fritot’s Sonata, Rondo, won all three races on all three days to become undisputed overall champion. A really great performance. James Wilding sailing his Pandora, Boy Blew, was second on Friday with Guernsey’s Charlotte Castledine’s Sonata, Super Tonic third. Saturday saw Super Tonic move up to second place ahead of French boat Jacques Morvan and Patrick Carcaillet’s Sun Odyssey 41 Moustique. Class 3 really is a very mixed bag and no less competitive than the others.

After two races, Ben Jones’ Cornish Coble won the Dayboat class on Friday, on countback, from Mike Harrison’s La Rocque OD, Jigsaw. Laurence Curtis’ 100 years-old Moana was third. Following three races each day, Charity, Mike Jackson’s Tosher 20, won on both Saturday and Sunday but was relegated to second place overall, by just one point, by Baloo. Malcolm Annan’s Oysterman, Jamesina, was third.

Friday proved to be a bit of a challenge for the sport-catamaran and dinghy classes, starting in the afternoon on low water. The long trundle down to the water paid off for Guernsey’s Benn Garnham and Jamie Hamilton who not only won both races with their Hobie Tiger, Poker Face, but went on to have a clean sweep over the whole eight races of the Regatta. These speed machines were attached to the cruiser classes’ committee boat, racing south and well-clear of the smaller cats and dinghies’ area. Friday saw a second place for Andy Hart and Yvonne Winspear on the Wildcat, Yikes! With Adrian Jesson and Bruce Steedman third on Hobie 245. Hobie 245 came on form on Saturday and Sunday, determined to hold Poker Face. Sadly, to no avail, finishing second on both days to take second overall. Darren Stower and Peter Scriven sailing Hobie Tiger Tart was third overall.

First blood in Class 6 on Friday, entirely consisting of Hobie 16s, went to Grant Neale and Karen Larose on iCAT, on countback. Gordon Burgis and Ken Snell’s Pure Energy was second. Saturday saw this situation reversed with Pure Energy winning the day and the RCIYC’s Gaiety Bowl, yet again! Stuart McCue’s Salty Bean was third. Ensuring that the honours were equally shared, Salty Bean won on Sunday with Pure Energy second and iCAT third. It was Pure Energy, however, that won overall, three points clear of iCAT.

Class 7, the Hobie Dragoon fleet, raced on Saturday and Sunday only. Leo Marshall and Arthur Carey won both days on Dragoon 218 whilst Ollie Voak and Ben Henman were second. Chloë Swetenham and Megan Newstead were equally consistent in taking third place both days.

As with last year, the biggest fleets, by far, were those in dinghy Classes 8 and 9 with thirty-four boats in the ‘fast’ class and 24 in the ‘slow’ class. Adding to the success of Poker Face in Class 5, Guernsey swept the board in Class 8 with Clemmie Thompson winning the sole race on Friday, sailing Laser 206782. Fellow islanders Andrew Bridgman and David Aslett were second and third respectively. Bridgman turned the tables on Thompson on Saturday with Aslett in third place again. The stiffening breeze on Sunday was clearly just what Guernsey’s Adam Knight needed on the RS800, The Contractor, that stormed to victory in two races. Thompson was second on countback whilst Bridgman was third. Overall victory, however went to Thompson with Bridgman in second place. George Moisan’s Laser Wet Dream was the first Jersey boat in fifth place overall. A very impressive performance by the Guernsey sailors!

Phoebe Le Marquand’s Optimist, Sky Full of Stars, won the Class 9 race on Friday from Harry Moisan’s Laser Pico, TAZ-Harry. Elana St George’s Optimist, Shrimp, was third. After three races, Saturday went to TAZ-Harry ahead of Peter Raimbault’s Optimist, Rascal with Fleur Moisan’s Pico Fleur third. TAZ-Harry also won on Sunday with Tom Pollard’s Optimist, It’s Not My Fault, second and William Holden’s Optimist, Whatever!, third. TAZ-Harry thus carried off the overall trophy whilst Phoebe Le Marquand was second and William Holden third.

Whilst memorable racing is the clear objective of the UBS Jersey Regatta, social activities run very closely alongside and sailors and organisers were able to enjoy each others’ company from Thursday through to Sunday at receptions, the party night and, finally, the prizegiving held in St Helier Yacht Club.

The Clubhouse was packed for this final phase of the Regatta when St Helier YC Commodore Julian Barber welcomed everyone and thanked UBS for sponsoring what was thought to be one of the best Regattas in the sixteen years of its existence. He went on to thank the competitors and the sixty-or-so people who had worked hard to make the Regatta a resounding success, both on the water and off. He followed by inviting Tom Hill, CEO UBS Wealth Management Jersey, and his wife Lizi, to present the first place prizes and trophies to the many winners

The special 30th Anniversary Spinlock IRC prize for the boat with the earliest IRC certificate was presented to Commodore Julian Barber, owner of the Farr 727 Super Q, by IRC Advocate James Gales. Super Q’s certificate is number 155!

Regatta Chairman and Event Director, Bill Harris, brought the ceremony to a close by adding his thanks to UBS and all who had helped including Port of Jersey and Jersey Tourism for their much-valued support for the Regatta. He concluded by announcing that the seventeenth Jersey Regatta is to be held from fourth to 6th September, 2015.

Principal results:

Friday 12th September
Class 1 – IRC Cruiser - June Kingham Trophy – Assarain IV – Angus Bates
Class 2 - IRC Cruiser - Cruising Trophy – Less Xpense – Steve Pearl
Quarter Ton Salver 1 – Runaway Bus – Tom Hill
Class 3 – IHS Cruiser - Tom Lee Memorial Trophy – Rondo – Chris Fritot
Class 4 - Dayboat - second Elfin Cup – Baloo – Ben Jones
Class 5 – Sport Catamaran (F18) - Fotosound Trophy – Poker Face – Benn Garnham
Class 6 – Sport Catamaran - Ratner Trophy – iCAT – Grant Neale
Class 8 – Open Dinghy - Pop Langlois Trophy – Laser 206782 – Clemmie Thompson
Class 9 – Open Dinghy - RCIYC Shield – Sky Full of Stars – Phoebe Le Marquand

Saturday 13th September
Class 1 – Ken Budden Trophy – Jai Ho – Alex Ohlsson and Neil Maclachlan
Class 2 – Nautilus Trophy – Less Xpense
Quarter Ton Salver 2 – Pinguin Playboy – Pierre Paris
Class 3 – Mavourneen Trophy - Rondo
Class 4 – Wings Trophy – Charity – Michael Jackson
Class 5 - Fairy Trophy – Poker Face
Class 6 - Gaiety Bowl – Pure Energy – Gordon Burgis
Class 7 – Sport Catamaran - RCIYC Shield 1 – Dragoon 218 - Leo Marshall
Class 8 – Howard Trophy – Laser 201719 – Andrew Bridgman
Class 9 – Nick Orchard Trophy – Taz-Harry – Harry Moisan

Sunday 14th September
Class 1 – Commodore’s Cup – Abracadabra – Rhys Perkins and Ptnrs
Class 2 – Tregear Cup – Tom Bombadil – Ben Rogers and David Howell
Quarter Ton Salver 3 – Tom Bombadil
Class 3 – Bolitho Urn - Rondo
Class 4 – RNVR Trophy – Michael Jackson
Class 5 – Lazard Trophy – Poker Face
Class 6 – Caprice Salver – Salty Bean – Stuart McCue
Class 7 – RCIYC Shield 2 – Dragoon 218
Class 8 – Canadian Club Trophy – The Contractor – Adam Knight
Class 9 – Enterprise Trophy – TAZ-Harry – Harry Moisan

Best-in-Class Trophies
1 Assarain IV – Angus Bates – Spinlock IRC Channel Islands Regional Champion – Class 1
2 Less Xpense – Steve Pearl – Spinlock IRC Channel Islands Regional Champion – Class
Island-ARK Quarter Ton Trophy – Tom Bombadil
3 Rondo – Chris Fritot
4 Baloo – Ben Jones
5 Poker Face – Benn Garnham and Jamie Hamilton
6 Pure Energy – Gordon Burgis and Ken Snell
7 Dragoon 218 – Leo Marshall and Arthur Carey
8 Laser 206782 – Clemmie Thompson
9 TAZ-Harry – Harry Moisan

Full results are available here