Brewin Dolphin Jersey Regatta overall

by William Harris on 8 Sep 2011 Brewin Dolphin Jersey Regatta, organised by the combined yacht clubs of Jersey, was held between the 2nd and 4th September 2011.

Last weekend’s Brewin Dolphin Jersey Regatta came in like the proverbial lamb and went out like a lion. Fortunately for everyone involved, the ensuing gales and torrential rain held off long enough to enable all three days to be completed to the satisfaction of most if not all, including those competitors whose boats were a little battered and bruised as a result of Sunday’s ‘exhilarating’ conditions. Those returning home to Guernsey, the UK and France on Monday, however, might have found the sea a little less to their liking.

For the second year in succession, the International Melges 24 UK National Championships provided a highlight within the Regatta along with the many other visiting boats competing against Jersey’s best sailors in the cruiser and dinghy classes. Notably, the slow handicap dinghy class blossomed to produce sixteen Optimists and an everlasting impression on the minds of those witnessing the skill of these very young sailors.

Racing opened on Friday morning with light southwesterly winds and an eleven metre tide. With the dinghy classes not racing until the evening, the Melges and cruisers had St Aubin’s Bay to themselves. There were slightly raised eyebrows when the first race started at nine thirty with just a few knots of breeze but the race officer’s judgement proved faultless as the breeze built to provide excellent racing.

In the Melges 24 Championships, last year’s winner, Guernsey’s Jamie Hamilton’s Madcap, dominated the day winning all four races, and consequently the John Merricks trophy, whilst Jersey’s Allen Brown and partners The Dog’s ……..! was second in all four. UK boat, James Middleton-Stewart’s Crazeology, had to be content with third place in all four.

Alex Ohlsson’s J-109 had a clean sweep in cruiser class 1 (IRC 0.970 and over)with Rhys Perkins and partners’ A35, Abracadabra just pipping David Jones’ First 34.6, Jackana, to second after two races. Similarly, Dave Williams’ Conrad 760, Tom Bombadil, had two wins to take the day in the Quarter Ton class, ahead of Peter Crabb’s Starflash, Jackflash, with Jeff Speller’s Farr 727, 2Farr, third. A sparsely populated cruiser class 2 saw two wins for Steve Pearl’s X-79, Less Xpense against David Myatt’s beautiful IOD, Marguerite. Guernsey’s John Squires’ Haven Gem won both races in cruiser class three with French visitors François Pot’s Symphonie 29, Maffy 2, second and Tartan Sailing Association President Loic Gourio’s First 43.5, Malouine, third.

The dayboat, sport catamaran and dinghy classes started racing at five thirty with the latter two having to trundle boats a long way to the water’s edge. The trundle back was even more impressive! In very light airs, Lawrence Curtis’ 100+ years-old Moana won the Dayboat class ahead of Malcolm Annan’s Oysterman, Jamesina. Paul Willing’s Skua, making her first Regatta appearance, was third. Leading Hobie 16 sailor, Gordon Burgis, with crew twelve year old Oliver Voak, sailing Pure Energy, won the sport-catamaran class ahead of David Carter and Kate Amy on Hi-Fly with RCIYC cadets Louis Sangan and Jonty Gales third, sailing Sea Monkey. Alister Cleal’s Vomit Comet took the honours in the fast dinghy class with Martin Speller’s Laser, Liquid Logic, second. Guernsey’s David Le Page was third on Mach 5.

David Raimbault’s, More Mischief, won the slow handicap dinghy class from brother Peter’s Slipstream with William Holden’s Whatever! third, all three Optimists.

The breeze had returned by Saturday morning to provide another day’s good racing for all. The Dog’s ........! won the day in the Melges class with Madcap on equal points after three races and Crazeology once again third. Jai Ho won both races in her class, Jackana taking two seconds. Brewin Dolphin’s chartered First F40, Lancelot 2, helmed by Rob Moy and sailing with novice crew, was a worthy third in both races. Tom Bombadil continued her winning streak in the Quarter Ton class with Julian Barber’s Farr 727 second and Jackflash third. Less Xpense took the day in cruiser class 2 with Nick Querée’s newly-acquired First 24.7, Poc’Han, winning the day in class 3. Malouine was second and Haven Gem third. Very close racing in the dayboat class produced a win for Jamesina with the Jersey Heritage Trust’s Hamble One Design, Jesse, helmed by Cath Challinor, second. Moana came third. Two wins and a second put Pure Energy at the top in the sport-cat class with Hi-Fly a close second. Grant Neal and Karen Larose’s Hobie 16, iCAT, was third. Liquid Logic and Vomit Comet underwent a role reversal to give Martin Speller the ancient and coveted Howard Trophy in the fast handicap dinghy class with Keith Le Page’s 50sense third. More Mischief followed the previous day’s victory in the slow handicap dinghy class with Whatever! nudging Guernsey’s Phoebe Lewis’ Optimist into third place.

Sunday dawned with torrential rain that seemed to be unstoppable. Coupled with force 6 westerly winds, things looked pretty grim. Nevertheless, the race committee boats put to sea, followed by their faithful mark-layers, in the hope that the forecast for a brighter future was right. And so it proved to be. The rain stopped in time for the first race whilst the strong winds persisted, promising some exciting, often physical, racing in sharp contrast to the previous two days.

The well-established pattern persisted throughout the Melges class giving Madcap her third victory in a row, to win the Melges Championship. Similarly, Jai Ho continued her winning streak in class one but, in sometimes challenging conditions, Guernsey’s Aden Clark’s X-36S, Blue J’ade, pipped Jackana to second by just one point. The First F40, Dynamic, helmed by Ash Harris, was just point behind in fourth position. Sadly for Nigel Coxshall’s ILC30, Toybox, ever in contention, disaster arrived in the form of a dismasting as she was beating back from the Demie-de-Pas light-house. With two boats having decided that conditions were outside their comfort zone, Tom Bombadil won all three races in Class Q with 2Farr ever second and Super Q third. Less Xpense had a clean sweep in class two whilst Poc’Han chalked up another win in Class three with Patrick Carcaillet’s Sun Legend, Moustique, second and Haven Gem third. The dayboat class saw just three boats racing one of the three scheduled races. Jamesina added to her previous success, Mike Harrison’s La Rocque One Design, Jigsaw, taking second. The lively conditions particularly suited the sport-cat class. iCAT chalked up two wins to win the class with Peter Warrell’s Hobie 16, Full Tilt, second. Hi Fly was third on equal points. Liquid Logic continued her winning streak in the fast handicap dinghy class to finish just one point ahead of Vomit Comet after three races. 50sense was third. Guernsey’s Phoebe Lewis’ Optimist won two of three races in the slow handicap dinghy class, pushing More Mischief into second place just one point ahead of Whatever!

With racing over and done by mid-afternoon, competitors retuned ashore to some well-earned rest and recuperation in advance of the prize-giving, the grand finale, at St Helier Yacht Club.

With the number-crunching complete, Commodore Rodney Waller opened the prize-giving ceremony by welcoming Jamie Matheson, Chief Executive of Brewin Dolphin and Stuart Sangan, Head of the Jersey Office. Commodore Waller expressed the Jersey clubs’ sincere appreciation for Brewin Dolphin’s dedicated and generous support over the past four years coupling it with that of the Port of Jersey and Jersey Tourism. Bill Harris, Regatta Chairman and event organiser, followed by thanking and congratulating the many officials and helpers who had contributed to the Regatta’s tremendous success, before inviting Jamie Matheson and Stuart Sangan to present the dazzling array of trophies and first place prizes. Julian Barber, representing Island-ARK, presented the Quarter Ton Trophy. Following the prize-giving, Mr Matheson congratulated the competitors and thanked them for their participation in the event, expressing Brewin Dolphin’s pleasure in having had the opportunity to sponsor such an outstanding event.

Stop press! On Tuesday, Brewin Dolphin announced their ongoing sponsorship for the 14th Jersey Regatta being held over 7th to 9th September 2012, the year when Brewin Dolphin celebrates its 250th Anniversary and the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club its 150th.

Principal Results
Friday – 2nd September
Class 0 - Bill Coom Cup - Madcap - Jamie Hamilton (Guernsey)
Class 1 - June Kingham Trophy - Jai Ho - Alex Ohlsson
Class 2 – St HYC Cruising Trophy - Less Xpense - Steve Pearl
Class Q – Day 1 Salver - Tom Bombadil - David Williams
Class 3 – Tom Lee Memorial Trophy - Haven Gem - John Squires (Guernsey)
Class 4 – second Elfin Cup - Moana - Lawrence Curtis
Class 6 – Ratner Trophy - Pure Energy - Gordon Burgis and Oliver Voak
Class 8 – Pop Langlois Trophy - Vomit Comet - Alister Cleal
Class 9 – Mirror Shield - More Mischief - David Raimbault

Saturday – 3rd September
Class 0 – first Elfin Cup - The Dog's ........! - Allen Brown and ptnrs
Class 1 – Ken Budden Trophy - Jai Ho - Alex Ohlsson
Class 2 – Nautilus Trophy - Less Xpense - Steve Pearl
Class Q – Day 2 Salver - Tom Bombadil - David Williams
Class 3 – Mavourneen Trophy - Poc'Han - Nick Querée
Class 4 – Wings Trophy - Jamesina - Malcolm Anna
Class 6 – Gaiety Bowl - Pure Energy - Gordon Burgis and Oliver Voak
Class 8 – Howard Trophy - Liquid Logic - Martin Speller
Class 9 – Nick Orchard Trophy - More Mischief - David Raimbault

Sunday – 4th September
Class 0 - RCIYC Trophy - Madcap - Jamie Hamilton (Guernsey)
Class 1 - St HYC Commodore’s Cup -Jai Ho - Alex Ohlsson
Class 2 - Tregear Cup - Less Xpense - Steve Pearl
Class Q - Day 3 Salver - Tom Bombadil - David Williams
Class 3 – Bolitho Urn - Poc'Han - Nick Querée
Class 4 – RNVR Trophy - Jamesina - Malcolm Annan
Class 6 – Caprice Salver - iCAT - Grant Neale and Karen Larose
Class 8 – Canadian Club Trophy - Liquid Logic - Martin Speller
Class 9 – Enterprise Trophy - Optimist - Phoebe Lewis (Guernsey)

Best Boat in Class
Class 0 - Madcap
Class 1 - Jai Ho
Class 2 - Less Xpense
Class Q - Tom Bombadil
Class 3 – Poc’Han
Class 4 - Jamesina
Class 6 – Pure Energy
Class 8 - Liquid Logic
Class 9 - More Mischief

The full results have been posted on the Jersey Regatta website.

Diary date: The Brewin Dolphin Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships, organised by the Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club, are scheduled for 17th and 18th September. The Notice of Race is online.

http://www.shyc.je/Jersey-Regatta/" target="_blank">Brewin Dolphin Jersey Regatta website