Large Solent fleet kick starts busy RORC Season in Fastnet year

by Trish Jenkins on 7 Apr 2009
Watch out for lots of action on the Solent this coming Easter! Starting on Good Friday, up to 60 yachts will battle it out over three days of racing for the Red Funnel Easter Challenge on tight Solent courses run by the Royal Ocean Racing Club.

A diverse fleet, comprising international as well as local sailors, will open a packed 2009 schedule, culminating in the RORC’s Season’s Points Championship and this year headlined by the classic race – The Rolex Fastnet in August.

In readiness for some highly competitive racing, skippers will be putting crews through their paces and taking advantage of the free on and off the water coaching sessions that have become such an integral and unique part of the Red Funnel Easter Challenge.

Look out for the three boats entered by the Tri-Service initiative ‘TOE IN THE WATER’ which uses sailing as a vehicle to re-inspire injured servicemen and women. In their first year of racing last summer, they achieved three top five finishes in Cowes Week!

Come along and get close to the action:

Most boats will be docked in Cowes Yacht Haven and visitors are welcome to have a look as crews prepare to depart each morning or return after racing each day. Racing starts at 1400 on Friday (2 races), followed by 3 races on Saturday and Sunday starting at 10am

Red Funnel Easter Challenge - Entry List, total 55
Yacht Class Division IRC TCC E Max Crew Sailed By Type Hull

GBR 7207 T Playing Around 2 C 1.059 12 Peter Robson First 40.7 Blue

GBR 7788 R Orca X C 1.316 12 R Tolkien & T Hayhoe Class 40 White
GBR 54 R Atomic of Cowes X C 1.226 E 15 Sue Pettinger Farr 45 Light Grey
GBR 95 R Dark & Steamy X C 1.205 E 15 Nick & Annie Haigh DK 46 White & Dark Grey
GBR 150 L Novus Arca X C 1.159 E 17 Tony McBride First 50 White
NED 8012 Foxy X C 1.136 12 Jan-Willem Jannink MAT 12 White
GBR 8837 R Jumunu 3 X C 1.132 E 10 Alistair Ray Santa Cruz 37 White
GBR 236 R Erivale III X C 1.117 E 12 Michael Greville Ker 39 Blue
GBR 5940 R Tokoloshe X C 1.116 E 12 Michael Bartholomew King 40 Blue
GBR 1293 R Batfish III X C 1.114 E 14 Bill Blain J 133 White
GBR 851 R Cracklin Rosie X C 1.101 E 12 Brian Wilkinson Corby 40 Red
GBR 1429 L Toe in the Water X C 1.093 E 12 Army Sailing Association Paul Anderson Archambault A40 White
GBR 79 R Software Mistress X C 1.084 E 10 Ian Maclean Ker 36 White
GBR 2643 R Artemis X C 1.076 E 13 Arden Tomison Grand Soleil 43 Blue
GBR 8725 T Deliverance 2 X C 1.075 12 Chris Shipman Dehler 39 SQ Blue
GBR 410 L Esprit X C 1.074 E 12 Neil Vardy Elan 410 Dark Blue
GBR 7383 R Puma Logic X C 1.068 E 10 Sailing Logic Philippe Falle Reflex 38 White
GBR 667 R Space Race X C 1.056 E 12 Front Line Sailing Will Appleby First 40.7 White
GBR 9735 T Vortex X C 1.051 E 9 Tim & Sophie Harrington X 35 White
GBR 1121 L Tangaroa X C 1.043 E 10 Geoff Poore Pronavia 38 White
GBR 4811 R Magic X C 1.040 12 Graham Nixon Elan 40 White
GBR 9047 R Audajious X C 1.037 9 David Jobson J 109 White
GBR 7901 R Basic Instinct X C 1.034 9 Jonathan Hearth J 109 White
GBR 979 R Malice X C 1.031 E 9 Mike Moxley HOD 35 White
GBR 1405 R Elaine X C 1.030 E 9 Mike Bridges Elan 37 White
GBR 7712 R Seatrack X C 1.027 E 9 Peter Scholfield HOD 35 White
GBR 9487 R Jumunu X C 1.025 E 9 Elliot Wishlade J 109 White
GBR 6895 T Xcitable X C 1.018 E 9 Peter Hodgkinson X 362 Sport White
GBR 7535 R Jolene X C 1.015 9 Ivan Trotman J 105 White
GBR 1347 R No Doubt X C 1.014 E 8 Chris Neve First 34.7 White
GBR 1180 L Barbarossa X C 1.013 E 8 Charles Rolls J 100 Blue
GBR 7005 R J-Dream X C 1.012 9 Kirsty Apthorp J 109 White
GBR 9997 T Serendip 4 X C 1.008 9 Paul King Hanse 370 Dark Grey
GBR 993 R Astarte X C 1.005 E 8 Nicholas Jones First 34.7 Blue & White
GBR 847 R Mongoose X C 0.998 8 Patrick Snowball First 34.7 White
GBR 1292 R Java Lite X C 0.995 8 Mike Cooper J 92S White
GBR 7253 T Ilex of Upnor X C 0.989 8 REYC X 332 White
GBR 8500 R Brightwork X C 0.989 E 8 Robert Baker X 332 White & Red Stripes
GBR 9341 R Easy Tiger X C 0.979 8 David McDonald Grand Soleil 34.1 Grey
GBR 8764 T Buccaneer of Upnor X C 0.972 8 REYC Elan 333 White
GBR 8938 T Aviva X C 0.960 E 8 Jonathon McGuire First 31.7 Grey
GBR 6993 T Manaru X C 0.958 8 Tony Dickin First 31.7 White
GBR 8405 T Ragna of Upnor X C 0.956 8 REYC Elan 31 White
NED 3925 The Itch X C 0.910 7 Berry Aarts Quarter Tonner Yellow
GBR 50 R Espada X C 0.905 7 Louise Morton Quarter Tonner
GBR 8788 R Lancelot X C 0.899 6 Matthew Clark Quarter Tonner Grey
GBR 7775 R Bullet X C 0.895 7 Mike Till Quarter Tonner Grey
GBR 568 Gualin X C 0.868 E 8 Robert Duke Contessa 32 Dark Blue
GBR 1420 Echo X C 0.817 6 Mark Lees Quarter Tonner White
NED 8020 Split 2nd X C 0.000 Yan Trouwen Salona 42IBC White
GBR 7055 Runaway Bus X C 0.000 Paul Kelsey Quarter Tonner Red
GBR 3404 C Bombardier X C 0.000 Andrew Pickersgill Elan 340 White
GBR 87 L Little Toe X C 0.000 Toe in the Water Alex Tucker J 80 White
GBR TBA Big Toe X C 0.000 Toe in the Water Jose Gibson J 80
NED 317 Cisne X C 0.000 D Collins & T Thorp Swan 43 Green