Champagne Joseph Perrier July Regatta opens at at Royal Southern YC

by Royal Southern YC on 3 Jul 2015 2015 Champagne Joseph Perrier July Regatta – The summer season of racing continues at the Royal Southern Yacht Club this weekend, with the Champagne Regatta, part of the club's core programme of four Summer Series Regattas.

Offering competitive racing with exceptional shoreside facilities, the regatta boasts IRC classes, Sports Boat and One-Design classes. The Champagne Joseph Perrier July Regatta will also incorporate the British Open Six Metre Championship. Racing for all classes will be held across three start lines with both windward leeward and tight Solent courses.

For the Champagne Joseph Perrier July Regatta, David Greenhalgh will be racing J/92 J'ronimo, with his daughter, Libby Greenhalgh. It will be Libby's first competitive racing since completing every leg of the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race. As navigator with Team SCA, Libby has raced over 40,000 miles. The Greenhalgh family have been club members for 15 years and besides Libby's achievement, brother Robert has just completed his fourth Volvo Ocean Race and Peter, like his brother, is a multiple sailing world champion.

“I have not been home since December and the club has changed quite a bit since then.” commented Libby. “The new slipway is perfect to launch my kayak and the facility is great for dinghy sailors, especially the junior members of the club. Racing with Dad on J'ronimo will be a bit different to a Volvo Ocean 65, but I am really looking forward to the regatta. I love sailing with Dad, he really knows these waters so well and racing a smaller boat on a tight course is what I know best. It will also be great to catch up with friends that I haven't seen for a while.”

For the Champagne Joseph Perrier July Regatta, a highly competitive fleet is expected to be racing in IRC One, including a number of level rating J/111s. Chris Jones and Louise Makin's Journey Maker II and Tony Mack's McFly, both featured in this year's J/111 World Championship in Newport, USA. Adam Gosling's Corby 36, Yes!, winner of Black Group for Cowes Week 2014, will also be competing.

In IRC Two, Roger Bowden's Dufour 40, Nifty Drifter and Robbie and Lis Robinson First 35, Hot Rats will be racing. Nifty Drifter was the class winner of last month's regatta by just two points from Hot Rats. Royal Temple Yacht Club's John Barrett's will also be competing in his First 35, Stiletto. In IRC Three, reigning J/97 National Champion, Black Jack II, owned by Annie Kelly and Andy Howe, will be one of the fastest yachts in the class.

In the Sports Boat Class, a number of J/70s will be competing, the world's fastest growing one-design class has become a popular addition to the club. Dating back over 100 years, the XOD Class will be also be in action. Andy Hamlett's XOD Satu, was in fine form for the North Sails June Regatta winning the class by just one point from Peter Nicholson's Sunshine, both Sunshine and Satu will be racing this weekend.

The Royal Southern Yacht Club has a long association with the Royal Family; in 1838 the Club was honoured by the appointment of H.M. Queen Victoria as Patroness. To this day the club retains this highly prized association with the Royal Family through the current Patron, H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness had graciously lent his name to the project to transform the Club's waterfront and last month was the guest of honour for the commissioning of the Prince Philip Yacht Haven.

Champagne Joseph Perrier, partner for the July Regatta, shares this royal patronage. The Grande Marque House of Joseph Perrier has used the marque 'Cuvee Royale' since 1828, proudly supplying Queen Victoria and King Edward the VII.

“We are delighted to be sponsoring the Champagne Joseph Perrier July Regatta at the Royal Southern for the third year now. With our joint connections with Queen Victoria, the partnership between the Royal Southern Yacht Club and Champagne Joseph Perrier is a natural fit and we wish everyone a great weekend of sailing and enjoying the odd glass of JP! Santé!” - Martin Gamman (UK Market Manager Champagne Joseph Perrier).