RCIYC Round Jersey Race overall

by William Harris on 15 Aug 2013 The Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club’s annual Round Jersey Race, sponsored by British Airways for the 19th year running, was held on Sunday. A fleet of 23 boats turned out for the eight o’clock start in St Aubin’s Bay with a moderate westerly breeze, slight seas and the weather set fair, promising a fine sail around the Island, albeit with lighter winds and rain in the forecast. The cruiser fleet set off at a good pace at eight on the dot. The start line was set off the Vrachière buoy in St Aubin’s Bay with the Diamond Rock buoy as the first mark of the course before the fleet headed off eastwards for the anticlockwise rounding.

Allen Brown and partners Melges 24, The Dog’s ……..!, was first to the mark to establish a lead that she held to the end, the bitter end as things turned out. In the IRC cruiser class, Richard Gale’s Prima 38, Jenna B, Alex Ohlsson’s J-109, Jai Ho, Alan Stevens’ First 44.7, Zanzibar, and Peter Funk’s Bavaria Match 35, Morrina IV, were in hot pursuit as they set off for the distant Violet Channel buoy lying four miles southeast of Jersey.

Further back, the smaller IRC cruisers, led by David Howell’s Conrad 760, Tom Bombadil, kept company with the fleeter of the boats racing under NHC handicaps with, notably, Bruce Harrison’s IOD Aphros helmed by David Myatt, keeping close company with the quarter tonner. Spinnakers were much in evidence on this downwind leg with some boats holding them on a shy reach as they sailed around the Violet and northwards to St Catherine’s. Hardening up to cross the top of the Island turned, unsurprisingly, into a dead beat that saw boats cross-tacking all the way to Grosnez where, as usual, the sea was at its lumpiest. This was undoubtedly the most tactical leg of the race requiring as much concentration on the tide as the wind. Some boats chose to hug the coast, others visited the Paternosters.

Easing sheets for the reach across St Ouen’s Bay, boats saw the weather change dramatically and by the time boats started arriving at La Corbière the wind had dropped very very light and the mist and rain rolled in. With a strong west-going tide, boats found themselves effectively parked along the south coast and only the most patient and determined amongst them persevered until the tide turned and a much-welcomed light breeze came up.

First amongst these was The Dog’s ……..! that was seen to be edging incredibly slowly to the finish line in the Small Roads to St Helier Harbour just under eight hours after the start. Her reward was a prize for being the fastest IRC boat on the day. Four of the nine IRC cruisers held out to finish, Silver Paws making it with just thirty-eight seconds to spare before the 1800hrs cut-off time.

With the bigger boats having retired, it fell to Tom Bombadil to take the race in the IRC cruiser class, to win the Jesse Boot trophy, with last year’s winner, Peter Crabb and Peter Williams Starflash, Jackflash, coming second. Huw Bolle-Jones’ Dufour 385, Silver Paws, was third. Morrina IV’s determination paid off to give her a creditable fourth.

The situation in the NHC cruiser class was no different, particularly for the smaller boats. Just two of the five-strong fleet saw the race through with Aphros finishing half an hour ahead of Brendan McGinley’s UFO27. Aphros is no stranger to winning the Cabot Memorial trophy! Had Matchless’ spinnaker not disintegrated on the leg to the Violet buoy it might have been a different story but that’s racing!

It is not so many years since Guernsey’s Benn Garnham set a record of a few minutes over three hours on his Hobie Wildcat. This year saw another Guernsey victory in the sport-catamaran class with Polygon – Morning Glory, helmed by James Read and crewed by Matt Atkinson, the first boat home in four and a quarter hours to win the BA Speedbird trophy. The RCIYC prides itself on having one of the largest Hobie fleets in the British Isles and it was thrilling to see this amazing Nacra F20 Carbon competing with some of the Island’s best. It was, however, to be a very close win with last year’s winner, the Hobie Tiger Hobie 45, with Adrian Jesson and Bruce Steedman aboard, finishing just over four minutes behind on corrected time. Andy Hart and Michael Kinross sailing the Tiger Breaching 69 were third with Darren Stower and David Carter on the Wildcat, Smurf in White Socks, fourth. These boats also suffered from the failing wind but four managed to coax their boats home whilst one Wildcat and all three Hobie 16s retired after a long wait. This was especially disappointing for Luc Richard and Thomas Harris on the 16 Ches la Vie that had established a long lead over their counterparts.

Notwithstanding the vagaries of the conditions, the race was enjoyed by all and the Club was packed for the post-race supper and prize-giving. Commodore Sandra Carroll presented the place prizes whilst thanking the visiting French and Guernsey boats for their participation.

Forthcoming major open events:

31st August/1st September – RCIYC Channel Islands Hobie Cat Championships NoR)
13th-15th September – Combined Clubs’ UBS Jersey Regatta (NoR NoR)

British Airways Round Jersey results

Class 0 – Sports boat (IRC)
1 The Dog’s ……..! – Allen Brown and partners (7.57.34)

Class 1 - Cruiser (IRC)
1 Tom Bombadil – David Howell (8.24.07)
2 Jackflash – Peter Crabb and Peter Williams (8.42.26)
3 Silver Paws – Huw Bolle-Jones (9.30.36)
4 Morrina IV – Peter Funk (9.57.50)
Five boats DNF.

Class 2 – Cruiser (NHC)
1 Aphros – David Myatt (8.07.37)
2 Matchless – Brendan McGinley (9.57.50)
Three boats DNF.

Class 3 – Sport-catamarans (SCHRS)
1 Polygon – Morning Glory – James Read and Matt Atkinson (4.57.54)
2 Hobie 45 – Adrian Jesson and Bruce Steedman (5.02.06)
3 Breaching 69 – Andy Hart and Michael Kinross (5.35.28)
4 Surf in White Socks – Darren Stower and David Carter (5.47.10)
Three boats DNF