Mount Gay Rum June Regatta at Royal Southern

by Phil Riley & Peta Stuart-Hunt on 10 Jun 2014 This year is a big one for many of those sailing from the Royal Southern, and if they had to put up with a thunderstorm induced delay - as did the England football team in their final pre-World Cup game - it's hopefully not too unpatriotic to think the former may do rather better than the latter.

The start of the Club's Mount Gay Rum June Regatta was postponed for two hours to allow a storm cell to clear the area but, once departed, near-perfect sailing conditions allowed some 65 crews across 12 classes to hone their skills for the challenges ahead.

None had a better boost to their season than the crew of the J111 Jeez Louise, who won IRC1 by a single point in a closely fought contest.

'We are ramping-up for the J111 Europeans and Worlds, which are in The Solent this year,' said skipper James Arnell. 'That's the focus so we are trying to keep a consistent crew right the way through.

'We're doing the J-Cup (being hosted by the Royal Southern) then in to Cowes Week and then off the back of that in to the Worlds. It's a big year.'

Jeez Louise posted two fourths on the Saturday before hitting their straps with two bullets on Sunday to edge out Michael Boyd's First 40 La Reponse, which was in turn a single point ahead of Mike Bartholomew's Tokoloshe.

'We had a couple of good starts on Sunday so that worked well for us, and in the light winds we seemed to be going quite well,' said James. 'We find the that First 40s will truck when the wind is up and fall back a bit when the wind is lighter, so we were going a bit better in the lighter breezes. It's pretty much what makes the difference... and a bit of sailing.'

The absence of Ian Budgen's First 40 Zephyr on Sunday after taking narrow wins from La Reponse on the Saturday, along with 'Tokoloshe doing a couple of wraps', contributed to the win admitted James.

Also on the up with high hopes for the season is the attractive Quarter-tonner Bad Toad, who won a small but competitive IRC4. 'It's very exciting for us as it's the first time we've been getting up on the pace of the other Quarter-tonners, boats like Whiskers and Catch who were top boats at the QTC (Quarter-Ton Cup) last year, so we're really thrilled,' said Paul Gifford.

'We're fairly new to the class so we are trying to get as much time in the boat as is possible, so it is very rewarding to do alright against the other boats. It's coming together and we're getting up to pace I think.

'The racing is really, really tight and so close. It shows in the results this weekend, it wasn't until the last race that it was decided who was going to win the event, and I love the quarter-ton fleet for that. And it's good fun!'

With their single point win over Catrina Southworth's Whiskers, Bad Toad rolls into a programme including the J.P Morgan Asset Management Round The Island Race, Coutts Quarter-Ton Cup, Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week and all the Royal Southern Summer Regattas.

Another boat with a busy schedule - and a rather more international hue - is Ian Wilson's Joyride which was a clear winner in the J70 class.

'I find that the harder we train the luckier we get,' joked Ian. 'We've been really pushing the campaign now since the start of the year. We did the whole of the Spring Series and went to Monaco for the Primo Cup, and we've found a really good team now. This is probably the first weekend where it's all really jelled together, so I'm really chuffed. Loving it.

'We've qualified for the Worlds so we are looking forward to going to Newport, Rhode Island, in September. Before then we're doing the rest of the Royal Southern Summer Series, Cowes Week, and then after Newport we're going to Garda for the Europeans.'

Elsewhere, the ultra-elegant 6-Metres graced the race course with Robert Bicket's Scoundrel One edging out Andy Ash-Vie's Wildcat II after the two were in a dead-heat in the first race.

After some sparse attendances the SB20s appear to be having a small resurgence, with honours this weekend going - by another single point margin - to Tom Clay's Whyaduck from Jerry Vigus' Henri Lloyd.

A tight tussle too in the J80s with Betty (Jon Powell), Aqua J (Patrick Liardet) and Jester (Mike Lewis) finishing on nine, 10 and 11 points respectively. It was a similar story with the J109s where consistency paid off for Tony Dickin's Jubilee, with one win, against Iain Mckinnon's Tigh Soluis and Mike Wallis' Jahmali, each with two victories.

Iain Kirkpatrick's Fatjax won a reduced IRC2, with Adam and Nick Munday's Indulgence clear winners in IRC3. Hamish Calder was well ahead in the XODs helped by three bullets, and Mark Jephcott took the 1720s with four.

A busier than usual RYA NHC Class saw Deloitte 2 claim office bragging rights in a fleet that included three boats chartered by the professional services firm.

The Royal Southern's Summer Series continues with the Champagne Joseph Perrier July Regatta and IRC Solent Series held over the weekend of 12-13 July.