Jersey Telecom Regatta

by William Harris on 3 Sep 2007
With less than a week to go, everything is set for the ninth combined Jersey yacht clubs’ Jersey Telecom Regatta, the biggest and most varied event in the Channel Islands’ annual racing programme. With entries currently topping the eighty mark, it is anticipated that about one hundred boats will be racing in St Aubin’s Bay this coming weekend.

Most of the Regatta ‘faithfuls’ have entered, including the ILC30, Toybox, last year’s star performer in the top IRC cruiser/racer class, now under new ownership and eager to repeat last year’s near clean sweep. That will be a real challenge in a class that includes many highly competitive crews on fast boats.

Last year’s best boat in IRC class 2, John Le Maistre’s Farr 727 Genie will find herself racing in a slightly different environment, this year, being entered in the new Quarter Ton Class in which there are presently nineteen entries.

The visiting quarter-tonners have started arriving by Condor ferry from the UK and their gleaming hulls make are making a stunning sight as they accumulate in the boat park, waiting for Thursday’s launch date. The loving care that has been lavished on these boats is extremely impressive and they are sure to make a fantastic sight on the water to be matched, no doubt, by some really top level racing to put the local boys and girls on their mettle.

Local interest in this class also includes Paul Treliving’s Oddjob, Peter Crabb’s Jack Flash, Jeff Speller’s 2Farr and Team Micmac’s Micmac. Louise Morton will be racing one-time Jersey boat Super Q whilst husband Peter will be out with Espada.

The dayboat, dinghy and sport-catamaran classes will also be providing much in the way of cut-throat competition, with all of last year’s top performers entered as well as many welcome new faces. With the local fleets out in force, St Aubin’s Bay is going to be a very busy place indeed.

Racing starts at nine a.m. on Friday with a race for the sportsboat and cruiser/racer classes over a 35-mile course that takes boats to the Northwest Minquiers buoy and back.

The Quarter Ton class will make it’s first appearance at midday for the start of the first of three back-to-back races in St Aubin’s Bay whilst the dayboat, dinghy and sport-catamaran classes have to wait until the early evening for their first outing.

Saturday and Sunday will see all classes out for some fairly intensive racing tempered by the regatta party on Saturday and prize-giving on Sunday.

Full details are available in the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions, available on www.rciyc.org and www.shyc.je

Whilst strong southerly winds prevailed last year, providing some very boisterous conditions under leaden skies, this weekend’s forecast promises a real contrast, plenty of sunshine and light to moderate northerly winds to ensure few breakages and some fair weather sailing to round off a very mixed summer season.

The organisers are very pleased to acknowledge the support that they receive from the Regatta’s enthusiastic sponsors: Jersey Telecom, the lead sponsor for the fifth year in succession, Sandpiper CI, Trant Construction, Bedell Group and Jersey Tourism whilst Jersey Harbours is generously providing complimentary berthing and much valuable assistance.