Chilly final for Garmin Hamble Winter Series

by Barnaby Smith on 2 Dec 2008
All classes enjoyed an excellent, if chilly, final day of competition on the final day of the Garmin Hamble Winter Series. Racing took place in a gusty 15 to 25 knot northerly, true Winter Series conditions, with exciting racing across the Black and White fleets as the overall series positions were decided. The final day sponsor was Quantum.

On the White fleet course area the new Winter Series format of three short races for the J80, Hunter 707 and Laser SB3 fleets was followed to the letter by the race management team. J80 overall points series winner ‘Joystick’ (Vic Gregory and Rob Larke) chose not to compete in the final days racing. ‘Boats.com’ Ian Atkins win two of the days races, consolidating their second place in the overall series.

‘A Grand Day Out’ (Tim Newton and Paul Whitbread) had the most successful day on the water in the Hunter 707 class winning races two and three. Overall series winner in the 707’s ‘Betty’ Jon Powell’ were operating in relaxed mode on the final day, taking two seconds, to follow their impressive scoreline of ten straight race wins earlier in the series.

In the 44 strong Laser SB3 class the battle for the overall series continued to the last leg of the final race with the two contenders, ‘Badger’ (Paul Lovejoy) and ‘Selden Masts’ (Chris Jennings) both recording a second, fourth and fifth from the final days racing. These results left both boats on 32 points for the overall series but on countback it was ‘Badger’ who took overall first place after an incredibly tight 14 race series.

Over on the Black fleet course further out into the Solent, Garmin Hamble Winter Series Race Director Jamie Wilkinson made a sensible decision to run a single long race, with the wind forecast to rise throughout the day. In four of the five IRC fleets, the overall series winner was also the race winner on the final day.

The one exception was ‘Whippa Snappa’ (Richard Puddifoot) in IRC4 who did not compete on the final day with ‘Blackberry with Catch 22’ (David Rider) taking the race win. ‘Batfish III’ (Bill Blain) was the overall series winner in IR0.

‘Quokka’ (Peter Rutter) won IRC1 after a close battle with ‘Premier Flair’ (Jim Macgregor). ‘Flexer’ (Conor Fanning) dominated IRC2 with seven wins from nine races and ‘Festina Lente’ (Meakins family) achieved the same feat to win the overall series in IRC3.

‘Aria’ (Luca Rubinelli) took their second race win in the J109 fleet which was enough to lift them to third overall in class. ‘J Dream’ (David and Kirsty Athorp) had already done enough to secure an overall series win in the J109’s prior to the final days racing.

A similar pattern was followed in the J105 fleet as ‘ Fay-J’ (Paul Griffiths) had also accumulated enough wins to secure the overall prize before the final race leaving ‘Journeymaker 5’ (Chris Jones) to record their first win of the series.

Garmin Hamble Winter Series - Day 8 Results:

White Fleet - Laser SB3 (44 entries)
Races 1 & 3 TBC (Mark Rushall)
Race 2 Team Earls Court Boat Show (Sarah Allan and Geoff Carveth)

White Fleet - J/80 (18 entries)
Race 1 Savage Sailing Team (Liz and Chris Savage)
Races 2 & 3 Boats.com (Ian Atkins)

White Fleet - Hunter 707 (8 entries)
Race 1 Three Little Pigs (Nick Morgan)
Races 2 and 3 A Grand Day Out (Tim Newton and Paul Whitbread)

Black Fleet - IRC 0 (10 entries)
Race 1 Batfish III (Bill Blain)

Black Fleet - IRC 1 (26 entries)
Race 1 Quokka (Peter Rutter)

Black Fleet - IRC 2 (21 entries)
Race 1 Flexer (Conor Fanning)

Black Fleet - IRC 3 (22 entries)
Race 1 Festina Lente (Meakins Family)

Black Fleet - IRC 4 (16 entries)
Race 1 Blackberry with Catch 22 (David Rider)

Black Fleet - J/105 (9 entries)
Race 1 Journeymaker 5 (Chris Jones)

Black Fleet - J/109 (23 entries)
Race 1 Aria (Luca Rubinelli)

2008 Garmin Hamble Winter Series - Overall Results:

White Fleet - Laser SB3 (44 entries)
1st Badger (Paul Lovejoy)
2nd Selden Masts (Chris Jennings)
3rd Team Earls Court Boat Show (Sarah Allan and Geoff Carveth)

White Fleet - J/80 (18 entries)
1st Joystick (Vic Gregory and Rob Larke)
2nd Boats.com (Ian Atkins)
3rd Savage Sailing Team (Liz and Chris Savage)

White Fleet - Hunter 707 (8 entries)
1st Betty (Jon Powell)
2nd A Grand Day Out (Tim Newton and Paul Whitbread)
3rd Three Little Pigs (Nick Morgan)

Black Fleet - IRC 0 (10 entries)
1st Batfish III (Bill Blain)
2nd Panacea (John Patterson)
3rd Desperado (Richard Loftus)

Black Fleet - IRC 1 (26 entries)
1st Quokka (Peter Rutter)
2nd Premier Flair (Jim Macgregor)
3rd Circus (Andrew Webster)

Black Fleet - IRC 2 (21 entries)
1st Flexer (Conor Fanning)
2nd Elaine (Mike Bridges)
3rd Alaris (John Howell)

Black Fleet - IRC 3 (22 entries)
1st Festina Lente (Meakins Family)
2nd Jump and Shout (James Crockatt)
3rd With Alacrity (Chris and Vanessa Choules)

Black Fleet - IRC 4 (16 entries)
1st Whippa Snappa (Richard Puddifoot)
2nd Hobby Horse (Michael Fawcett)
3rd Curved Air (Gareth Morris and David Sprague)

Black Fleet - J/105 (9 entries)
1st Fay-J (Paul Griffiths)
2nd Voador (Simon Curwen)
3rd Journeymaker 5 (Chris Jones)

Black Fleet - J/109 (23 entries)
1st J Dream (David & Kirsty Athorp)
2nd Johnny Blue II (Jubb, Flood and Dakin)
3rd Aria (Luca Rubinelli)

Hamble River Sailing Club would like to thank overall series sponsor Garmin, all competitors and the individual day sponsors for their support during the 2008 Winter Series. The club looks forward to seeing you return for the next Winter Series which will commence in October 2009.

The Garmin Hamble Winter Series ran from 5 October to 30 November. Full details and results of the 2008 Garmin Hamble Winter Series, Hamble Big Boat Series and Autumn Championships are available at www.garminhamblewinterseries.co.uk