Clarkson Cup Regatta at Royal Southampton YC

by Cathy Crawley on 15 May 2012 Clarkson Cup Regatta, the first event in the IRC Solent Series 2012, was held on Saturday 12th May at Royal Southampton Yacht Club. After days of rain, the British Spring came back for the 29 competitors who were greeted by bright and sunny weather. With low tides at the start, cross tides, other races in the area and a Northerly wind varying from 350° to 010° the race committee were severely restricted on both courses and length and elected to run windward leeward courses with two or three roundings. The wind was also forecast as decreasing during the day.

Race one was held in 14-15 knots and Class 1 and 2 were given a combined start. In Class 1 David and Kirsty Apthorp’s J111 'J Dream' ran away to take line honours and the handicap win from the Grand Soleil 43 'Jua Kali' of Hughes/Hurndall/Agace and Michael Birmingham’s Corby 34.7R 'Oxygen 111'

In Class 2 Andrew Given’s J109 'High Tension' took the win from Roger William’s J105 'Jos of Hamble' and Stephen Parry’s First 31.7 'Kurketrekker'

Class 3 saw a closer start with an individual recall but Peter Dessent’s Archambault 31 'Imadjinn' came through for the win from Nick and Adam Munday’s J97 'IndulJence' and David Bunn’s Elan 333 'Tinker T'

For race two the wind decreased to 10-12 knots but during the race decreased even further to 6 knots or lower with pockets around the course. The race committee were giving serious consideration to abandoning when the wind returned to 8 to 10 knots.

In Class 1, despite being OCS and returning with 'Jua Kali', 'J Dream' came though to take the second win and line honours but this time from Ken Lowes’ J122 'Ghost'. 'Jua Kali' also got back into the action in third spot.

In Class 2 the race one results were overturned with 'Kurktrekker' taking the win from John Howell’s Dehler 36SQ 'Alaris' and race one winner 'High Tension'.

Class 3 saw another reversal with 'IndulJence' taking the win this time from 'Tinker T' and 'ImadJinn' with less than one minute separating the three boats.

For race three, with increasing depths, the course lengths were lengthened and fears of a decreasing wind were fortunately overturned with the wind holding relatively steady at 10 knots.

In Class 1 'J Dream' took her third bullet but initially had a battle with second place 'Jua Kali' before breaking clear. In third spot was Malcolm Robert’s Ker 9m 'Sunshine'.

Class 2 saw very close racing and a new order with Neville Hodkin’s X362 'Extra Djinn' taking the win on handicap by one second from 'Jos of Hamble' and Steve and Jody Maine’s 'J2Eau'. 12 seconds separating the first four boats finishing times.

In Class 3, 'ImadJinn' again took the bullet, this time from the similar Archambault 31 'A Neat Djinn' of Stephen Bromley and 'Tinker T'.

Royal Southampton Yacht Club website