Round the Island Race - J/111 storms to class victory

by Gemma Dunn on 6 Jul 2012 J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race 2012 81st edition, organised by the Island Sailing Club, was held on Saturday 30th June. It was an exciting and lively event with just under 1200 boats completing the 50nm race.

An impressive eighty-five J Boats finished the course, a fleet spanning 15 models ranging from the J/24 to the J/133. The most successful J Boat was David and Kirsty Apthorp's J/111 'J-Dream'. The husband and wife team have previously enjoyed success with a J/105 and J/109, and are now thrilled with the performance of their J/111. J-Dream convincingly won IRC Division 1A by six minutes on the water and IRC1 by 24 seconds on corrected time. The double win is a repeat of last year’s victory by fellow J/111, ‘Shmokin Joe’.

‘We are absolutely delighted to have won and the J/111 is proving her versatility whatever the wind strength as we had 13-26 knots. My crew complained that they missed the spectacle of watching the spinnakers stretching as far as you can see in both directions, because we rounded the corner at Bembridge too quickly - there is no pleasing some! However to see Actual do a ‘flypast’ and to watch Eleanora was apparently consolation and particularly for crew member Herbie Harford (16) who was on his first trip round the island.’ was the quote from David Apthorp.

With J-Dream only having been with David and Kirsty a mere six months, the storm to class victory proves how well the J/111 performs under IRC. The boat is awaiting International One Design status.

The 2013 Round the Island Yacht Race will take place on Saturday 1st June.