Ramsgate Week at the Royal Temple Yacht Club - Day 4

Day Four of Ramsgate Week, sponsored by Vattenfall, saw brisk and varying winds of up to 25 knots and testing conditions. The IRC fleet began the first day of the IRC Regatta Series; a series of seven races. Today they had three windward leeward races which put crew work at a premium.

IRC Class 1

At the head of the pack for Class 1 was a dual between Richard Matthew’s Oystercatcher XXVI and Michel Lefebvre’s First 40 Manta Sailing with Oystercatcher XXVI winning the first two races and Manta Sailing the last. Despite close tussles behind, John Barrett’s First 35 Stiletto squeezed third place in all three races.

Class 1 Results – Race 1
1 Oystercatcher XXVI (Richard Matthews)
2 Manta Sailing (Michel Lefebvre)
3 Stiletto (John Barrett)

Class 1 Results – Race 2
1 Oystercatcher XXVI (Richard Matthews)
2 Manta Sailing (Michel Lefebvre)
3 Stiletto (John Barrett)

Class 1 Results – Race 3
1 Manta Sailing (Michel Lefebvre)
2 Oystercatcher XXVI (Richard Matthews)
3 Stiletto (John Barrett)

Class 2 Results – Race 1
1 Marine Diffusion Dunkerque (Phillipe Bougeois)
2 Who’s to no (Richard Sparrow)
3 Antix (John Allen)

Class 2 Results – Race 2
1 Marine Diffusion Dunkerque (Phillipe Bougeois)
2 Antix (John Allen)
3 Who’s to no (Richard Sparrow)

Class 2 Results – Race 3
1 Antix (John Allen)
2 Marine Diffusion Dunkerque (Phillipe Bougeois)
3 Exess (Will Goldsmith)

IRC Class 3

Class 3 was dominated by the Half Tonners, sailing for the Half Ton Commodore’s Cup. All three races saw exciting racing for the Half Tonners and the rest of the Class 3 fleet. Belgium boat, General Tapioca led the fleet throughout all three races, taking lines honours in each. Chimp and Waverider fought it out for second and third places. Close racing was seen throughout the day, with Scallywag 3, Blues, Skippies Ton and Alf all in close pursuit.

Class 3 Results – Race 1
1 General Tapioca (Phillippe Pilate)
2 Waverider (Alain Deivaux)
3 Chimp (Michael Kershaw)

Class 3 Results – Race 1
1 General Tapioca (Phillippe Pilate)
2 Chimp (Michael Kershaw)
3 Waverider (Alain Deivaux)

Class 3 Results – Race 1
1 General Tapioca (Phillippe Pilate)
2 Waverider (Alain Deivaux)
3 Chimp (Michael Kershaw)

Cruiser Class 5 & 6

Sailing a slightly different course, Classes 5 and 6 set out on a course which would take them round the South Brake and Deal Dolphin. Class 5 having an additional loop round South Brake and Deal Dolphin. Being further inshore, the fleet experienced slightly kinder conditions, but the gusty winds provided some testing and exciting sailing.

Class 5 Results:
1 Rush (Kenneth Lees)
2 Moondust (Anthony Duggan)
3 Surprise (Frank Martin)

Class 6 Results:
1 Reaction (Mark Dale & Bob Booth)
2 Toucan (Mike Ward)
3 Magnum (Joanne & Martin Ross)

Cruiser Class 7

Cruiser Class 7 started in a Force 4 and choppy seas. An eager start resulted in two boats being recalled, which left Channel Pilot, Lady Jane, Amelie, Pace Maker and Lady Pickle as starting boats. With strengthening winds, the reach to East Brake enabled Channel Pilot to pull out what seemed to be an unassailable lead. On the return leg from North East Goodwin Channel Pilot still maintained her lead. The fleet split at Broadstairs Knoll, with Lady Jane and Channel Pilot heading inshore while Amilie and Scherzo tacked south for East Brake being pursued by Discovery, Kir and Pace Maker. Lady Jane tuned for home in the lead to cross the line ahead of Channel Pilot and Amilie. However, it was Josh Lidstone’s Lunar Sea who on corrected time won the race, with R.Archer & M.Gray’s Jouet 760 Amilie second and Paul Parsons’ Sadler 32 Lady Jane third.

Cruiser Class 7 Results:
1 Amelie (R.Archer & M.Gray)
2 Kir (Maurice Carragher)
3 Lunar Sea (Josh Lidstone)

For full results visit www.ramsgateweek.com