Rossborough Round the Island Race at Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club
by Bill Harris 28 Sep 2017 08:36 PDT
10 September 2017
Wandering Star off Noirmont point during the Rossborough Round the Island (Jersey) Race © Bill Harris
The Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club's annual Round the Island Race, sponsored for the second year running by leading chartered insurance brokers Rossborough Insurance, normally takes place in August, and is undoubtedly one of the major highlights of Jersey's sailing calendar.
Regularly attracting well over twenty boats, this race includes sport catamarans sailing the same forty plus miles course as the cruiser fleet. (It is not very many years since a Guernsey F18 established a new record of a few minutes over three hours for the circumnavigation).
However, for the first time in many years, light winds and spring tides conspired to cause the event, due to run on 13th August, to be postponed to 10th September. Sadly, this did not prove to be a good date for the strong contingent based in Granville who had planned to race in August.
This time the forecast was for a strong southwesterly blow leading, disappointingly, to the abandonment of racing for the sport catamaran classes. This, predictably, had an effect on the cruiser numbers and it was a diminished fleet of seven cruisers that came to the line for the 0800 start. Weather conditions were as predicted with seas to match.
In Class 1, Jeff Chinn's J105, Jewel, was first away following the start in St Aubin's Bay, rounding the Diamond Rock buoy before heading off, downtide on lumpy seas, to the distant Violet Channel buoy. Darren Stower's Projection 762, Crumpet, with spinnaker flying overhauled Jewel to be first to the Violet and the sharp left hand turn northwards. With her spi dropped, Crumpet was unable to hold Jewel as she slid past on the fetch towards St Catherine's breakwater. Whilst the two boats entered into a tacking duel, inshore, along the north coast, Jewel made better way in boisterous seas to extend her lead as she passed Grosnez. The die was cast from that point on with Jewel increasing her lead during the fetch down St Ouen's Bay and the sleigh ride from Corbière, finishing well ahead at the Diamond Rock buoy, almost breaking the five hour barrier. An excellent performance all round. Finishing second, Crumpet reported an amazing ride along the south coast with her log touching 17 knots! Further back, Peter Funk's Bavaria 35, Morrina IV and Chris Fritot & Deborah Hutching's Dehler 39, Mystique, sailing two-handed, kept close company throughout with Morrina IV finishing just two minutes ahead of Mystique after a little under six hours' racing.
Sailing in Class 2, Micheal and Carina Foreman's Starlight 35, Wandering Star, also sailing two-handed, and the RCIYC Team on Go-Sail's Dufour 34, Venustus, started well, keeping the Class 1 boats company until the faster boats took off on their way to the Violet Channel buoy. James Fullerton sailing his newly-acquired Cobra 750, Orca, chose discretion over adventure and prudently retired a short way down the run. The bigger boats persisted, keeping company throughout the entire circumnavigation with Wandering Star building up a short lead to finish ahead of Venustus to take the race.
Whilst the race proved to be a test for boats and crews, the consensus was that all had had an enjoyable, if challenging, time. The event drew to a close in the RCIYC Clubhouse with the prize-giving and supper. Rossborough Insurance's Managing Director, Clive de la Cour, presented the prizes saying, to great applause, that Rossborough's will sponsor the race in 2018. Commodore James Wilding congratulated all who had taken part and thanked Rossborough's for their continued and much-valued support.
Overall Results:
Jesse Boot Tropy
Class NHC A
1 Jewel – Jeff Chinn (5.07.39)
2 Crumpet – Darren Stower (5.15.14)
3 Morrina IV – Peter Funk (5.30.39)
4 Mystique of Jersey – Chris Fritot & Deborah Hutchings (5.40.37)
Class IRC 1
1 Jewel (5.02.14)
2 Crumpet (5.10.40)
3 Mystique of Jersey (5.34.20)
4 Morrina IV (5.50.25)
Cabot Memorial Trophy
Class NHC B
1 Wandering Star – Micheal & Carina Foreman (5.52.30)
2 Venustus – RCIYC Team (6.17.33)
3 Orca – James Fullerton (DNF)