Wight Shipyard One Ton Cup 2018 - FAST40+ Race Circuit Round 5 - Day 3
by Louay Habib 15 Sep 2018 14:00 PDT
13-16 September 2018
A change of course for the FAST40+ Class produced a shuffle in the results on the Sunday of the Wight Shipyard One Ton Cup. Two long courses were set, taking in navigation marks in the Solent, with long reaching legs as well as windward and leeward sections. It was another good day for Niklas Zennstrom's Rán, scoring a 1-2 to take a commanding position in the regatta.
Tony Dickin's Jubilee had a race to remember, taking the gun and the win in Race 6. Filip Englebert's Elvis scored a 4-2 today, by a long way their best performance so far at the Wight Shipyard One Ton Cup. Peter Morton's Girls on Film, holder of the One Ton Cup, did not have a good day. After getting shut out by Niall Dowling's Pace at the start of Race 6, Girls on Film's spinnaker blew out in Race 7.
PRO Paul Jackson set Race 6 with a windward leeward first section and a triangular second section, designed to test the teams at every point of sail. The wind died towards the end of the race, and was shortened. Tony Dickin's Jubilee called the change in gears perfectly, passing a number of boats to take the gun and their first win at the regatta. Rán was second, and Mike Bartholomew's Tokoloshe took a well deserved third.
"We had a good first race, it was light and shifty and we managed to get the right side of some of the shifts, especially the last leg" commented Jubilee's Tony Dickin. "We had a strong finish, where we managed to pick our way through some holes in the wind, and managed to pop out first. We had an opportunity and we took it. In the FAST40+ fleet every boat has its day, and in the light winds we go really well."
Race 7 was held in west of the Brambles Bank with the wind picking up during the seven leg race. The two hour race featured both the Island and mainland shores, with a finish off the Royal Yacht Squadron at Snowden. Rán took the gun ahead of Filip Englebert's Elvis. Stewart Whitehead's Rebellion was third.
By the start of Race 7 Filip Engelbert's Elvis was already having a good day, scoring a well deserved fourth in Race 6. The day just got better for the Swedish team on Elvis, leading the FAST40+ fleet in the last race, before just losing out to Rán in the last few minutes.
"Yesterday, we did make a few mistakes and we didn't really get the results we are capable of, so we went out today determined to put that right," commented Filip Englebert. "The crew work today was much better and we made some very good tactical decisions. In the last race, we were leading until the last leg, and Rán showed just how fast she is by passing us, so it was a Swedish one-two, a great race for the Vikings!"
The FAST40+ Class supper was held at the Royal Ocean Racing Club's Cowes Clubhouse with the magnificent One Ton Cup on display. The winner of the prestigious trophy will be decided tomorrow, Sunday 16th September. Up to three races can be held, with a first start scheduled for 1100.
Stay up to date with all the action through the FAST40+ Class Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FAST40UK and the official web site www.fast40class.com