RORC IRC Two-Handed Autumn Series - Gentoo wins Race 2
by Louay Habib 28 Sep 01:12 PDT
26-27 September 2020
James Harayda & Dee Caffari racing Sun Fast 3300 Gentoo © Rick Tomlinson
James Harayda & Dee Caffari, racing Sun Fast 3300 Gentoo, have won the second race of the RORC IRC Two-Handed Autumn Series. Gentoo took line honours in the 128nm race as well as the win on IRC corrected time. Richard Palmer's JPK 10.10 Jangada, raced by Jeremy Waitt and Shirley Robertson, was second, less than five minutes ahead of Sun Fast 3200 Cora, raced by Tim Goodhew & Kelvin Matthews.
The overnight race was held in blustery conditions with about 25 knots from the north to north west. The RORC Race Committee set a course taking in all points of sail and requiring strategic decisions, especially with regards to tidal current and also for wind shadow on the southside of the Isle of Wight.
Undoubtedly the best start was made by Nicola Simper's S&S 34 Blueberry, starting the race at full pace at the Squadron Line. The RORC fleet headed as far west as East Shambles buoy with Outer Nab 2 forming the most easterly point of the course. After a night of hard racing south of the island, the fleet hankered down for a beat back into the Eastern Solent to finish in the early hours of the morning.
James Harayda is just 22-year-old and racing Gentoo with Dee Caffari who has sailed around the world six times. Dee is the first woman to have sailed single-handed and non-stop around the world in both directions. Harayda & Caffari have their sights set on representing Great Britain in the Two Person Offshore Keelboat Event for the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.
"You forget who you're sailing with very quickly, Dee doesn't come with an ego despite having achieved such amazing things," commented James Harayda. "It's a really nice dynamic on board, Dee brings a huge amount of experience that I haven't had, I think our skills complement each other quite nicely."
The Royal Ocean Racing Club's Two-Handed Autumn Series comes to a conclusion with the last race scheduled to start on Saturday 10th October. Jangada leads the series, followed by Daniel Jones' Sun Fast 3300 Wild Pilgrim. Rob Craigie & Deb Fish's Sun Fast 3600 Bellino is third.
For more information about the Royal Ocean Racing Club visit www.rorc.org.