Jangada wins RORC 2-H Autumn Series

Jeremy Waitt and Shirley Robertson racing JPK 10.10 Jangada. © Paul Wyeth / RORC

Richard Palmer's JPK 10.10 Jangada, raced by Jeremy Waitt and Shirley Robertson, won the final race of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's 2-H Autumn Series to take overall victory in the three-race series.

Rob Craigie and Deb Fish's Sun Fast 3600 Bellino was series and race runner-up. In third place for the series was Daniel Jones' Sun Fast 3300 Wild Pilgrim. In third place for the final race was Nigel Goodhew's Sun Fast 3200 Cora, sailed by Tim Goodhew and Kelvin Matthews.

The final race of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's 2-H Autumn Series was a 103nm overnight race. Starting from the Squadron Line, the fleet headed east out of the Solent on a fast reaching angle to a virtual waypoint off Worthing. A return leg followed with a beat to Winner Buoy and then around the South of the Isle of Wight passed St Catherine's Point. Close-hauled in big breeze it was a bumpy ride up to The Needles Fairway Buoy. The fleet came off the breeze, to race through Hurst Narrows, and onto the finish off the RORC buoy in the Central Solent.

"With Richard (Palmer) having a knee operation and the COVID situation, this year looked like it was going to be a write-off, "commented Jangada's Jeremy Waitt. " However, to win this series was great, and to race with Shirley Robertson was just fantastic. Shirley is very skilled at getting the best speed out of the boat and also has incredible endurance. Last night we were beating into 27 knots, it was on the nose and very lumpy, but she just dug in and we got the win."

"It has been great fun racing with Jeremy (Waitt) and a big thank you to Richard Palmer for letting us race Jangada," commented Shirley Robertson. "Jeremy has done so much two-handed racing, he is a really wise head on the boat. I have learnt a lot about the importance of risk management, including concentrating on the important decisions to come. I have to say a massive thanks to RORC. The double handed class have had the best racing out of anyone; the racing has been really varied. Well done to the RORC for giving us a great summer, the enthusiasm from the club and the sailors has been exceptional."

RORC Racing Manager, Chris Stone commented: "For the first time in the history of the club the RORC Season's Points Championship had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. However, the appetite for racing was still there and we have had great feedback from the competitors in both the Summer Series and the 2-H Autumn Series. We have so much to look forward to, especially the highlight of 2021, the Rolex Fastnet Race."

For full results and more information about the Royal Ocean Racing Club visit www.rorc.org