Please select your home edition
Edition
Hyde Sails 2024 - One Design

RORC IRC National Championship - Day 1

by Louay Habib 18 Jun 2021 09:08 PDT 18-20 June 2021

The Royal Ocean Racing Club's IRC National Championship is under way in the Solent. Two windward leeward races, followed by a reaching start for a two-hour round the cans finale, gave the RORC fleet a variety of racing.

A fresh northerly breeze of 15-20 knots, with pulses of rain showers, produced difficult conditions. Crew work, tactics and strategy were all in the mix for a top performance. The IRC Class leaders after three races: Niklas Zennström's FAST40+ Rán, Stuart Sawyer's J/121 Black Dog, and Adam Gosling's JPK 1080 Yes!

Results so far can be found at www.rorc.org/racing/race-results/2021-results

IRC ONE

Niklas Zennström's FAST40+ Rán scored a 1-2-1 today to lead the high performance IRC Class. Peter Morton's GP42 Jean Genie won Race 2 to finish the day in second place but only on countback. Hamilton & Gillon's GP42 Khumbu is tied on points with Jean Genie, only missing out win in Race One, by 24 seconds after IRC time correction. "Khumbu is going really well after some upgrades, we were very close to winning the first race but Ran hit the 'turbo button' to stay ahead." Commented Khumbu's Guy Gillon.

RORC Commodore James Neville is racing his HH42 Ino XXX in IRC One, their main focus this year is the Rolex Fastnet Race. However, racing at the IRC National Championship is very much part of the programme. "Inshore and offshore racing are very different disciplines but racing against the top inshore boats in the Solent really sharpens up our performance, and that fine tuning of our boat trim and sail handling works very well offshore."

IRC TWO

Stuart Sawyer's J/121 Black Dog came out fighting hard for the opening day of the championship, scoring straight bullets to take a five point lead from Rob Bottomley's Mills 41 Sailplane. Mills 39 Zero II, skippered by James Gair is lying third in class. Blair & Beckett's King 40 Cobra came close to spoiling Black Dog's perfect score, just 14 seconds behind in Race Three after time correction.

IRC THREE

Adam Gosling's JPK 1080 Yes! scored a hat trick of wins today to lead the class. However, it was far from an easy day for Yes!, each race was won by about a minute after IRC time correction. Bruce Huber's J/112E Xanaboo is second, three points ahead of McNamara & Lowe's First 40.7 Incognito.

Racing at the Royal Ocean Racing Club's IRC National Championship continues Saturday 19th June.

Related Articles

12th Carey Olsen Jersey Regatta open for entries
With the GBR IRC Channel Islands Championship this September Slated for Friday 12th to Sunday 14th September, the Carey Olsen Jersey Regatta is open for entries. This, the 27th edition of the combined clubs' flagship event is the sixth to be kindly sponsored by offshore law firm Carey Olsen. Posted today at 4:00 pm
2025 IRC National Championships preview
This year's event has teams racing from all over the world The 2025 IRC National Championship, part of the Royal Thames Yacht Club's 250th Anniversary Regatta, will bring together over 50 IRC-rated boats for three days of competitive inshore racing in the Solent. Posted today at 1:52 pm
Royal Thames YC 250th Anniversary Regatta looms
The club has worked hard, along with over 100 volunteers, to ensure great racing and socials The Royal Thames Yacht Club, one of the oldest yacht clubs in the world today, is very much looking forward to welcoming competitors, their families and friends to what is shaping up to be a most remarkable summer festival of sail on the Solent. Posted on 9 Jun
Prize Round the Island Race for 84-year-old Peter
Taking line honours on the helm of his old boat Peter Cunningham hailed the Round the Island Race after taking line honours on the helm of his old boat. Peter, who was first to finish the 2021 race with his PowerPlay Racing Team, repeated the feat on the multihull MOD70, now Zoulou. Posted on 9 Jun
Australian Women's Keelboat Regatta overall
Final day decider at the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron The final day at the 2025 Australian Women's Keelboat Regatta (AWKR) promised and gave it all - light wind - rain - cold - after Race Officer, Lou Hutton, delved into Melbourne's weather cauldron and shared her findings with competitors at RMYS. Posted on 9 Jun
Loro Piana Giraglia day 2
The mistral day! Right on schedule, the Mistral swept into the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, starting at 20 knots in the morning and building to over 30 by early afternoon. Posted on 8 Jun
Australian Women's Keelboat Regatta day 2
Mother and daughter pitted against each other An icy day in Melbourne for Day 2 of the 2025 Australian Women's Keelboat Regatta (AWKR), coupled with high wind blustery conditions on Port Phillip this morning prompted Race Officer Lou Hutton to postpone racing until she reassessed the options. Posted on 8 Jun
Martin Augustus Round the Island Race Gallery
Top photos as the fleet rounded St. Catherine's Point Top yachting photographer Martin Augustus was at St. Catherine's Point to catch some of the fleet rounding the famous landmark during this year's Round the Island Race. Posted on 8 Jun
Tom Hicks Round the Island Race Photo Gallery
Stunning images from the Solent photographer out on the water Stunning photos from Solent Photographer Tom Hicks out on the water as he caught the action in the 2025 Round the Island Race on Saturday. Posted on 8 Jun
Loro Piana Giraglia day 1
Spectacular conditions welcomed the competitors, with a beautiful sunny day. The 72nd edition of the Loro Piana Giraglia kicked off this morning in Saint-Tropez. A total of 139 boats hit the water: 29 Maxis competed on the Pampelonne course, while the rest sailed a coastal course in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. Posted on 7 Jun
C-Tech 2021 (Spars-QFX Racer) 728x90 BOTTOMSea Sure 2025Lloyd Stevenson - Catalyst Yacht Tender 1456x180px BOTTOM