Please select your home edition
Edition
Leaderboard FD July August September 2023

The sun shines for Hamble Classics Regatta 2021

by Jonty Sherwill 15 Sep 2021 02:13 PDT 11-12 September 2021

Champagne sailing conditions in September might sound far-fetched but that's how yacht crews in the sixth Hamble Classics Regatta hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club described the near perfect conditions last Saturday. With 51 boats racing and new arrivals in all classes, hot competition was ensured with intense racing amongst the strongest entry list yet for the competitive IRC class and one-designs.

A classic fleet deserves a committee vessel to match and Andrew Tseng's Nicholson 55 Quailo III was on station near the QXI International race mark for the 'Red Line' classes with PRO Peter Bateson in charge. With a flood tide and westerly breeze rising from 10 to 20 knots the IRC and Regatta handicap classes had tough windward beats to the RORC and RTYC marks where fine judgement of the starboard lay line would be crucial.

By contrast, the seven Gaffer class entries ranging from the magnificent 63 foot gaff cutter Kelpie to Will Maskell's 18 foot Whimbrel were set a reaching start and a more leisurely course for the one race scheduled, Ossie Stewart's 1894 Thames Rater Dorothy winning by 22 minutes from David's Aisher's 1888 Thalia, just two minutes ahead of Pelham Olive's 1903 Kelpie on corrected times.

With two races completed on Saturday in the 16-strong IRC class Rory Heron's Swan 37 Mojitabel and Giovanni Belgrano's Whooper were tied on 3 points while in the Regatta class Cockleshell sailed by the event's creators Jonty Sherwill and Vicki Weston held a one-point lead over Philip Cotton's Gauntlet 8-tonner Nausikaa and Susan Rutter's British Folkboat Folkdance.

Two miles away on the 'Green Line' one-design course near the Royal Southern mark Chief Race Officer Kathy Smalley and her team managed to fit in three race for the four classes, with Fenton Burgin's Sioma on three firsts in the 6-Metre class from Simon Williams's Abu on all seconds and David Roberts's Melita sailed by John Mellows in third place.

The Nordic Folkboat class is keen to re-establish regular class racing at Hamble and they were racing in European non-spinnaker mode as practice for next year's championships. Michael Stoner's Svenja scored 1,1,3, with the newly refurbished Cidron Too of James Walters second, ahead of local FB-promoter Kim Morley's Valhalla and the ever-cheerful Edward Donald in an uncustomary 4th place.

For the XODs this year's Hamble Classics was a Traveller open meeting and attracted four visitors to the fleet of ten boats. Cowes Week champion John Tremlett maintained form ahead of Etchells European Champion Stuart Childerley, Peter Baines, and class chairman David McGregor, with Cordelia Ellis fifth sailing out of Cowes to join the racing.

To boost the Dragon class entry owners of Cowes based modern boats were invited. The racing was close with Owen Pay in Furious scoring 1,2,1 ahead of Gavia Wilkinson-Cox in Jerboa, just back from the Edinburgh Cup. Michael Issaias sailing Fanfare was third with Adrian Green in his vintage wooden Aurora fourth.

After racing on Saturday an enjoyable supper evening featured 'soon to be a star' Sophie Bassett-Hughes entertaining the crews with medleys of classic hits, and Paul Moxon, owner and skipper of 'Amokura' described his two-handed 2021 RORC Rolex Fastnet Race aboard the oldest boat in the race, along with sailing partner Steve Jones, complete with keg beer and a coffee grinder!

With the forecast of almost zero wind on Sunday soon confirmed the prize-giving was set for 1100, with special awards presented after the overall class winners based on Saturday's results. The only tie-break required was in the IRC class where Rory Heron's Swan 37 Mojitabel pipped Giovanni Belgrano's Whooper by just ten seconds over the two races using aggregated corrected times, the Hamble Classics preferred method.

The Tea-for-Two (short-handed) Trophy went to Alan Thorne in his Nicholson 32 Tivoli, Kismet sailing model to Richard Hargreaves and crew (30 Square Metre Aeolus) and the Norlethe trophy to Steve Hughes for his regular commitment to helping at Hamble regattas. The Wetwheels charity tombola and raffle supported by Salcombe Gin raised £715, raffle prize winners Peter Diamond (XOD Gem) and Jane Challener (Hustler 30 Orthops).

After thanks to the event sponsors Spinlock, Performance Rigging, the Sandeman Yacht Company, Classic Marine, OneSails GBR, Blakes & Taylors, the Elephant Boatyard, Collars, Walcon Marine and Salcombe Gin, and to all those who so generously give their time, the Concours d'Elegance Awards were announced.

The overall Concours winner was Giovanni Belgrano's Laurent Giles designed 1939 Whooper for her unique charm and charisma, and continually improving finish. The award for most authentic yacht went to Andrew Harvey's immaculately restored S&S designed 1966 Clarionet, best Spirit of Tradition yacht to Jeremy John's 2007-built Pilot Cutter Polly Agatha, and best GRP yacht to Andrew Tseng's 1970 designed Nicholson 55 Quailo III, not racing but in prime position as the main committee vessel.

Full race results at: yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=14378

Related Articles

IMOCAs in the Rolex Fastnet Race
Ocean racing's state of the art One of the most historic and eternally ground-breaking oceanic racing yacht classes is the IMOCA. These 60 footers are the world's most advanced offshore racing monohulls, the class used in the Vendée Globe since its inception in 1989/90. Posted today at 6:27 pm
18th Puig Vela Clàssica Barcelona summary
Yachts from over 10 countries and around 400 sailors competed off the coast of Barcelona Barcelona's prestigious regatta for Classic and Vintage yachts, the Puig Vela Clàssica, celebrated its 18th edition, further strengthening its position as one of the premier international events for classic sailing in the Mediterranean. Posted today at 6:06 pm
SailGP - Fresh breezes predicted
Fresh breezes are forecast the first day of racing in SailGP and the Admirals Cup. With two days remaining to the start of racing in SailGP Portsmouth, the forecast is for fresh breezes on both racedays, which should make for exciting racing. Posted today at 5:36 pm
Register for the 2025 Melges 24 U.S. Nationals
Hosted by Pensacola Yacht Club (PYC) on November 14-16 Online Registration is officially open for the 2025 U.S. National Championship, hosted by Pensacola Yacht Club (PYC) on November 14-16, 2025. Posted today at 4:18 pm
Nominations open for World Sailing Awards 2025
Presentation to be held at the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire on 5th November Many of the sport's biggest names will be in attendance at the World Sailing Awards 2025, held on Wednesday 5 November at a gala ceremony at the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland. Posted today at 4:12 pm
Mackay Bieker BM-V3 dominates at 2025 Moth Worlds
Innovation was on display at the just concluded Moth Worlds across nearly every area of the boat. The 2025 Moth World Championships in Lake Garda delivered thrilling racing across a wide range of conditions, featuring an elite lineup of Olympic champions, America's Cup helmsmen, SailGP stars, and the next group of up-and-coming youth. Posted today at 3:07 pm
A Q&A on the 2025 Corsair Nationals and the BBMHR
Peter Vakhutinsky and Andy Houlding discuss the 2025 Corsair Nationals and Buzzards Bay Multihull Re If you race, sail, or love multihulls and live in New England (or the Northeast), the Corsair Nationals and Buzzards Bay Multihull Regatta should be on your radar. Posted today at 3:00 pm
HYC names Rolex NYYC Invitational Cup team
Howth Yacht Club is proud to confirm its final team selection Howth Yacht Club is proud to confirm its final team selection for one of the most prestigious events in world amateur sailing: the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, taking place in Newport, Rhode Island from 6-13 September 2025. Posted today at 2:48 pm
52nd Annual Governor's Cup Yacht Race preview
One of those time-honored traditions for Chesapeake Bay sailors With a 68.6-nautical-mile main race course from Annapolis, three other race routes are available to area sailors, all finishing at St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM). Posted today at 2:43 pm
OK Dinghy World Ranking July 2025
Patric Mure is the new World No.1 Patric Mure has become only the 11th person to reach the top of the OK Dinghy World Ranking list as he takes over the No.1 spot from Australia's Roger Blasse, who drops to fourth. Britain's Andy Davis and Nick Craig move up to second and third. Posted today at 2:07 pm
Rooster 2025North Sails Loft 57 PodcastSea Sure 2025