Fast Lines Half Ton Classics Cup in Cowes next week
by Pit de Jonge 12 Aug 2022 01:11 PDT
14-19 August 2022
Half Ton Classics Cup © Fiona Brown
With exactly twenty yachts announced, and the rumours of even more unannounced, participants in this event, there are many other reasons to look forward to next week in Cowes, Isle of Wight. The fleet consists of seven British, four Belgian, five Irish, two French, one Finnish and one Norwegian team.
The Half Ton Class is very happy to be back in Cowes, courtesy of the Royal Ocean Racing Club. The regatta program is finalized, with fine races that, perfectly according to the Half Ton Class spirit, will be very varied: for now there are seven windward-leeward races, four round the cans and one round the island race on the program. It will depend on the circumstances how this turns out.
Even more in that spirit, it is impossible to predict who has a chance of winning this cup. The Irish teams are as strong and focused as ever. We don't say anything about Swuzzlebubble (David Dwyer- IRL), but that Checkmate XV (David Cullen - IRL) comes to defend her title is still telling.
Just like the French Halfajet (G+R Treussart- FRA) who comes with a crushing victory of four of the five races in the latest Tour du Finisterre. Also, look out for Général Tapioca (Phil Pilate - BEL), Chimp (Roger Marino - GBR) and even Quokka 8 (Peter Rutter - GBR). There are more candidate winners; but the most important issue will be who will in the end will receive the Half Ton True Spirit Trophy.
The big unknown factor of course remains how much time one has been able to spend during the many lockdowns pimping the boat during many, many hours of hard work, (G+R Treussart). Team training and... applying the Mills recipes to the letter... being the designer with a tremendous winner's experience.
That will all become clear from Monday 15th August onwards.