Royal Ocean Racing Club - Chartering International IRC Championship Day 1

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Chartering International IRC Championship Day 1

Overcast skies and poor visibility didn’t bode well for the first day of the Chartering International IRC Championship 2003; however, with the weather came a consistent 12 to 17 knots of wind out of the South that promised some exciting racing for the 72 boat fleet in the Central Solent.

The first start, comprising the Zero and Super Zero classes, saw the boats take a classic starboard tack approach, but then split soon after, with the boats not deciding that any particular side was going to pay dividends. The Kerr 55 Aera (Nick Lykiardopoulo), in only its second race, predictably found itself ahead at the first mark, with Volvo for Life Team Tonic (Nick Hewson) leading the trio of Admirals’ Cup entered Farr 52s. IC45 Wolf (Glynn Williams) lead the Zero class boats. The 15-17 knot wind was enough to test the sail handling and trimming abilities of a number of the crews, particularly soon after the windward marks. I-site (Robbie Cameron-Davies) was well placed early on, leading the Ker 11.3s, just ahead of the Swan 45s, a position she held onto to take third place in the Zero and Super Zero class, behind the on the water leaders Aera and Volvo, which took first and second places.

In the Class 1 start Exabyte 2 (Shaun Frohlich) tried a little too hard to steal a march on her rivals and found herself over the line, costing her about one and a half minutes in lost time and a 20% place penalty, giving her a final eleventh in class. The remainder of the fleet following a similar course to the boats in the first start, with no one side of the course being favoured. The predominance of Prima 38s in Class 2, kept the group close together, with some exciting manoeuvres and tactics, particularly at mark roundings. The Synergia 40, Dickie’s Yacht Sales (Nigel Biggs) suffered gear failure, which required one crew member to spend an interesting few minutes up the mast and the boat not to finish the race.

In the second race of the day Chernikeeff 2 (Peter Harrison) and Wolf (Glynn Williams) were a bit overeager at the start. They quickly recrossed the line and Chernikeef 2 pulled back all but thirty seconds of her deficit against her main on-the-water rival Bear of Britain (Kit Hobday/Tim Louis). However, with a Z Flag flying at the start, both the OCS boats were given a 20% place penalty, leaving them eighth and eleventh on the results sheet. In the Zero class the Swans established their position ahead of the Ker 11.3s, where Cracker (David Pinner) showed a burst of speed to lead I-site at the mid-way point, but didn’t manage to maintain the same form to the finish line.

Some of the Class 1 boats also found themselves on the wrong side of a Z flag at the start, to receive place penalties, while Exabyte 2 redeemed her previous result with a first in class. First in class was where Voodoo Chile (Eamon Crosbie) found herself in class 2 as well; but she, along with second and third boats in class 2 all received a penalty for start line infringements in race two. Despite the penalty Voodoo Chile held second place at the end of race two, just one point behind Reckless Rat (Tom Peters).

Racing at the top of class 3 was equally close, with Electra (Mike Tattersall) leading the class after race two; a tie for second place, and only six points covering the top six boats.

In race three the Swan 45 Crackerjack (Keith Miller) started to show its potential with a second in the combined Zero and Super Zero class; also showing again was I-site, taking fourth place on corrected time, with Aera and Volvo For Life Team Tonic taking first and third positions. In class 1, Exabyte 2 took second place behind Bare Knuckles (Robert Gateshill), with Dickies Yacht Sales showing what she is capable of, in third. Bare Knuckles’ first place rounded off a good day adding to the first and second places already achieved, to lead the class at the end of the day.

In class 2, new boat Voodoo Chile took another first place, but her good record was marred by not being completely prepared for racing. At the end of race two a Special Regulations inspector boarded the boat to carry out a spot check. Although on board, the crew was not able to produce lifejackets for everyone aboard within a reasonable time. The Race Committee, having no option but to protest the boat did so. The Protest Committee found that, although the lifejackets were onboard, they were not, in accordance with Fundamental Rule 1.2 and Special Regulation 5.01, readily available for use and the boat was disqualified from races one and two.

Highland Spirit (Hamish Oliphant) took her second second place of the day, and Flair IV (Jim MacGregor) a third place to add to the first place awarded in race one.

In class 3, Electra continued her charge at the front with another first place to lead the group. Excalibur (Mike & June Tong) took her second second place of the day, leaving Abrasive (Paul Hirst & Ashley Taylor) just behind them with one second and one third place for the day.

The complete results of today’s race results can be found on the RORC Web site at http://www.rorc.org Three further races are planned for Saturday and two on Sunday.

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