SHORT STEEP BIG WAVES AND SURFING!

That’s how it was on the Cherbourg Race; spray flying everywhere. The last race of the 2006 RORC season was fast and furious. Great waves perfect for surfing but the faster you went the harder the water hit you. But after a couple of beers in the Yacht Club de Cherbourg bar the dripping oilskins decorating every boom were forgotten and the talk was of hitting 20 knots.

A quick beat out through the Forts was not followed by the expected three sail beam reach all the way to Cherbourg. A close reach under Jib Top was the order of the day. It panned out as a big boat race with Jean-Philippe Chomette’s scratch boat Solune beating Venom (Derek Saunders) the second highest rated boat, by just 40 seconds on corrected time to win Super Zero and IRC overall.

French boats dominated in the heavy airs. In IRC1 the French took first and third; Groupe Partouche once again revelled in the conditions deploying her water ballast to victory. In IRC2 it was a straight one, two three with Foggy Dew taking honours. In IRC3 it was France first and second with China Blue winning by 19 minutes. Honour was restored by Creative Play who won IRC0 by an impressive 26 minutes but it has to be said that there were no French boats in the class!

The RORC would like to thank Nicole & Gilbert Roger for providing their yacht as a committee boat once again, the Yacht Club de Cherbourg, and the three French Rolex Commodores’ Cup teams for the “aperitif copieux”.

Cherbourg Race 2006 Trophies and Medallion Winners

Two Handed Division

1^st Christophe Coatnoan Groupe Partouche Figaro II

2^nd Pascal Loison Night and Day J105

1^st H₂0 Yachting - Andy Greenwood Creative Play Farr 40

1^st Marc Noel China Blue J92

2^nd Denis Frederic Fletcher Lynd X95

3^rd Martin Biggs Blustery Day First 32

1^st Noel Racine Foggy Dew JPK 960

2^nd Pascal Loison Night and Day J105

3^rd Philippe Delaporte Pen Azen

1^st Christophe Coatnoan Groupe Partouche Figaro II

2^nd Thierry Lacour Sticky Fingers Mumm 30

3^rd Jan Legallet Banque Populaire Kunkel Palettes A40

1^st Jean-Philippe Chomettte Solune Nacira 60

2^nd Windward Sailing – Derek Saunders Venom Volvo 60

3^rd H₂0 Yachting Creative Play Farr 40

Jean-Philippe Chomette Solune Nacira 60

Medallions will be presented in London on Tuesday 12 September 1930 in the Clubhouse; all crews welcome