JAGO Win 2022 IRC Double Handed National Championship
17 boats contested the 2022 IRC Double Handed National championship over the first two weekends of September which was won by the J/109 JAGO sailed by Mike Yates and Will Holland.
Race one was part of the RORC Cowes to Cherbourg race held on Friday 2nd September and this was convincingly won by Mike Moxley and Tom Bridge sailing the HOD 35 Malice. Runners up were Sun Fast 3600 Bellino sailed by Rob Craigie and Deb Fish with the Sun Fast 3300 Chilli Pepper sailed by Ellie Driver & Philip Barnes completing the podium.
Bellino, sailed by Rob Craigie and Deb Fish, runners up in 2022 Double Handed National Championship © Rick Tomlinson/RORC
Race two took place over the weekend of 10th and 11th September with the RORC Race Team setting a testing 120-mile offshore race.
With a tricky forecast, and a start from the RORC startline at the beginning of the ebb, the fleet got underway on schedule at 10:30. Most of the fleet opted to be as close to the Island shore as they dared, taking advantage of the tide in the light wind and set off to the West.
Diablo sailed by Nick Martin and Cal Finlayson were third overall in the 2022 Double Handed National Championship © Paul Wyeth/RORC
The first leg of approximately 43nm saw the fleet enjoy some close racing down to East Shambles buoy. From there the fleet headed downwind to the East, first towards St Catherine’s Point and then on to South Pullar before turning for home. The forecasted drop in wind then called for a few tactical decisions to be made with Nick Martin and Calanach Finlayson in Diablo opting to sail along the wind line on the North shore to finish out at South Bramble buoy and record a line honours and overall win double. The majority of the remaining fleet chose to head for the Island shore, desperately trying to finish in the dying breeze with the tide unfortunately turning against them. JAGO finished second after IRC time correction to seal their overall win and third was Sun Fast 3300 Red Ruby sailed by Christina and Justin Wolfe.
Having been runner up in 2021, JAGO sailed by Mike Yates and Will Holland were worthy winners of the 2022 IRC Double Handed National Championship and great proof that entry and success into the very competitive double handed world does not need to be expensive. Rob Craigie and Deb Fish on Bellino were runners up with Diablo taking 3rd place on countback from Chilli Pepper.
