RORC Race Reports

Red Funnel Easter Challenge Day 1

Over 60 boats completed two short inshore races on day one of the 11th Red Funnel Easter Challenge in the Central Solent today. Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, the fleet raced short windward leeward courses in the area of Air Canada in light east-southeasterly breezes on a strong spring ebb on Good Friday.

Race 1:
It was good to see a healthy fleet of IRM boats out on the water today including the Farr 52’s Bear of Britain, raced by Kit Hobson/Tim Louis and Peter Harrison’s Chernikeeff 2. Bear of Britain took line honours in race one, 28 seconds ahead of Chernikeeff 2 but it was the Kerr 11.3, El Gringo who took first place in the provisional results for race one, followed by Nick & Anne Haigh’s Farr 40 Too Steamy and another Kerr 11.3 I-Site. Missing from the line-up was Peter Morton’s Mills 50 Mandrake, which did go on to compete in race 2.

Other One Design’s competing in this three day regatta included the Prima’s, Sigma 38’s, Reflex 39’s and HOD35’s and Class IRM2 was dominated by the 30’s in race one by Panther AMG2 and Panther AMG 1.

Race one winners in the IRC classes were: IRC0: Colm Barrington’s Gloves Off – a Corby 38. The largest class - IRC1: David Walters Jackdaw, followed by David Scanlan’s Fandango. IRC2: Bump in the Night and IRC4: Software Mistress.

Race 2 : With failing daylight, the start of race two saw a general recall with three quarters of the fleet in IRM over the line. After the IRC0 and IRC1 starts, the IRM classes were re-started once again but around 9 boats were over the line this time, two boats were disqualified as a result and several were given a 20% scoring penalty. This led to Nick and Anne Haigh’s Too Steamy, the Farr 40 winning IRM1, followed by Anthony Richard’s Kerr 11.3 Minnie the Moocher and in third place John Shepherd’s Fair Do’s V.

In IRM2 Royal Thames, the Mumm 30 took joint second place, having received a penalty, with Panther AMG1, followed by James Stableford’s Mumm 36 Panther. Robert Greenhalgh’s Panther AMG2 was disqualified in this race.

Having won race one in class IRC0, Gloves Off went on to take first place after two races. In IRC1 Fandango, the First 40.7 finished first overall at the end of the day’s racing. In IRC2 Bump in the Night won both races today as did Software Mistress in IRC3.

Crews took advantage of an RYA briefing in Cowes Yacht Haven before the start this morning, run by Jim Saltonstall and Mike Richards. This special feature of the Easter Challenge includes coaching support with on-the-water advice followed by a post-race debriefing where crews had a chance to watch video footage of the day’s racing in order to improve boat handling and techniques.

At the end of a good day’s racing, Easter eggs were awarded to winners in all classes at a prizegiving ceremony held at The Royal Corinthian Yacht Club.

Tomorrow’s racing will start at 1000 when three races will be held on day two of the regatta.