10-11 October – HRSC One Design Championships
The J/70 Class had a cracking weekend of racing at the One Design Championships, organised by the Hamble River Sailing Club. Beautiful winter conditions with a solid northwesterly breeze produced some electric action for the J/70 UK Class, competing in Round 4 of the J/70 UK Grand Slam Series.
20 J/70 teams enjoyed six races over two days. J/70 Open World Champion, Paul Ward’s Eat Sleep J Repeat, won the regatta but it was far from easy with seconds deciding every race. The UK National Champion, Graham Clapp’s Jeepster, was second. Jeepster were in red hot form scoring no lower than fifth. Calascione & Peters racing Calypso won the last race to claim third. Martin Dent’s Jelvis won the penultimate race but was just a point off the podium in fourth. Nick Phillips’ Chaotic continues to impress as one of the exciting new teams in the class, winning Race 3 on the way to a regatta finish in fifth.
“The competition in the class is just getting stronger and stronger,” commented Paul Ward. “The established teams are very hard to beat and we have some outstanding sailors coming into the class. The first day of the regatta we had thrilling conditions, fully on the plane. The second day was more shifty and lighter air, so everyone was roughly the same speed and tactics really came into play. Well done to the Hamble River Sailing Club for giving the class a fantastic weekend’s racing.”
Whilst there was no official Corinthian Class, there was a right ding-dong for the top amateur boat. Doug Struth’s DSP came out on top, just two points ahead of the UK National Corinthian Champion, Charles Thompson’s Brutus. Corinthian World Champion Marshall King, on the stick of Soak Racing, finished just a point behind Brutus.
A warm welcome to two new J/70 teams racing this weekend; Stuart Bithell’s JM7 and James Howells’ Lightfoot. Also John Greenland’s newly acquired J/70 Woof!
The J/70 UK Grand Slam Series continues with Round 5 and the conclusion of the HRSC One Design Championships, 24-25 October.
Thank you to Ian Wilson for the RIB ride to take pictures 👍
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