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Friday 31st July 2015
Four seasons in one week for the RYS Bicentenary International Regatta
A diverse fleet. The majestic Eleonora and Bella Mente Maxi 72 at the RYS Bicentenary International Regatta
© Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com
The Royal Yacht Squadron's Bicentenary International regatta is complete. "Four seasons in one week," was the apt summary from crew member Richard Mason of Dorade of Monday's gales, and a gradual wind reduction to the windless afternoon that ended the regatta today.
Mike Broughton, navigator on Jethou explained the conditions in the Western Solent. "We started in a completely different breeze to the J Class who had started upwind to the east in a south easterly," he said. "Then the westerly came and went a bit as it fought with the conditions to the east. Eventually a light sea breeze prevailed but there were some big holes making the race a bit of a lottery. Added to that there is a spring tide, up to 3 or 4 knots, so the racing was extremely tricky.
"The Race Committee could have cancelled the race today given the conditions but it was a good afternoon with lots of challenges and ultimately a good race," added Broughton.
IRC Class 1's course was shortened from five to four legs at Saltmead in the western Solent. The race was won by Tom Siebel's Swan 90 Odin, sailed well by her crew which benefitted from the talents of Peter Isler as Navigator, and Steve Hayles as strategist/trimmer. Overall honour for the week ultimately went to Tony Langley's brilliantly sailed TP52 Gladiator.
Winning all four races in the J Class, capped by a come-from-behind victory today, Velsheda maintained her excellent record on what are considered the famous yacht's 'home waters' by winning the class. Lionheart and Velsheda ghosted down through a shortened course finish today, followed by Ranger, with guest Sir Ben Ainslie on board, in a nailbiting, windless finale with only the tidal current helping them to the final winning guns of the week.
"It is great to win overall and to win on handicap today," said Velsheda owner Ronald de Waal, "That really capped it off for us. We were on the wrong side after the start and got back into it and so it is a nice feeling to win here. This is where the J's heritage is, Velsheda's home, and so it very special indeed to win here."
The three grand Classics, Eleonora, Mariquita and Sumurun started in the same direction, and were given one long leg to a mark near the forts off Portsmouth, against the tide. A breakage to the top of her mast cost Mariquita a position in this last race and the overall victory went to Robert Tobin's 1914 built Sumurun, which gained two second and two firsts in the series.
Class 4 was abandoned in the light winds today while Class 3 had only one finisher, Rives Potts' Carina. The win sealed her overall victory in class for the owner, who also represented the visiting New York Yacht Club teams as their Commodore. Class 4 sailed enough races for a series during the week however. "We sailed hard until the time limit expired," said owner of the winning Anna Mai Phil Hutchinson. "We completely restored the boat when we bought it and scored 2nd in the recent Swan Europeans. Anna Mai loves heavy weather so we were very comfortable in the big blow of Tuesday's race and enjoyed the Race Around the Island too. It's been a varied week."
IRC Class 2 were a little more lucky. Simon Henning's Mumm 36 Alice completed today's race as winner nailing overall first place. "We had a good start today at the right end of the line and just led around the course. The contrasts of the event have been stark and it's been brilliant."
The five 8 metres weren't so lucky with the conditions. Prefering moderate winds they were thwarted both at the beginning and the end of the week, but put in two races, with both firsts going to Murdoch McKillop's Saskia.
There was total US domination of the Team Racing and Level rating events. "Anything could happen today", the New York Yacht Club's Vice Commodore Phil Lotz had commented as he and his team went into the final day of racing in the Level Rating Division. And indeed it did. With Real Club Nautico de Gran Canaria leading through the week, it took a 1st and a 5th by NYYC to nudge into the lead in today's two races. "Half our crew have sailed together regularly for a while and we also brought some new faces along with us," Lotz added. "The boats are good, a bit of a handful in the heavy weather at the beginning of the week but we've had some very even racing."
Gran Canaria's helmsman Jose Ignacio Cantero Brose, whose team was runner up said "We've been very happy with our performance, the tides are quite a challenge. All our team are from the same club and we have been racing and training together for a long time. We all live on the same island of Gran Canaria. We've enjoyed some close racing especially against the New York Yacht Club and Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club."
Over their three days of racing the Team Racing managed to fit in a total of 126 races. With the light winds of today the fleet didn't complete their intended third Round Robin, instead moving straight to the semi finals, in which the St Francis Yacht Club faced the New York Yacht Club, and Royal Thames Yacht Club against Costa Smeralda Yacht Club. As the wind died away the two victors that faced each other in the finals were St Francis versus Royal Thames. Conditions meant that only one race could be run - and celebrating at the end of the event was St Francis Yacht Club from San Francisco. "We had an awesome time," said St Francis team tactician Taylor Baeder. "Our team have sailed with against each other for a while. We made mistakes but not too many, we stuck to the basics."
The competitors were treated to a spectacular parachute display by the Red Devils, who landed in the water just next to the assembled guests on the Royal Yacht Squadron's iconic lawn. In wrapping up the event, the Commodore, Christopher Sharples thanked all the crews from the 24 clubs from all over the world for sharing the club's 200th birthday, saying "this is not just for the club but for the town of Cowes as well. The next two hundred years begins now."
Follow us on Twitter: @RYS_Bicentenary
Results and further information on the website: http://www.bic2015.org.uk/
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The Yacht Club, as the Squadron was first known, was founded on 1st June 1815.
The Earl of Yarborough, later first Commodore of the Yacht Club, welcomed the Prince Regent as a member in 1817. In 1820, when the Prince Regent became George IV, Royal was added to the Club's name. The Club's association with the Royal Navy began early and Nelson's Captain at Trafalgar, Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy, was among early Honorary Naval members.
In 1826, the Club took to organising yacht racing and by the 1840s opened races to other clubs. In 1833 the Club became the Royal Yacht Squadron by command of His Majesty King William IV.
In 1851 member Ben Boyd, in his schooner Wanderer, visited the Solomon Islands and was devoured by cannibals. In the same year, 1851, Commodore Stevens challenged for the Squadron's £100 Cup for a race around the Island. America's victory was witnessed by Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales, later Commodore and Edward VII.
In 1882 when the Prince of Wales was Commodore, the German Emperor brought his Meteor, the 1887 ex-America's Cup challenger Thistle, to Cowes in 1892. This encouraged the Prince of Wales to build Britannia, one of the most successful racing yachts ever.
World War I broke out during Cowes Week in 1914. After the war ended the Six Metres became popular, however, the focus was still on the big class and the public flocked to Cowes to see the J's - Britannia, Shamrock V and later Endeavour I.
The Second World War saw the RYS Castle as part of HMS Vectis and head-quarters of 'J' Force planning the Normandy landings. After the War, King George VI presented the Britannia Cup for one of the most celebrated races of Cowes Week.
Later Bluebottle, the Dragon owned by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, gave small boat racing a kick start. In 1966/67 Sir Francis Chichester sailed on his own round the world, which led to the Chichester Trophy, presented by The Duke of Westminster, and the Whitbread Round the World Race. Sir Owen Aisher produced Yeoman after Yeoman and Ted Heath won the Sydney - Hobart Race with Morning Cloud in 1969.
The Pavilion, designed by Sir Thomas Croft, was opened in 2000. In 2001 the Club hosted the 150th Anniversary of the Schooner America's famous victory of 1851 which attracted the biggest and most historic surviving yachts from all over the world. Most recently the Club added the RYS Jubilee Haven.
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