18 AUGUST 2011
2011 Half Ton Classic Cup
von Fiona Brown
Record Entry Confirmed For Half Ton Classic Cup 2011
Supported By South Boats - 21st to 26th August 2011
With 38 entries from seven nations already confirmed the Half Ton Classic Cup 2011
supported by South Boats, to be hosted by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club Cowes
from Sunday 21st to Friday 26th August, is all set to break attendance records.
The fifth edition of this delightful event will feature yachts from the UK, France,
Belgium, Germany, Finland, Ireland and Spain. With five days of Solent racing under
IRC handicaps and five nights of partying the event will once again bring together
sailors from across Europe for a championship combining competitive but friendly
racing, relaxed socialising and more than a little bit of nostalgia.
The Half Ton Classic Class encourages owners to indextain their yachts in "as original"
condition where ever possible which helps to ensure the boats can still race competitively
against each other boat on boat as well as on handicap and also keeps the cost of
competing in the class within reasonable bounds. The success of this formula is
clear to see in the ever-increasing entry numbers for this biennial event. Special
prizes are also awarded for the Series and Production boats to encourage as wide
a range of competitors as possible.
Registration will take place on Sunday 21st August, followed by a Skippers Briefing
and a Welcome Reception. Racing runs from Monday 22nd to Friday 26th August with
daily prize giving and social events at the Royal Corinthian's delightful waterside
clubhouse each evening. The Half Ton Classic Cup Regatta Dinner will take place
at the club on Thursday 25th August when competitors will be joined by a number
of special guests to celebrate the history and ongoing success of this unique class.
The competitor line up includes plenty of familiar faces as well as a number of
new teams, which should make for an exciting competition. Following serious damage
when she fell off her road trailer earlier this year there was some doubt as to
whether the 1978 Jean Berret designed General Tapioca, winner of the past two Half
Ton Classic Cups and owned by Belgium's Philippe Pilate, would be able to defend
her title again this year. Fortunately repairs have been completed in time and
she will be on the start line on Monday.
Others with an eye on podium positions include fellow 1978 Jean Berret design Blue
Berrett Pi, owned by Xavier Van Der Ghinst of Belgium, which took 3rd place in the
2003 and 2005 Half Ton Cups and came 7th in 2007; King One, also designed by Jean
Berret but this time as the prototype of the fantastically popular Evolution production
boats, which won the 1981 Half Ton Cup with Paul Elvstrom as skipper and is now
owned by Howth's David Cullen; Demolition a 1981 sister ship to Stephen Jones' legendary
Smiffy which makes the trip to Cowes from Falmouth with owner Mel Sharp; David Evans'
hugely successful Hullabaloo XV, a 1978 Stephen Jones Hustler 32 from the Walton
Backwaters; and Sevcon Team Chia Chia, designed by Hugh Welbourne in 1984 and travelling
from Liverpool to compete with owners Phil and Alex Eagleton and Nigel Waterhouse.
The furthest travelled boats are Finland's Blues, owned by T Stuschek and J Tulokas,
and Spain's Half' Capone, owned by Jean-Luc Courbon.
Daily reports, results and photographs will be available via the Half Ton Classic
Class website
- Ends -
www.rcyc.co.uk
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