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Coutts Quarterton Cup Cowes, 25.-27.06.2012
rcyc.co.uk - Übersicht
28.06.2012
Royal Corinthian Yacht Club Press Release
Peter Morton Takes Record Third Victory
At Coutts Quarter Ton Cup 2012
27 June 2012 - Cowes, UK - As close finishes go the final day of the Coutts Quarter
Ton Cup 2012 was certainly up there with the best of them. Going into the day Peter
"Morty" Morton's 1978 Fauroux had a three-point lead over Sam Laidlaw's 1990 Vrolick
designed Aquila, being helmed today by John Greenwood.
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Foto Paul Wyeth - www.pwpictures.com
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Anchor Challenge, a 1978 Farr design helmed by Paul Gibbons, was six points back in third on 40 points with
Alice II, Rickard Melander's 1990 Morrison, lying in fourth on 49. The first race
of the day, the seventh of the nine race series, saw the discard come into play
and with several of the top boats counting a black flag disqualification from race
six there was plenty of room for manoeuvre in the final rankings.
Race Officer Rob Lamb and his Committee, the core of which will be officiating on
the RSX course at the Olympic Regatta in Weymouth, did an excellent job to complete
the final three races scheduled despite very variable breeze. The unpredictable
wind and a strong tide gave the sailors plenty to think about and ensured the fleet
was constantly shuffling places with surprises and dramas at every turn.
Race seven set the tone of high drama when a number of teams misjudged the strength
of the tide, resulting in a series of mark one pileups. After that the day just
got more and more exciting with some of the closest racing you could hope to see
anywhere in the world.
Despite being one of the boats caught up in the race seven mark rounding debacle,
ultimately Peter Morton and his crew claimed a record third Coutts Quarter Ton Cup
win by just 4 points from Alice II with Aguila third and Anchor Challenge fourth.
This achievement was impressive not only because it was the first time the event
has been won by the same person three times but also because Peter and his team
have used three different boats for their wins.
In the Corinthian Division for the all-amateur crews Irish Young Sailor of the Year
George Kenefick sailed Tiger, the 1989 Fauroux design he owns jointly with his father
Neil, to victory ahead of Sergeant Pepper, Richard and Anne Thomas's Bolero, which
was designed by Richard's father David. Third place went to Paul Kelsey's Runaway
Bus, a 1977 Whiting design, with Love In A Mist, a 1974 Waarschip owned by Eric
and Philip Williams - the oldest boat in the regatta - fourth.
The racing results only tell part of the story of the Coutts Quarter Ton Cup, which
is as much about the fun of finding and loving these very special historic little
boats and sailing with your old mates, as it is about winning. A quick look around
the fleet reveals that what ever the age of boat, whether she's been professionally
restored or is lovingly indextained by her owner and crew, each is a little masterpiece
in her own way. Many of today's leading designers cut their creative teeth in the
class. The boats have character, they're quirky, some of them are downright strange
to look at, but they all entrance both their owners and those who sail them.
There are a couple of very special boat mentions to make in this report. The first
is Atalanti IV, owned by past ISAF Vice Chairman and sailing legend George Andreadis.
George commissioned Atalanti IV for the 1991 Quarter Ton Cup. Design by Rob Humphries
the boat ran late and only arrived just in time for the event where she finished
fourth. Having completed that '91 Cup George then put the boat into storage in
his infamous Athen's boat shed and never sailed her again. Until that is, Morty
persuaded him to bring her out of retirement for the 2012 Coutts Quarter Ton Cup.
A good wash and brush up later and not only did she finish a very creditable eighth
but she was also chosen as winner of this year's Marineware's Concourse d'Elegance,
for the best-presented yacht at the regatta.
The other special mention has to go to Freres-sur-Mer, a 1981 Fauroux design owned
by Holland's Theo and Andre Bakker. This was her first ever Coutts Quarter Ton Cup
and the boys threw themselves into the spirit of the event with gusto. Whilst they
may have finished in last place their results were somewhat hampered by a black
flag and two did not starts on the first day courtesy of a broken traveller. The
fact that they are still sailing with a 1984 indexsail might just have had something
to do with it too! It was wonderful to have them join the fleet and at the prize
giving they were presented with a roll of duct tape to help with running repairs
and a packet of handy Solent navigation chart napkins to ensure they can find their
way back for the 2013 event.
A look around the crews is revealing too as the fleet without doubt attracts some
of the best sailors in the world. Not for big money, but because they want to sail
with their mates and they too love Quarter Tonners. This year's rogues gallery included
the likes of World Match Racing Champion Ian Williams, America's Cup veterans Don
McCracken, Dave Scott, Ethan Bixby, British Olympians Stuart Childerley and Andy
Beadsworth, David Howlett, Kelvin Rawlings, Jason Carrington, Ian Southworth, David
Bedford, John Greenwood, Mike Budd, John Brinkers, Nigel Young, Irish Olympian Mark
Mansfield...... and the list goes on.
Once again a fleet of sailors has gone home at the end of the Coutts Quarter Ton
Cup with a sense of achievement, lots of like-minded new friends and some wonderful
memories. Our thanks go to event sponsor Coutts for their most generous long-term
support of the event, to Class Secretary Louise Morton for her tireless work in
making the regatta happen, to the Race Committee and to the members and staff of
the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club.
There are still Quarter Tonners out there in need of a good home so if you feel
you could give a down at heel Quarter Tonner the love and attention she needs please
contact Quarter Ton Class Secretary Louise Morton on louise@quartertonclass.org
who manages our rehoming programme.
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