J/111 JEZEBEL Wins Celtic Regatta

(Pwllheli, Wales, United Kingdom)- The 2013 Celtic Regatta incorporating the ‘J Challenge’ was hosted by Pwllheli Sailing Club over three days in June. The Regatta was organized in response to the growing fleet of racing boats in Pwllheli Wales and in particular in the J classes.

Racing started on Friday 14th June with three windward leeward races. The Welsh National Event Centre Race Management Team started the regatta at the scheduled time despite the challenging force 5 winds and just as the skies and rain cleared to reveal the fantastic backdrop of the glorious Llyn Peninsula and the mountains of Snowdonia and mid Wales.  In fact, the sailors were treated to mostly sunny skies, windy conditions accompanied by enormous seas-- it was a glorious weekend of sailing in northern Wales along the spectacular Irish Sea.

The second day's racing was in a force 6 with wind speeds averaging 25 knots and gusting 30 knots. All competitors thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and exhilaration of the surfing conditions on the downwind legs and Andy Green the official photographer captured excellent images of boats in action.  J/111 JEZEBEL (Guy Cowper) found her pace and scored 2nd and then finished the day with two firsts.  Saturday afternoon ashore entertainment was by the GYPSY TRIO and followed by a superb crew dinner for 90 competitors, friends and guests and music by the WEE BAG BAND until the early hours.

SGRECH led the regatta at the start of day three with JEZEBEL and JEEPSTER looking to snatch a victory. With lighter 17 knots of wind SGRECH failed to repeat her strong wind performance and the impressive JEZEBEL came first in the first race. So it was all down to the final race and with JEZEBEL pushed onto the course side at the start of the last race SGRECH failed to take advantage and JEZEBEL won the regatta by one point (10 points). SGRECH was second on 11 points and JEEPSTER third on 14 points.

Gareth Roberts the CHPSC Events Manager presented prizes to the winning boats donated by English Braids, Sta-Lok and Partington Marine and thanked all competitors, race management team - lead by Richard Tudor, volunteers, staff, entertainers and sponsors including Cwrw Llyn and Hafan.

The Pwllheli J/Teams will be taking part in the Dún Laoghaire Regatta Ireland in July.  Planning has started for the 2014 event which will be hosted in the new Sailing Academy and National Event Centre and details will be posted on www.pwllhelisailingclub.co.uk   Sailing photo credits- Andy Green - Green Sea Sailing   For more Celtic Cup Regatta sailing information

J/111 European Circuit 2013

(Paris, France)- The J/111 owner group in Europe has planned five events for 2013 including a European Championship.  The main goal is to ensure that at least ten boats will be participating in every event and more than fifteen for the Le Havre race.

The 2013 European J/111 calendar includes the following events:
- SPI Ouest France – France: 28th March- 1st April 2013
- Porquerolles – France: May 2013
- Euro Championship/ Normandy Sailing Week – Le Havre: 6th to 9th June 2013
- Cowes Race Week- England:  3rd to 10th August 2013
- Breskens–The Netherlands: September 2013

For more sailing information about these events, please contact either Paul Heys at J/UK (info@keyyachting.com) or Frederick Bouvier at J/Europe (fred@jcomposites.eu).

CORK Week Sailing Preview

Large J Contingent Sailing
(Cork, Ireland)- From 7th to 13th of July, a highly competitive fleet of eleven J/Teams are participating in this year's biennial CORK Week sailed in the large bay off Cork, Ireland.  The regatta, which is hosted by the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, County Cork, is a Grand Prix sailing event which is renowned, world wide, for exciting and challenging racing. Boats from all over the world participate and come from as far away as South Africa and Hong Kong.  This year's fleet is significantly reduced from past years, with just 109 boats sailing, a far cry from the 400+ seen in some past events.

In addition to top-class racing, the fabled on-shore tented village lets all crews interact socially in a fun way, and it has become one of the main ingredients in the success for Cork Week.  Bodega-by-the-Sea features some of the country’s best live bands and DJs, combined with the unique atmosphere of Cork’s Club Bodega in a setting like no other.

Cork Week 2012 Event Chair Pat Lyons said, “Cork Week comes along every two years and offers an occasion to celebrate all that is best about how we can enjoy the wonderful facilities that our environment has placed on our doorstep. In Cork Harbour, we have a world class maritime playground and by hosting a sailing event of international quality, the Royal Cork provides an opportunity for both sailors and spectators alike to meet old friends, engage in a top class sailing competition, and enjoy the waterside hospitality and entertainment for which Crosshaven is renowned.”

Featured in this year's event will be another strong turn-out of J/109s sailing in what amounts to be the Irish J/109 Championship.  Returning from the 2010 J/109 Europeans Championships will be third-place finisher Ian Nagle & Paul O'Malley on their champion JELLY BABY from the host Royal Cork YC.  In the IRC classes will be the new Irish J/111 WOW sailed by George Sisk from Royal Irish YC, the J/122 MINT JULEP skippered by David Cule, the J/92 VAGABOND sailed by Simon Fox Davies & Giles Stanely from Dovey YC and two J/24s, Aidan MacSweeney's MAXIMUS and David Lane's An t'Oileanach both from Royal Cork YC.  Sailing photo credits- Ingrid Abery.com  For more CORK WEEK sailing information

Fastnet Race Update

(Cowes, IOW, England)- Drama has yet again struck the Fastnet Race, continuing it's legendary status as not only one of the oldest offshore yacht races in the world, first taking place in 1925, but also one of the roughest and toughest.  As most offshore racers recall, the 1979 Fastnet was no picnic- over half the fleet retired from broken boats to broken bodies and, sadly, tragedy too.

The 608-mile race passes Land’s End (notorious for raging currents, whirlpools and awesomely steep (scary) breaking waves) before turning north-west across the Celtic Sea towards West Cork. Participants round the famous Fastnet Rock lighthouse three miles off Cape Clear Island before heading to their ultimate destination of Plymouth, leaving the Scilly Isles to port on the way home.  A total of 314 boats started the race off Cowes on the Isle of Wight on Sunday, beating the previous record turnout of 303 entries registered for the tragic 1979 installment.  However, the race so far has taken it's toll, with several boats breaking masts/ tearing sails and, in the case of George David's RAMBLER 100, losing its canting-keel and capsizing (story below) just after rounding Fastnet Rock.

For those who love the Fastnet Race, the highlight of the European offshore summer season, the 2011 race has delivered on all counts. It has proved a hugely tactical race and competitors have fought for speed in a whole variety of conditions from 30 knots of breeze through to what was almost a complete shut-down in the pressure. Extraordinarily frightening for some, gut wrenchingly frustrating for others, incredibly rewarding for those who got it right.

The J/111s have been sailing fast, the real issue for them has been whether or not they've been going fast in the wrong direction too quickly.  So far, the IRC Doublehanded leaders are the J/111 team on J-XCENTRIC, the Dutch team of John van der Starre & Robin Verhoef finishing first boat-for-boat on elapsed and currently winning on IRC handicap rating, too!  Fingers-crossed as the rest of the fleet drifts in on the tides and no wind.  The J/111 ARABELLA sailed by Niall Dowling started off strong, but sailed a bit close to Land's End and then headed too far north of rhumbline to Fastnet Rock, giving up a bit of distance to only finish ninety-odd minutes in front of the double-handed J/111 J-XCENTRIC!  More later next week.  For more Rolex Fastnet Race sailing information