Race 3 of the Warsash Spring Series witnessed the return from hibernation of Jubilee sporting some new sails and demonstrating much upwind speed. Fresher conditions delivered an exciting and competitive race.
There were a few more entrants for IRC#1, swelled by some J/111s back out on the course and enough this week to justify a start of their own. Back in the second start slot, IRC#2 had a bit more time to debate which headsails to put up and had a bit more space on the line.
But you wouldn’t have know it as with an ebbing tide and a north easterly, everyone was fighting for the right hand spot on the committee boat. Closehauledphotography were treated to an opportunity for some great shots. Thank you again for letting us reproduce them here.
Jubilee was straight into the fight during the prestart, haggling for a position on the right hand end, but it was Jiraffe who was eying matching digits in seconds and meters on the velocitech as the gun went with Passion and the dark, elegant, new J/99, Jenga to leeward.
Jiraffe continued on starboard while Jubilee tacked off to the right and a few shifts later when the boats came back together, it was Jubilee who had gained the advantage which they held around the mark and off down the run.
In the fresher breeze the bigger boats, Devanti and Passion pulled well out ahead of the J/109s, who continued to split gybes down the run until the bottom mark where a port rounding required a leeward drop to leave the kite on the right hand side of the boat for the next run. Leaving the manoeuvre a little late, Jubilee’s crew struggled to collect the ragging sail and made a wide rounding, leaving Jiraffe to sneak around inside and lead up the next beat. Jubilee chased hard and made up a lot of ground upwind showing significant speed, but trouble on the hoist at the turning point resulted in a full drop and reset of the kite effectively ending their race. They elected not to cross the finish line.
Jybe Talkin’ and Mojo Rising’ also enjoyed a battle through the race and this time it was Mojo that got ahead as a consequence of some slicker spinnaker work. At the finish they were separated by just 25 seconds with Mojo retaining the lead on level rated J/109 results, but Jybe Talkin’ slipping ahead by 1m 19s on corrected time for IRC#2 by virtue of her lower rating. Jengu followed them in a few minutes later, well ahead of the last IRC#2 competitor, Mittens Revenge.
A great day out and a splendid around the cans course from Warsash Race Committee. After 3 races overall standings in level rated J/109 extract are as follows:
And the series results so far for IRC#2 as follows:
J/109 UK & Ireland Class Association 