Monday, March 20, 2017

Misty Start To Warsash Spring Series

J/88 sailing Warsash Spring series (Warsash, England)- Last year the first race of the Helly Hansen Warsash Spring Series took place in unseasonably glorious sunshine, but this year (Sunday 12 March) entrants were faced with drizzle, mist and light winds. Not ideal conditions, however, crews were undeterred and some good competitive racing was still enjoyed.

With light fair tide beats and foul tide runs, the latter were always going to a challenge, and both the White and Black Groups boats found that avoiding holes downwind was the main priority of the day.

J/97E sailing Warsash Spring seriesIt was a challenging day also for line and course setting for the committee boats.  The winds reported on Bramblenet were 7-10 knots South West, but Dock Heads was reporting 7-10 knots North West.  In the end, North West predominated, but 10 knots was rarely if ever seen.

On the White Group, Race 2 had to be abandoned when the wind switched through 90 degrees or more and dropped below 3 knots.  However, another two races were completed and as Race Officer Peter Knight noted, the same boats were up at the front.

At the end of the days racing, the J/70 SOAK RACING (Marshall King and Ian Wilson) was leading the J/70s and the combined White Group with the J/70 JENGA 8 (Andrew Barraclough) in second place and BETTY J/109 sailing Warsash Spring seriesJ/80 (Jon Powell) in third place and leading the J/80s.

IRC1 was won by JITTERBUG (J/111 - Cornel Riklin) with KESTREL (J/111 - Simon Bamford) third.  In IRC2 it was J'OUVERT (J/1112e - Peter Symons) second.

The J/109s had an interesting tussle, with many place changes, but the final result was JYNNAN TONNYX (Owain Franks) first and JAGO (Mike & Susie Yates)) second.

The J/88 fleet was won by JONGLUER (Richard Cooper) with EAT SLEEP J REPEAT (Paul Ward) second.  For more HELLY HANSEN Warsash Spring Series sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.