Jardine maintains his form in the wet to clinch his third J24 IRW title. Trevor Boyce finishes second overall and Pete Ramsdale third. Dale Robertson rounds off a great regatta with a fourth overall.

Variable. When the forecasters talk of variable, it normally only means one thing - flat calm. As we headed out for the final race of IRW2007 on Friday morning, the breeze was more like 8-10 knots, and the sun was shining, despite reports of rain. The assumption was that the scheduled one race only would mean a relatively short day on the water…if only that were true.

In the Great Sound there were some ominous black clouds in the sky to the North. On Sadiiqi, we looked at them and hoped they were moving away from us. After a beat uowind to take some numbers, then a run downwind to make sure everything was working, we checked in the the RC and noted the “W” on the course board.

The RC switched the order again, scheduling the IODs to set off first before the J24s. Some of the IODs assumed that they would be racing in the usual order and were still halfway up the course practising when their warning gun went. Off went the IOD crash boat to let them know the good news. Fortunately for those crews, the wind switched a full 180 degrees halfway through the starting sequence, forcing the RC to fly the AP flag and wait for the wind to settle.

And so began the faffing. We waited. The rain came in - hard - sucking all the wind out of the clouds. It began to get quite chilly, a real change from the previous 4 days of racing. The RC eventually set a new course, but by now the wind had dropped to variable. Off went the IODs, and we were up. At the start we managed to foul the pin on Sadiiqi, and did turns before setting off right behind Gripper and New Wave, the top 2 boats. On the left, Siren were going well. Cyclone came across to the left and seemed to have relatively good speed in the small shifts. The rain stopped for a few minutes, but then started again as we eventually neared the mark. Brien Storey on Shogun had stayed left and was doing well, but Siren and New Wave were the front 2 boats at that point. The downwind was agonising - the rain was making the sails wet and heavy, and in the little breeze boats were struggling to keep their chutes flying. Dale Robertson on Solaise was sailing some hot angles to maintain speed, as was Caroline Muselet on Cyclone. In the downwind Trevor Boyce read the shifts well and seemed to get ahead. When we reached the turning mark most of the fleet was ahead of us. My sunglasses were fogged up and taking them off was worse because the rain was falling directly into my eyes as I looked up at our wet red spinnaker.

Around the mark we went left to try and chase some breeze. The breeze picked up slightly and we saw our best speeds of the day. We managed to overhaul a couple of boats on the upwind, and on the downwind a few more, including Siren. At the front the RC had shortened the course so we were not going to have to hook round for an upwind finish. Apparently, the crew on New Wave, leading at the time, did not notice that and shaped up for another upwind, letting Stuart Jardine on Gripper sneak in for a bullet - a great result considering the fact that he was languishing in 6th or 7th on the previous leg. Dale Robertson finished strongly despite some discussion about Solaise hitting a mark. Brien Storey on Shogun had his best result of the week in the wet, windless conditions.

Then it was back to the RBYC with ice creams on the way in the rain. Crews dried off under cover as the RBYC staff prepared for the prizegiving. Stuart Jardine and crew cracked a bottle of bubbly to celebrate their decisive victory. By the time the prizegiving began the weather had brightened up. Pete Ramsale and crew received their third place prizes, followed by Trevor Boyce and crew for their second. Then Stuart Jardine, Nigel Ryder, Geoff Evelyn, Wendy Evelyn and John Holloway, sailing Gripper, accepted the Gripper Trophy for winning International Race Week 2007 for the J24 Class.

Later it was off to La Coquille for dinner and dancing. Many thanks to our friends from the UK and Atlantic Canada for making the J24 regatta such a success. Many thanks also to the Race Committee, the J24 executive committee, all the people who hosted overseas crews and to Trevor Boyce for providing not only the crash boat for the week but for also graciously offering to host the J24 Welcoming Cocktail party at his house in Warwick. A fanstastic week of sailing with old and new friends, many of whom we hope to see again in 2008.

Photos of the week can be found here

J24 Final Results IRW 2007

On Day 4 of Race Week Stuart Jardine consolidates his lead with 2 bullets and a second. Trevor Boyce still lies in second with Pete Ramsdale in third. Behind the top three, the pack is shuffled as Jamie Storey has a bad day and Caroline Muselet and Carla Dale have good ones.
The day started out with some difficult choices for Siren - which beer should they buy for the day ahead? Unfortunately their favourite brew was not in stock in Miles Market, so they had to settle for some “Old Peculier” instead. Would that affect their performance. The day ahead would tell…

The forecast was 5-10 knots WSW. As we made it into the Great Sound it was a solid 10 knots. Racing got off with a course 2 set for the J24s. The first start was clean, and ended up with the top three boats on the left of the course. Sadiiqi hung out longer and rounded the weather mark in top spot, with Gripper and New Wave close behind. Jamie Storey, who had done so well the day before, did not seem to be going as fast, neither did Solaise with Erik Koppernaes at the helm. Papillon and Cyclone were both speeding along upwind. Sadiiqi maintained their lead through the first downwind and up the next upwind until the top of the course, where a left shift favoured New Wave and Gripper, who got ahead round the mark. Gripper edged out in front for the bullet and Sadiiqi tried to overhaul New Wave. Cyclone took a left course downwind and saw some great gusts, enabling them to catch and pass New Wave and Sadiiqi at the line for second.

The second race was another 2 lap affair. It would have been perfect for Sadiiqi at the pin end if it had not been for Stuart Jardine on Gripper edging in and then pointing up “like a big pointy thing” - pointing high but still going quickly. New Wave were going well again, and Carla Dale on Papillon had the boat going like a train. Cyclone were having some issues after their second in the first race, and were back in the pack. At the first mark rounding it was close, with the top three boats all in touch. In the pack behind there was much shouting in the melee. Trevor Boyce eked out a slender lead on the next upwind/downwind set of legs to grab a great first, with Stuart Jardine just behind. Papillon were sneaking ahead of Sadiiqi until a starboard gybe manouevre allowed Pete Ramsdale to take third spot. Behind Papillon, Solaise were next over the line.

Race three was delayed slightly as the RC sent the IODs off before us. That provided much amusement as 5 of the IODs managed to start on the wrong side of the committee boat - not a great tactical play. Then we were off for the final race of the day and the penultimate race of IRW2007. On Sadiiqi we struggled early on as we were trapped behind Papillon and unable to tack. Cyclone was inside us going well, with Gripper also going strong. At the first mark rounding Sadiiqi had a starboard situation with port tacker Shogun who failed to tack away causing us to crash tack and lose several positions. As we finally rounded the mark we were at the back of the fleet. The downwind saw us pick a left shift and manage to move ahead of 2 boats, and then a starboard gybe allowed us to get past Jamie Storey on Erin. We were back in the mix now. In front, Stuart Jardine and Carla Dale were fighting it out with Solaise and New Wave behind them. The final upwind/downwind saw those positions cemented, with Stuart Jardine taking the bullet, Carla Dale taking second, Trevor Boyce third and Dale Robertson/Erik Koppernaes fourth. We were running downwind aongside Cyclone and managed to sneak in ahead of them at the pin for 5th.

We then went off for a pleasant sunset cruise on the mast-less “Rising Son”, before retiring for a good night’s rest.

The third day of Race Week saw some changes in the race results to shake up the fleet. Stuart Jardine still holds the lead but it is narrowed after the first drop is taken into account. Jamie Storey has a solid day to take over fourth behind the two Bermuda boats New Wave and Sadiiqi.

Another fine day in Bermuda. What could be better? The sun was shining and another 10-15 knot forecast meant an interesting day on the racecourse. On Sadiiqi we had topped up the gin bottle, got rid of the bananas and were enjoying sausages on the way out to the Great Sound. Cleo was already waiting and we sighted the marks and noted the furthest mark was almost at Rikki’s old house, round the corner in the bay near Lantana.

The order of racing was changed, with the Etchells off first, J24s second, then IODs and 105s last. As we started for our 2 lap race, the wind was shifting around, causing us to adjust our numbers several times. We had a clean start, and some of the fleet headed left, some right. Gripper was flying, and we were trucking along too. Papillon were up in the mix, and Jamie Storey on Erin was sailing well. At the first windward mark Stuart Jardine was in the lead, and increasing that lead convincingly. Behind him Trevor Boyce on New Wave had read the shifts well, and Sadiiqi were sitting third. Those positions were cemented on the second leg, and the race finished Gripper, New Wave, Sadiiqi, with Papillon gaining a creditable fourth. Jamie Storey took fifth on Erin, sneaking in at the pin to get ahead of Jezebel, who had a good race.

The second race saw some breeze changes and some “faffage”, but all credit to the Race Committee for straightening up the line and ensuring that we were sailing a good course. We had another clean start and went left. New Wave were with us, and Gripper went right. We got some great lifts up the course, and rounded the windward mark in a good position. Behind us, Siren seemed to have found their form, and Jamie Storey was going well again. Stuart Jardine seemed to get caught in some traffic and was languishing in a position unfamiliar to the crew (i.e. not first or second). A solid downwind saw Trevor Boyce add some gains, and the fleet began to bunch up slightly. On Sadiiqi we went with the shifts and managed to creep up on New Wave, and John Nicholls on Siren was sticking close. Behind Siren a group of boats were vying for position - there were some big ducks and some shouting as boats tacked on each other. We were glad to be clear. The final downwind saw no changes in the front three, so New Wave led Sadiiqi then Siren over the finish line.

The third race saw the tables turned. Gripper was over early and went back. On Sadiiqi we went right, and New Wave were with us. As we looked back Stuart Jardine and crew were again in a position unfamiliar - at the back - but they were not giving up. As we headed right and looked across the course, we realised that the left was massively favoured. We watched Solaise, Cyclone, Erin and Jezebel trucking up the course with massive leads over the righties. From that point onwards it became tough to catch them. The first downwind saw the J24 fleet merging with some Etchells and 105s. That caused some issues, but towards the back of the fleet we could only watch as the leading boats maintained their lead. As we approached the turning mark it became apparent we were entering the “melee”, as we call it on Sadiiqi. That is never a good thing. And so it proved to be. Siren went inside, Papillon on top of them, and we squeezed in between them and Shogun, who were sailing with three. At the mark Siren fouled Papillon, we fouled Papillon, and both of us did turns. That left us both at the back. Up front, Solaise was trucking again, and Caroline Muselet was doing well to maintain her second place. Erin and Jezebel were still duking it out, and Trevor Boyce had made some great gains to be back in the front half of the fleet. Stuart Jardine not far behind after a great recovery - he had managed to avoid the melee. Dale Robertson/Erik Koppernaes took the bullet, Caroline Muselet on Cyclone grabbed a great second spot, and Jamie Storey proved to be consistent again with a third. A great flip-flop result for the fleet.

That leaves Stuart Jardine in the lead before the lay day with 13 points, but at least they have proved they are not infallible. Trevor Boyce had a good day with a 2-1-5 and is four points adrift, with Sadiiqi in third, a further three points back. Jamie Storey takes over fourth after a great day (5-4-3).

The infamous J24 Dock Party then followed. Yours truly managed to sample the various boat cocktails and came to this conclusion:

• Jelly is good, especially when blown into your mouth by a lady from Nova Scotia
• Shediac has some fine cocktails - both Storey brothers beverages were quite tasty
• I won’t be looking up the Mellow Yellow in the Yellow Pages
• Green is good if you add ice
• The unpronounceable Dale Roberston cocktail was gone too quickly
• Some people don’t like cinnamon but do like cinnamon-flavoured alcohol

As other fleets began to spill onto the Dock, the music played from Jezebel and Sadiiqi and it became apparent that the J24 Class was again the fleet to be associated with — some things never change.

Day 3 Results (PDF - opens in new window)

Photos of the Dock party can be found here