Results in 2009 (most recent first)
Rolex Fastnet Race - 9-12th August
A race with everything. Wind from less than one knot to 25+ knots. Boat speed from 0.5 knots backwards (despite being "anchored") off Portland to 20.5 knots on the way back from the Rock. Visibility from perfect to a couple of hundred metres (off Ireland inevitably). A long beat all the way to Lands End and then again across to the Rock was followed by a fantastic downwind leg all the way back taking just 25 hours. Food was fantastic, reception in Plymouth exceptional (UK Fireworks championships were delayed!). 14th overall of the 299 starters, 9th in class Full results here
RORC St Malo race - 10/11th July
Groundhog day. After a challenging beat out of the Solent and the first part of the channel in 25+ knots the wind died completely off Casquets. Other Super Zero boats were behind and we thought we had tracked all the lights as we repeatedly went backwards at 4 knots and then recovered back to where we started. However as we approached the finish line the boat in the distance converging from the west turned out to be Apollo who must have escaped the shut down before us. Very frustrating following on from the Morgan Cup...perhaps next time? Full results here
RORC Morgan Cup - 26/27th June
The one that got away. An evening start down the Solent, round Nab Tower and Owers then across to Cherbourg in the fog. As the sun came up everyone else was over the horizon behind. At 6am we called RORC to say we were less than an hour from the finish. What followed was five and a half hours of frustration, repeated anchoring and watching other boats sail round us as we sat in no wind just off the breakwater entrance. One of those, Tonnerre, won the race overall. A position we had thought was ours several hours before. Full results here
Round the Island Race - 20th June
Sadly no repeat of last year's success as a long period of no wind on the East of the Island meant it was a small boat race. We were however leading the whole fleet at the Forts, finishing 4th on the water, 12th in class and 465 overall. Full results here
IRC Nationals - 5-7th June
This weekend was all about trying to get close to RAN. They were 1st and us 2nd in the first 6 races but the gap closed from five minutes to one and a half minutes by the end of day two. Mike's Stag night on Saturday night was enjoyed by all resulting in DFL in both Sunday's races! 2nd overall for the regatta. Full results here
Vice Admirals Cup - 29-31st May
When is match racing not match racing? When there are two TP52s racing under IRC and the normal racing rules. We had really close racing, pre-start dial ups, tacking duels and finishes with only one or two seconds between Panthera and ourselves. The score on the water 5-3 to Cutting Edge but this translated to a 6-2 win for Panthera on handicap. Full results here
RORC Cervantes Trophy - 2nd May
Light winds and sunshine was the forecast. 8-11 knots and sunshine was what we got...very pleasant offshore sailing at the start of May! Using the old TP mainsail we were underpowered beating out of the Solent and rounded Needles Fairway 5 minutes behind John Merricks and Venomous. The reach from here to Le Havre saw wind angles from 95 to 125 and the use of 2A, 1A and 0 kites several times each. John Merricks were overhauled mid channel but as the wind dropped closer to the French coast they got seperation to leeward in more pressure to retake the lead. A total shut down off Le Havre gave a tense finish with John Merricks getting to the new pressure first and winning by 5 minutes. Finished 2nd in Class Super Zero but with the wind filling in from behind 70th overall. Full results here
Warsash Series Big Boat - 25/26th April
Great fun, with a 1,1,1,10,1 over the two days leaving us clear cut winners of the Warsash Spring Series Big Boat class on 20 points (no discards) with second place Panacea on 41. Despite only sailing 4 of the 8 race main series we were 4th in class 1 of the 30 entries. Full results here
Warsash Series Big Boat - 4/5th April The new season started as old one had ended with 2,1,1,1,1 over the two days. Andy Beadsworth provided some great input that left everyone fired up for the season ahead. Full results here
Rolex Fastnet Race - 9-12th August
A race with everything. Wind from less than one knot to 25+ knots. Boat speed from 0.5 knots backwards (despite being "anchored") off Portland to 20.5 knots on the way back from the Rock. Visibility from perfect to a couple of hundred metres (off Ireland inevitably). A long beat all the way to Lands End and then again across to the Rock was followed by a fantastic downwind leg all the way back taking just 25 hours. Food was fantastic, reception in Plymouth exceptional (UK Fireworks championships were delayed!). 14th overall of the 299 starters, 9th in class Full results here
RORC St Malo race - 10/11th July
Groundhog day. After a challenging beat out of the Solent and the first part of the channel in 25+ knots the wind died completely off Casquets. Other Super Zero boats were behind and we thought we had tracked all the lights as we repeatedly went backwards at 4 knots and then recovered back to where we started. However as we approached the finish line the boat in the distance converging from the west turned out to be Apollo who must have escaped the shut down before us. Very frustrating following on from the Morgan Cup...perhaps next time? Full results here
RORC Morgan Cup - 26/27th June
The one that got away. An evening start down the Solent, round Nab Tower and Owers then across to Cherbourg in the fog. As the sun came up everyone else was over the horizon behind. At 6am we called RORC to say we were less than an hour from the finish. What followed was five and a half hours of frustration, repeated anchoring and watching other boats sail round us as we sat in no wind just off the breakwater entrance. One of those, Tonnerre, won the race overall. A position we had thought was ours several hours before. Full results here
Round the Island Race - 20th June
Sadly no repeat of last year's success as a long period of no wind on the East of the Island meant it was a small boat race. We were however leading the whole fleet at the Forts, finishing 4th on the water, 12th in class and 465 overall. Full results here
IRC Nationals - 5-7th June
This weekend was all about trying to get close to RAN. They were 1st and us 2nd in the first 6 races but the gap closed from five minutes to one and a half minutes by the end of day two. Mike's Stag night on Saturday night was enjoyed by all resulting in DFL in both Sunday's races! 2nd overall for the regatta. Full results here
Vice Admirals Cup - 29-31st May
When is match racing not match racing? When there are two TP52s racing under IRC and the normal racing rules. We had really close racing, pre-start dial ups, tacking duels and finishes with only one or two seconds between Panthera and ourselves. The score on the water 5-3 to Cutting Edge but this translated to a 6-2 win for Panthera on handicap. Full results here
RORC Cervantes Trophy - 2nd May
Light winds and sunshine was the forecast. 8-11 knots and sunshine was what we got...very pleasant offshore sailing at the start of May! Using the old TP mainsail we were underpowered beating out of the Solent and rounded Needles Fairway 5 minutes behind John Merricks and Venomous. The reach from here to Le Havre saw wind angles from 95 to 125 and the use of 2A, 1A and 0 kites several times each. John Merricks were overhauled mid channel but as the wind dropped closer to the French coast they got seperation to leeward in more pressure to retake the lead. A total shut down off Le Havre gave a tense finish with John Merricks getting to the new pressure first and winning by 5 minutes. Finished 2nd in Class Super Zero but with the wind filling in from behind 70th overall. Full results here
Warsash Series Big Boat - 25/26th April
Great fun, with a 1,1,1,10,1 over the two days leaving us clear cut winners of the Warsash Spring Series Big Boat class on 20 points (no discards) with second place Panacea on 41. Despite only sailing 4 of the 8 race main series we were 4th in class 1 of the 30 entries. Full results here
Warsash Series Big Boat - 4/5th April The new season started as old one had ended with 2,1,1,1,1 over the two days. Andy Beadsworth provided some great input that left everyone fired up for the season ahead. Full results here
The new season started as old one had ended with 2,1,1,1,1 over the two days. Andy Beadsworth provided some great input that left everyone fired up for the season ahead. Full results here