Round 3: 2016 Cowes Week

RACE VENUE: The Solent

YACHT CLUB: COWES COMBINED CLUBS

06, Aug - 12, Aug, 2016 

Cowes Week was Round 3 of the Fast 40+ Race Circuit. The Fast 40+ boats have their own class start and race sailing the traditional Cowes Week type of courses, extending the east and west areas of The Solent depending on the wind and tides. There is just one race each day of about 3 hours, starting Saturday 6th and ending Friday 12th August.

Girls on Film & Otra Vez celebrate at Cowes Week

12TH AUGUST, 2016

Peter Morton's British Carkeek 40+ Girls on Film has won the inaugural FAST40+ Class at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week. Bill Coates' Texan Ker 43 Otra Vez came from behind to win the last race of the series, securing second place overall, and the prestigious New York Yacht Club Challenge Cup. Sir Keith Mills' British Ker40+ Invictus was third overall and was the winner of the Royal Thames 1840 Trophy.

“It has been a lovely week with good weather, but Cowes Week is a bit long for me at my age!” smiled Girls on Film's Peter Morton. “The racing in the FAST40+ Class is getting better each time we go out, the competition is compressing. At the start of this season, there was a reasonable gap but as the guys have got used to their boats, it is now down to sailing. Jubilee sailed really well today and the whole class can have their moments. If they can sail well some of the time, they can sail well all of the time. You have got to get off the line, and avoid the odd mistake or gear failure, that is what it is all about - it's as simple as that.

This year Cowes week has given us some really good courses but  I would like to see more consistency, that would come from talking with the class more. Having seen what the competition is like this week, we have the One Ton Cup in September and I have won the Quarter Ton Cup, the Half Ton Cup and the Three Quarter Ton Cup and been second in the One Ton Cup twice in Indulgence, so yes it would be very appealing to win the big one.”

Glorious sunshine provided a sensational finale to racing at Cowes Week for the FAST40+ Class. A light breeze of ten knots from the southwest, developed into a westerly sea breeze, touching twenty knots by the end of the 22 mile race in the Eastern and Central Solent. Otra Vez and Girls on Film have shown good speed upwind and with the majority of the course on the breeze, the advantage was paramount in their performance. Sir Keith Mills' Ker40+ Invictus had found a short-term solution to their backstay issue but without the ability to fully power up the boat upwind, the laid course was not to their advantage. Tony Dickin's British GP42 sailed an extremely good race, and their performance was rewarded with their first podium finish, lifting the team to sixth overall, just a point behind Mike Bartholomew's South African GP42 Tokoloshe.

“This is my first Cowes Week, and to be honest I had no idea how important these two trophies were but now I fully appreciate the importance and to win both the Britannia Cup and the New York Yacht Club Challenge Cup is extra-ordinary.” commented Otra Vez's Bill Coates.  “I thought we had blown it at the start of the race today. In the light conditions, we were late to the line and had to take every stern but by the first bottom mark, the team had done a great job and we got back to second behind Girls on Film. There was never more than a few boats lengths between us after that, a real fight for over two hours and that has how it has been all week. The atmosphere off the water is like no other regatta I have been to; the whole of Cowes gets involved with thousands of people enjoying the occasion, it is a real carnival atmosphere.”

“The FAST40+ Class is a massive leap up from a J/109, it has been a big learning curve this year.” commented Jubilee's Tony Dickin. “We were looking for the next challenge, we had done well in the J/109 and we enjoyed sailing in that fleet but it was time for the team to take a step up and learn something new. Every team in this fleet is really good, the margins are really fine; one mistake and you lose places and from that perspective, every boat can have its day. We have had a good day today and if one or two things had gone our way, we would have got the win. We have more we can get out of the boat and whilst the team are getting better and better, there are still things that we can finesse, so we can improve. The team will definitely be going for a beer tonight as there is no sailing tomorrow, I am sure there will be a party atmosphere.”

The FAST40+ Race Circuit continues with the prestigious One Ton Cup  to be hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club, Hamble between 16-18th September 2016. The One Ton Cup is steeped in history and reputation in the world of yacht racing. Created by the Cercle de la Voile de Paris (Paris Yacht Club) back in 1899. Hamble Yacht Services who will be the Presenting Partner for the event.

POS


Team R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 Total
1 UK Girls On Film 1.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 11
2 USA Otra Vez 0.0 5.0 3.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 13
3 UK Invictus 2.0 1.0 2.0 2.0 0.0 3.0 4.0 14
4 UK Pace 3.0 4.0 5.0 5.0 1.0 0.0 14.0 32
5 UK Jubilee 4.0 0.0 9.0 6.0 4.0 7.0 3.0 33
6 South Africa Tokoloshe 6.0 3.0 7.0 7.0 5.0 8.0 0.0 36
7 Ireland Antix 0.0 10.0 4.0 4.0 10.0 6.0 6.0 40
8 Scotland Zephyr 8.0 7.0 0.0 8.0 9.0 4.0 5.0 41
9 New Zealand 42 South 5.0 6.0 10.0 0.0 7.0 11.0 8.0 47
10 UK Rebellion 0.0 11.0 8.0 10.0 8.0 5.0 7.0 49
11 UK INO 0.0 8.0 11.0 11.0 6.0 9.0 9.0 54
12 UK Keronimo 12.0 0.0 6.0 9.0 11.0 10.0 14.0 62
13 UK Magnum 7.0 0.0 14.0 14.0 14.0 14.0 14.0 77



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