IRM at Cowes Week

The Grand Prix boat fleet to have its own three day mini-series starting tomorrow

The initiative pushed by the IRM Class Association to give the top flight IRM racers a mini series of their own at Skandia Cowes Week has been rewarded with a top class entry which comprises probably the hottest race fleet of its kind seen at the event for a number of years. With 18 grand prix boats set to take the start line on Saturday including two Farr 52s and no fewer than seven Euro Prix 45s, two Farr 40s and three Ker 11.3s the fleet includes some of the best talent around, set to contest the three day series.

Activity in the Euro Prix 45 fleet (nee Corel/IC45) is growing as the Timberland-sponsored round Europe grand prix, which is due to take place next year, takes shape and form. One of the event's founders, Olympic yachtsman Ed Leask, has nailed his colours to the mast by chartering a Euro Prix 45 for Cowes. With Team NZ's
Cameron Appleton steering supported by ex OneWorld'ers, navigator Mark Chisnell and Dick Parker trimming, as well as GBR Challenge's Jim Turner and Jonathan Taylor in support, Leask's Euro Prix boats will be a hard act to beat.

Ado Stead is a past IRM class winner at Cowes, aboard Serano with Ben Ainslie in 2001. Stead and some of his key regular crew will be posing a serious threat to the silverware, sailing Victric along with charterer Tony de Mulder.

Glyn Williams and his Wolf crew have just won the Swan 45 North European areas and finished runners up in the Swan European Regatta, but will be back aboard their Euro Prix 45 Wolf on which they won the IRM Class at Ford Cork Week least year, while the French Euro Prix 45 Faster K-Yote is on charter to Irish owner Diurmud Foley and will have an afterguard including 1720 European champion Prof O'Connell and 18ft skiff ace Rob Greenhalgh.

But the tussle among the reborn 45 footers is as likely to favour those in clear air and water ahead and behind. At the Admiral's Cup Peter Harrison's Chernikeeff 2 regularly proved to have a slight edge over Tim Louis and Kit Hobday's Bear of Britain, and as current IRM class UK National Champions Harrison's Chernikeeff 2 must rank as one of the favourites.

At stake, as the class gets due recognition for the first time, is the Delta Trophy. The series prize-giving will take place at 1830 on Monday.

"I think this has all the hallmarks of being a great series. The mood is just a little bit more laid back and frenetic than say the Farr 40 Worlds, and I think everyone is really out to have a good time and enjoy some good racing on the Solent," summarises Mike Richards of Farr's UK boat sales office.

"We are really delighted that our efforts have been repaid so well, and pleased that Skandia and the organisers are putting so much effort into making this one of the focal points of the early part of the Week," comments Steph Merry, who chairs the IRM Class Association and will be sailing on the chartered Ker 11.3 Blue Belle. "I think it is not only good for our members and IRM to be able to showcase what we are about, but of course it also removes a whole strata of grand prix race boats from the IRC fleets which means these domestic divisions return to being the competitive domain of the cruiser-racers, rather than being studded with tooled up race-boats who are there because they do not have a suitable arena provided."