Clarkson Cup

Peter Bateson reports on the Royal Southampton Yacht Club's racing

The Royal Southampton Yacht Club could not have arranged better wind conditions for the Clarkson Cup Regatta. The Saturday racing was blessed with NW 24 to 30 knot winds giving competitors the opportunity to display their strong wind talents. The Sunday NW 7 to 9 knot winds gave a contrast which tested their light air skills.

Competition was fierce at times, particularly around the start line. A number of OCS calls had to be made and two contenders tested out the 5m exclusion zone around the committee boat to their cost. The courses were set out of the main shipping channels which helped to reduce the tidal effects on the competitors.

Class 1 IRC saw Charles Ivill in the J/120 Charley J leading the fleet and taking line honours in the heavier winds of Saturdays 3 races but Peter Cross on the X-362 Little Xtra III took the honours for the day on handicap with Neville Hodkin's X-362 Extra Djinn second and David and Chris Hunt in Jacob's Ladder a J/109 third.

Sunday's lighter breezes allowed Peter Morton in Salvo the Sydney 36 to take the line
honours torch and also first place for the days races on handicap with David and Chris Hunt in Jacob's Ladder taking second and Peter Cross in Little Xtra III third. Peter Cross's consistency paid off and he wins the class 1 series with David and Chris Hunt second and Neville Hodkin third.

Class 2 IRC saw The Flying Fish, the Laser 28, enjoying the heavy winds with Kathy and Rupert Smalley taking line honours in two of the three races. They were definitely on form and won all three of the days races on handicap, with Mike Fawcett's Mustang 30, Hobby Horse taking second and third place going to Stephanie Bateson's First 31.7, Starspray.

Sunday's light breezes favoured another group with Liz and Chris Savage aboard their J/80 Just Savage taking line honours in both races and taking the handicap win for the day. Playgirl, Tony Hanfrey's Etchells and Tsunami, Roger Swinney's Bolero T/R battled it out and Playgirl took second for the day with Tsunami third. Kathy and Rupert Smalleys domination on day 1 gave them the overall win for IRC class 2 with Mike
Fawcett second and Roger Swinney third.

Class 3 Club saw Adrian Barden dominating Saturdays racing aboard his Hunter 707 3 Little Pigs. Adrian took line honours in 2 of the 3 races, 3 race wins on corrected time and the days class victory. Andrew Campbell on Faze 3 the Bavaria 44, took race two line honours and second for the day on handicap, with Roger Townsend's Prism 25 Backchat taking third. Sunday's conditions allowed Backchat to show its true colours and take over the domination finishing the day with Roger Townsend's Prism 25 taking line honours, corrected time wins in both races and handicap win for the day, with 3 Little Pigs second and Edmund Proctor's Begorrah! third. Overall for the series Adrian Barden on 3 Little Pigs took first, with Roger Townsend's Backchat second and Ian Ward on his Moody 29 Bedouin third.