Greenland on fire in difficult conditions

A report from the latest round of the JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge match racing series

The second qualifier for the JPMorgan Asset Management Winter Challenge Match racing Series took place this weekend at Queen Mary Sailing Club, Staines. Sailors representing France and Sweden along with Great Britain were competing.

The round robin started in strong 20 knot winds with thunderstorms and heavy rain pounding the fleet of RYA J/80s. The second flight of the first day had to be abandoned as a 35 knot squall flattened the fleet half way through their races.

West Kirby’s Andrew Cornah came out top in the round robin winning all his matches followed by a strong challenge from London’s John Greenland and his crew of Tim Burny, Charlie Cumbley and Andy Clark. Leading the foreign contingent was Victor Lanier from France.

The squalls continued with uncanny regularity on Sunday causing 70° wind shifts and heavy rain as they passed. The very wet race officials were kept busy changing the course. Once the round robin was completed it was clear there was insufficient time to run a semi-final so it was straight to the final.

Cornah v Greenland sailed off for first place; Archie Massey and Mark Lees raced for third place; with Londoner Christian Hamilton and France’s Lanier competing for fifth place. Lees and Hamilton won their respective sail-offs.

The finals were best of three, first to two points. Greenland had the edge at the start of the first match and led by a boat length at the windward mark. However Cornah and his crew of Andy Bryson, Carl Gibbon, Oscar Helstrom sailed extremely fast up the second beat and took the lead by the next windward mark to win the first match.

In the second match Greenland again won the start and took the lead. Cornah engaged in a tacking duel and looked like he was closing however Greenland stayed calm and took the final to a third race. Greenland went on to win the final race, secure the victory and a place in the grand final on 9-11 March 2007.

At the prize giving Greenland, delighted by his win, had particular praise for the umpires and race team. “The race officials did a fantastic job this weekend. They had to work really hard, despite the dire weather conditions, just to ensure there was a final for us to reach”. He went on to thank JPMorgan Asset Management, Queen Mary Sailing Club, the RYA and Event Director David Campbell-James for organising the series.

The first of the Grade 2 events will be held on 8-10 December and has already attracted a highly competitive field. Seven teams from the top 30 in the open World Match Race Rankings and the Women’s World Match Race Champion, Dorte Jensen (DEN) will be competing.

Overall results
1.John Greenland (GBR), Tim Burny, Charlie Cumbley, Andy Clark
2. Andrew Cornah (GBR), Andy Bryson, Carl Gibbon, Oscar Helstrom
3. Mark Lees (GBR), Nicky Macgregor, Jack Fenwick, Simon Morris, Rachel Wigmore
4. Archie Massey (GBR), Jamie Reid, Jonnie Blackburn, Phil French
5. Christian Hamilton (GBR), Sam Carter, Steph Dawson, Mark Capps, Charlie Osmond
6.Victor Lanier (FRA), Jean Pierre Lical, Julian Kalma, Picales Dore
7. Robbie Allam (GBR), Tom Makey, Adam Richards, Ali Haylet, Matt Pinner
8. Josie Gibson (GBR), Ali Hall, Ali Sutherland, Lizzie Chellew, Nanda Nengerman
9. Jenny Axhede (SWE), Nina Bake Johanna Sarna, Elin Aderman, Annika Carlunger

2006-2007 JP Morgan Asset Management Winter Challenge Dates
Winter Challenge One: 11-12 November 2006, Grade 3
Winter Challenge Two: 25-26 November 2006, Grade 3
Winter Challenge Three: 8-10 December 2006, Grade 2
Winter Challenge Four: 13-14 January 2007, Grade 3
Winter Challenge Five: 27-28 January 2007, Grade 3
Winter Challenge Six: 9-11 February 2007, Grade 2
Women’s Winter Challenge: 23-25 February 2007, Grade 2
Winter Challenge Final: 9-11 March 2007, Grade 2