Record entry

56 entered for this weekend's UK based J-Cup

A record entry of 56 boats (which includes a fleet of 26 J/109s) will be competing on the Solent in the 2006 J-Cup this coming weekend. The event is being hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club in Hamble and the event sponsors are B&G, Dubarry, Bolle and North Sails. Racing will take place from Thursday through to Saturday and in addition to the tight and competitive racing an extremely energetic social programme is planned for the event.

Racing will take place in four classes and all models from the J Boats range are invited to compete at the event. The 26 J/109s in attendance will be racing according to their strict Class One-Design Rules and are competing for their 2007 UK National Championship title. This is by far the largest regatta turnout of J/109s anywhere in the world so far; an astonishing testament to the success of this 36 footer and to the close and competitive racing for which this young Class is renowned.

In the J/109 Class, the favourite has to be Zelda, the J/109 of Ben Richards and Michael Ewart-Smith. Not only is Zelda is the defending National Champion but the team are also fresh and fast following a convincing One-Design Class win at Skandia Cowes Week. However, Zelda will have her work cut out; whilst the J/109 Class Rules limit the number of professional (category 3) sailors that are allowed to race on the boat, the superb sport that can be found in this class is a huge pull for our top UK sailors and there will be some serious talent racing J/109s on the Solent this weekend.

The J/105s will also be racing in Class according to their One-Design Class Rules and the clever money is on Shaun ‘Spud’ Murphy and his team racing Slingshot. With the 2006 J/105 National Championship title under his belt, in addition to the RORC 2006 Double Handed Series, Shaun and Slingshot are clearly slippery and fast at the moment. That said, they are by no means unbeatable and the racing in the J/105 Class is always close.

Kevin Sproul holds the current J-Cup Trophy, which he won last year in his J/80. He will be racing again this year but will have his work cut out. Quite simply, the competition is hotter and more plentiful this year than ever before and Sproul is not likely to have things all his own way.

Of the big boats, the J/120s and the J/133s are all set for a full-on showdown. Ian Matthew’s J/120 Jinja (class winner for the last two years) and Stewart Hawthorn’s J/133 Jump (B&G Prize-winner and 2004 J-Cup Champion) will be head to head in the same Class along with three other J/120s and three other J/133s.

Racing starts on Thursday 17th of August and the entry list is still open.

Entries so far:

Boat Name	Owner	Model
Wild Child	Jason Rolf	J 105
Fay J	Paul Griffiths	J 105
True Love	Paul Hooker	J 105
Just Aquaholix	Debbie Hall, Joanna Finn & Siobhan Hayes	J 105
Journeymaker 5	Chris Jones	J 105
J-Dream	David & Kirsty Abthorpe	J 105
Diablo-J	Nick Martin	J 105
Panther	Andrew Tristram	J 105
Jeez-Louise	Jamie Arnell	J 109
Batfish	Bill Blain	J 109
Zelda	Ben Richards & Michael Ewart Smith	J 109
Wow	Tony Cross	J 109
Jangada Too	Richard Palmer	J 109
J2Eau	Steve & Jody Maine	J 109
Red Arrow	Jorg Lobbedey	J 109
Jura	Kevin Moll	J 109
Shiva	Matthew Boyle	J 109
Jumping Jellyfish	Jason Eker	J 109
Jahmali	Mike & Sarah Wallis	J 109
Jacob's Ladder	David Hunt	J 109
Jugular	John Pickles & Sandra Beverage	J 109
Firestorm	Philip Smith	J 109
Offbeat	David McLeman	J 109
Johnny Blue II	Chas Ivill	J 109
Beth	Guy Knight	J 109
Jambo	Kate Buckingham & Nick Fry	J 109
Jalapeno	Nigel Brooke	J 109
Jo Jo Gunne	Richard Creer	J 109
Basic Instinct	Shaun Curran	J 109
Me Julie	James George	J 109
Aria	Luca Rubinelli	J 109
Newton's Wonder	Peter Bresnan	J 109
Jumunu	Alisatair Ray	J 109
High Tension	Andrew Given	J 109
Oojah	Peter Tanner	J 110
J'Ouvert	Jonathan Webb	J 120
Jinja	Ian Matthews	J 120
Trion	Tony O' Toolle	J 120
Quicksilver VI	Graham Hall	J 133
Jump	Stewart Hawthorne	J 133
Jacana	David Munro	J 133
Jellina	Mark Lloyd	J 133
Jin Palace	Pippa Sullivan	J 80
Jane	Kevin Sproule	J 80
Savage Sailing Team	Liz Savage	J 80
Jura	Robert Napier & Helen Foster	J 80
Just Chilling	Stephen Chiverton	J 80
Jevan	Rob Fox	J 80
Forza!	Andy Dennis	J 92
Neilson Redeye	Pete & Pip Tyler	J 92
J'Ronimo	Charlie Wise & Phil Thomas (D Greenhalgh)	J 92
Nebulas	Robert Garlick & Mike Franklin	J 92
Just Enough	Andy Hill	J 92
Just In Time	Andrew Roberts & Steve Etheridge	J 92 S
Dragonfly	Luke Bond	J 92 S
Solan Goose	Peter Olden	J 92s