Interest swelling

Entries from afar afield as Russia and New Zealand to compete in Coutts Quarter Ton Cup

The Notice of Race and Entry Form for the 2011 Coutts Quarter Ton Cup, to be hosted by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Cowes, from 11-13 July 2011, are now available online here.

This seventh edition of the revived Coutts Quarter Ton Cup will feature for the first time a Quarter Ton crew from Russia, led by skipper Dimitry Borodin from St Petersburg. Dimitry and his team race Quarter Tonners in Russia but will be chartering a J Faroux designed 1979 1/4 Ton Cup winner Bullit for this event as there isn't sufficient time for them to ship their own boat back to Russia for their local championship which follows hot on the heels of the Coutts Quarter Ton Cup. The crews' visas have just been issued, their accommodation is booked and the fleet is very much looking forward to welcoming their first competitor from behind the former Iron Curtain.

Travelling even further to race will be the New Zealand crew of Black Fun, owned by Jamie McDowell and Brett Linton from Wellington. Black Fun, a 1976 Lawrie Davidson design, is shipping to the UK especially for the event following a recent full restoration.

Other international teams already confirmed include Pierre Paris and his crew from France racing a Tony Castro one-off called Penguin. The Irish will be well represented this year with Eamonn Rohan, the new owner of 2009 Coutts Quarter Ton Cup winner Anchor Challenge, and George Kenefick and his young team from Crosshaven sailing Tiger, among those expected to cross the Irish Sea for the event. Also expected is Berry Aarts from the Netherlands sailing The Itch, a 1979 A Mohnhaupt design.

Of course many of the usual faces will be in attendance including Ian Southworth racing Whiskers, Olly Ophaus and Darren Marston's Cote, Graydon Dawson's Diamond, Louise Morton and her all girl crew aboard Espada, Tony Thackray and Matt Clarke's Lancelot, Tim Rees and Derek and James Moreland's Menace, Jan Thirkettle's Olivia Anne V1, Purple Haze now owned by Adrian Bishop from Plymouth, Paul Kelsey's Runaway Bus and Richard and Anna Thomas's Sgt. Pepper - to name but a few. The Quarter Ton Cup couldn't possibly go ahead without a few familiar faces who have been around since the reformation of the class. Jim and George Webb will be sailing on Mike Till and Howard Sellars' Bullet. After years of restoration, it will be good to see Tony Newberry on his Gibsea Plus turn out for the event.

Two familiar faces who will be pairing up in a Quarter Tonner for the first time in almost 30 years will be Peter Morton and Paul Treliving who will jointly race Paul's legendary Odd Job together. The pair originally shared Odd Job back in the 1980s when their list of victories in the boat included the Gold Roman Bowl for the overall winner of the Round The Island Race.

This year, there will be a new trophy awarded to those boats who have all ISAF Cat 1 sailors on board, ie. amateurs. The Corinthian Trophy, kindly donated by the RCYC. In order to qualify all members of a crew have to complete an ISAF Sailor Classification.

As always the regatta will combine fast and furious competition on the water with a fun social programme ashore. Afloat PRO Robert Lamb will officiate with racing being run under IRC to enable boats of all three iterations of the Quarter Ton Rule to take part. Apres sailing the camaraderie of this event is one of its great attractions and the owners love nothing more than a chance to check out each other's boats and exchange restoration and sailing stories in the bar. Each evening there will be post racing social events at the Royal Corinthian's Cowes clubhouse and this year the infamous Coutts Quarter Ton Cup Gala dinner will be held on Tuesday 12 July.

Revived Coutts Quarter Ton Cup Winners
 
2005 - Purple Haze (1977 David Thomas design) - Tony Dodd
2006 - Enigma - (1977 Ed Dubois design) - Ed Dubois
2007 - Espada - (1980 Bruce Farr design) - Peter Morton
2008 - Tom Bombadil (1982 Doug Peterson design) - Chris Frost & Kevin George
2009 - Anchor Challenge (1978 Bruce Farr design) - Peter Morton
2010 - Cote (1990 Gonzalez design) - Darren Marston & Olly Ophaus