Race Director wins

Peter Olden wins the Solo Channel Week

13 yachts started this year’s 315 mile Solo Channel Week. The course - Lymington–St Peter Port–St Cast–St Quay–Treguier–Weymouth–Lymington was particularly testing with the first leg finishing in well over 25 knots of wind, rain and poor visibility after a tiring night sail.

The second leg to St Cast was cancelled owing to full gale forecast and legs three and four were also sailed in over 20 knots. Tee shirts and shorts not required.

Solan Goose won the week overall taking two wins and four seconds overall once more proving the skills and preparation by its skipper (also Race Director) Peter Olden.

Last year’s Channel Week overall winner Paddy Cronin was less fortunate having won the first leg HOD 35 Psipsina broke a D2 on the second leg and despite efforts to repair and re-join, Psipsina needed a proper new rod rigging section. With the Rolex Fastnet Race coming up, the only option was a long motor home.

At the front Ding Dong - Stewart 37 and the J/122 Jbellino once more fought for line honours. Chris Rustom’s Ding Dong finishing the series a creditable second overall, winning the day race at St Quay – the old man again showing the boys how to do it!

During the later part of the week in less wind Mike Saqui’s Elan 333 Edith and Herve Dupriez’s Beneteau 31.7 Penrod each won a leg overall under IRC. Nigel Colley with his Sunfast 3200 Fastrak VIII managed to stay ahead of his previous Sunfast 3200 Roxanne sailed by Simon Mitchell who battled all week with Carl Wilcox on the much travelled J/105 Juneau.

Barry Hurley, back again from Dublin with his JOD 35 Dinah, was reliably near the front, aided by water ballast in the predominantly upwind conditions to take a solid third overall in the series.

The well deserved Rookie Trophy went to Myles Perrin on Capo 30 Santana – welcome to Solo Offshore!

With very close racing all week and some great nights out we thank all ports visited who all were a tremendous help to the solo fleet and Kirsteen Donaldson and David Giddings - race officers who after starting races chased us round most legs with X332 Pyxis.

Overall IRC
1. Peter Olden - A35, Solan Goose
2. Chris Rustom - Stewart 37, Ding Dong
3. Barry Hurley - JOD35, Dinah

Class 1
1. Peter Olden - A35, Solan Goose
2. Chris Rustom - Stewart 37, Ding Dong
3. Rob Craigie - J/122, Jbellino

Class 2
1. Barry Hurley - JOD35, Dinah
2. Nigel Colley - Sunfast 3200, Fastrak VIII
3. Carl Wilcox - J/105, Juneau

Class 3
1. Mike Saqui - Elan 333, Edith
2. Herve Dupriez - Beneteau 31.7, Penrod
3. Myles Perrin - Capo 30, Santana

Rookie Prize: Myles Perrin - Capo 30, Santana

Team prize 'Team Lymington: Ding Dong - Fastrak VIII, Edith