(Yarmouth, England)- The 2011 J/105 UK National Championship took place
as part of the Taittinger Royal Solent Yacht Club Regatta in Yarmouth
over the weekend of the 20th and 21st of August. Five races were
scheduled for the weekend with games due to commence on Saturday
morning, and a wise J/105 fleet, cognicsent of the rather generous
champagne sponsor, decended on the Royal Solent Yacht Club on Friday
night, for some serious race preparations and, of course, the Taittinger
Reception.The first three races of the Championship were sailed on Saturday in a very light and extraordinarily shifty breeze from 4 to 12 knots. The Committee Boat was anchored off Lymington and was delighted to welcome an extra J/105 to the fleet just 30 minutes ahead of the first warning signal: James Heald’s Flawless J raced from the Fastnet finish (double-handed division of course) straight to the startline of the National Championship! Races 1 and 3 belonged to William Newton’s Jelly Baby, a team from Lymington so racing here in her ‘home’ waters. Another local helm, Malcolm Thorpe of Yarmouth racing King Louie won the second race of the day. The chat at the Class Dinner on Saturday night was all about the benefit of local knowledge and the fastest way to cure a Champagne hangover!
Professor Roger Williams racing Jos of Hamble clearly kept himself and his family crew ‘nice’ on Saturday night and stole the first bullet of the day on Sunday morning in Race 4. Professor Williams has been racing J Boats for many years and clever tactics coupled with good crew work keep him out at the front of the fleet. Race 5 was won by James Heald, fresh from the Fastnet.
So five races, four different winners and some really close and exciting racing, meaning that just one point separated the first four boats in the fleet as the J/105 UK National Championship drew to a close on Sunday afternoon! After several re-counts, copious checking of discards, count-backs and of the final points scores, William Newton’s team on Jelly Baby emerged as the new J/105 UK National Champions. Jos of Hamble was second and King Louie was third. All in all, a great regatta, in a beautiful venue and with a superbly generous sponsor: Team Jelly Baby were presented with a magnum of Taittinger Champagne to accompany the J/105 UK National Championship Trophy. For more J/105 Taittinger UK Nationals sailing information
