IRC Nationals 2011

James Knight

With eight bullets in eight races, Peter Rutter and the crew of the North Sails powered Grand Soleil 43, Quokka 8, comfortably secured the 2011 IRC National Championship title as well as victory within IRC 2.
Matters were made no easier for the crew after Quokka 8’s skipper unwisely chose light and moderate weather kites for this regatta, which has typically seen the wind rarely drop below 20 knots. Rutter paid his respects to the RORC race committee for laying on a good series, also admitted that being one of the fastest boats in Class 2 also helped.One of the favourites in IRC1, Jonathan Goring’s new North Sails powered Ker 40, Keronimo, put this to the test today when on the final run of the second and final race, she was nailed by a squall, causing her to re-enact the famous pitchpole of Silk II. Keronimo teetered in her pitchpoled position for what seemed like 10 seconds, her bow buried so deeply into the water that the instrument displays on her mast were submerged, until eventually the fitting at the end of her bowsprit exploded and the chute roared aft destroying all the stanchions along her starboard side.

Victory in the hard fought IRC 1 was deservedly scooped up by the winner of both today’s two races, Piet Vroon’s North Sails powered Ker 46 Tonnerre de Breskens 3, also winner of the Jackdaw Trophy for coming second overall under IRC. Anthony O’Leary’s North Sails powered Antix finished just a point adrift in second in IRC 1, ahead of third placed Keronimo.

Another equally unusual incident occurred prior to the start of today’s first race on board Peter Morton’s MAT 1010, one of the contenders in IRC 3, when her port cabintop window imploded. The exact reasons for this remain a mystery but Morton believes the window was weakened by a barber hauler block repeatedly rapping against it and broken terminally when the weight of one of the crew was applied to it. In the brisk conditions they were forced to retire.
IRC 4 saw Adam Gosling’s North Sails powered Corby 30 Yes! claim two bullets to win their class overall.

Results

IRC Zero
1 GBR528R Pace TP 52 – North Sails
2 GBR521R Bob Farr 52 – North Sails

IRC One
1 NED46 Tonnerre de Breskens 3 – North Sails
2 IRL3939 Antix Ker 39 – North Sails
3 GBR6889R Keronimo Ker 40 – North Sails
4 DEN44 Xs Moment XP 44 – North Sails
5 GBR5940R Tokoloshe King 40 – North Sails
6 GBR46N Antilope – North Sails
8 GBR95R Dark & Steamy DK 46
IRC 2
1 GBR2215L Quokka 8 Grand Soleil 43 – North Sails
2 GBR704R Tradition Philosophie IV – North Sails
4 GBR7737 Impetuous Corby 37 – North Sails
5 GBR7383R Visit Malta Puma Reflex 38 – North Sails

IRC 3
1 GBR1405R Elaine Elan 37 – North Sails
4 GBR979R Malice HOD 35 – North Sails
5 GBR1010N Mat 1010 – North Sails

IRC 4
1 GBR3033L Yes! Corby 30 – North Sails