J24 European Championship
September 28, 2006 by Chris McLaughlin | 0 comments
Hedgehog rolls on…
Hedgehog rolls on…
Ian Southworth and his team on Hedgehog dominated racing today at the J24 European championships. Winds of 15 -20 mph gave lively racing with big waves. Two competitors went for involuntary swims and two boats were damaged in collisions. The current European Champion was also granted redress following his rule 62 protest after being black-flagged in the second race.
Race Six and Southworth led from the start to the middle and right of the course, picking the lay line and leading from Falmouth boat, Team Gul and from Stuart Jardine in Stouche. Down the run Stouche and Serco chased hard in surfing conditions, with Dutch J24 champion, Ivo Kok in J Spot making a return to form, after two black flag starts on the opening day in fifth place.
Positions were unchanged over the ninety minute race.
For Race Seven, Al Clarke in Serco had found pace as the breeze strengthened and he was to challenge Southworth throughout the second race. In strong surfing conditions with rolling waves, the two battled both up and downwind, with both boats evenly matched. Serco is also known as Headcase and was the chosen boat for two of J24 legend, Ken Read’s World titles. In third place was Team Gul, enjoying the windy conditions, followed by David Ellis in Hitchhiker. Greig Wilcox in German entry, Rotoman placed fifth.
Race eight and the strongest winds of the day and Al Clarke won the charge to the weather mark, with Shirley Robertson in second place. Robertson had chosen to go with Genoa and did well to hold pace in the difficult steering conditions. Hedgehog rounded third, but on the spinnaker hoist got a wrap which had to be cleared. Al Clarke broke clear, as the three boats surged and rolled down a building sea. Robertson and Southworth fought each other down the run. Southworth took the left hand side of the beat and crossed Robertson toward the top of the beat and closed distance with the leader, Clarke.
A fascinating battle followed, with Southworth choosing a left hand lane down the run. Each wave was worked on as the two boats struggled to break from each other. It was a final push by Southworth that grabbed the finish gun from Al Clarke. Shirley Robertsons took third from Wilcox of Germany and fleet newcomer, Gareth Robertson in J-Whizz.
Said Ian Southworth “ This has been a great days racing. Al Clarke and his team are really great in these conditions and it was fantastic to see Shirley up there in heavy winds. There can be nothing more difficult than stepping into a class with a club boat, a new crew and with all eyes on you”.
Southworth leads the series with eight points from Al Clarke on thirty points and Gavin Watson, Team Gul, on forty three points.
There are four more races scheduled.
