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Rolex Commodores' Cup draws South Africa
There are only a few weeks to the close of entries at this year's Rolex Commodores' Cup. Whilst most teams have finalized their boats and crews, others are still engaged in discussions to determine their line-ups. For all teams, both settled and prospective, certain things are set in stone. Most importantly there must be three boats, one in each of the stipulated rating bands, and, all teams must be on the starting grid for the first race on Sunday, 15 August. At present, organisers', the Royal Ocean Racing Club are expecting 11 teams representing France, Ireland, Hong Kong, South Africa and the United Kingdom to contest the international trophy.
The shaping field looks to be as competitive as ever. The sea battles that have been fought in recent weeks off the coasts of France and Ireland, and, of course, on the event venue waters of the Solent suggest that a no quarter given epic is in the making.
Neutrals, with an eye for the outsider, are likely to follow the progress of the South African team over the course of the Rolex Commodores' Cup. 2010 marks the first time a team from the world's second largest continent has participated. As with Hong Kong's presence in 2008, for this to happen a number of stars have had to be in alignment.
According to Mike Bartholomew, skipper of the team's Class 2 yacht, the King 40 Tokoloshe, "it was Eddie Warden Owen from the RORC who actually suggested to Rick Nankin and myself that we should consider putting a South African team together. The whole thing really just grew from there. We approached two others we knew well, Phil Gutschi and Rick Garratt, to see if they could join the party. Both were enthusiastic from the word go." Gutschi owns the Landmark 43, Windpower, to be skippered by Nankin in Class 1, and Garratt has chartered the J-109, Zelda, to be skippered by Dave Hudson in Class 3.
Rolex Commodores' Cup: RYA Press Release
RYA Team GBR Red and White teams announced for Rolex Commodores' Cup
After careful consideration and in depth discussions with boat owners and crews, the RYA has announced which entries will make up two of the four potential GBR teams who will compete at the 2010 Rolex Commodores' Cup in August.
As in 2008, RYA Team GBR can enter four teams in the event, with each team comprising one boat in three specified IRC class Rating bands. The RYA is aiming to select four teams from the UK naming them, Team GBR Red, Blue, White and Black.
The Brits will be going into the cup as defending champions, with GBR Red holding the 2008 title, and the RYA's selectors have taken care to ensure the best possible combination of boats and crews have been put together for the first teams announced; the country's best two prospects for defending the cup.
GBR Red will comprise White Heat (King 40, Class One), Quokka 8 (Grand Soleil 43, Class Two) and Premier Flair (Elan 410, Class Three). GBR White's lineup is; Alice II (Farr 45, Class One), La Reponse (Beneteau First 40, Class Two) and No Chance (Beneteau First 35, Class Three).
Rolex Commodores' Cup shaping up to be International Affair
Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK:
With three months to go to the 10th edition of the biennial Rolex Commodores' Cup, the international fleet has every prospect of being one of the more exotic in recent events. A noteworthy success in these straightened times. The headline foreign contingent is perhaps South Africa, participating at the regatta for the first time. Hong Kong has confirmed it will be back following its happy venture in 2008. Thereafter, the northern European teams – Ireland, France and the United Kingdom - that are the traditional backbone of the event - will be present in numbers. Organisers, the Royal Ocean Racing Club, anticipate a total of 12 teams. Racing is from 15 to 21 August, with close of entry on 12 July.
The Rolex Commodores' Cup is a weeklong series mixing inshore racing on the waters in and around The Solent, the body of water separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland United Kingdom, with an offshore course that takes the fleet out into The English Channel and a course round the Isle of Wight. All of the racing is typified by one thing. Comprehensive knowledge of the tides and currents affecting these areas is essential. Furthermore, it has been proved time and again that is not just the team with the best boats or the best sailors that wins. It the team that is the best prepared in all aspects.
Take the Hong Kong team, led by Jamie McWilliam. Having finished fifth overall in 2008, surprising many of the more seasoned campaigners in the process, McWilliam and his teammates were resolute in their determination to return. Not just to participate, mind you, but to have a crack at winning. "In 2008 we arrived with a crew that had trained hard but which had never seen the boats before the regatta, as they were either charters or brand new. This meant that we spent quite a bit of important time just before the event working on the boats instead of working on our speed, and as a result we were still learning about the boats during the series. Our team this time was determined to avoid that mistake," comments McWilliam, explaining that this time, "all the boats are owned by Hong Kong owners and we therefore have much more time [to prepare]. Our full team will be at the UK IRC Nationals in late June and we are scheduling other weekends over the summer for the boats to have new sail trials."
Read more: Rolex Commodores' Cup shaping up to be International Affair
Rolex Commodores' Cup: RYA Press Release
Rolex Commodores' Cup door remains open for Class one entries as selection trials kick off for RYA Team GBR
The RYA is putting a final call out for Class one entries for RYA Team GBR, the team set to compete at the 2010 Rolex Commodores' Cup, as the selection trials for Class two and three entries for the team get underway this weekend (April 24-25) at the closing event of the Warsash SC Spring Series.
As in 2008, RYA Team GBR can enter four teams in the event, with each team comprising one boat in three specified IRC class Rating bands. This year the RYA is aiming to select three teams from the South and one from the North of the UK naming them, Team GBR Red, Blue, White and Black.
Looking to sign up more Class one entries, the RYA is holding open the door to interested parties making an exception to the selection trials allowing for any final Class one entries. Chair of Selectors Roger Wilson explains: "We are delighted with the response we've had to our call for entries to the trials and our Class two and three prospects for 2010's Team look to be in good shape. However we are still looking for two more Class one boats, even if they are unable to take part in the present trial races."
Notice of Race
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Notice of Race in PDF Format 269.71 Kb 08/03/2010, 05:54
RORC announces a change to the class bands for the 2010 Rolex Commodores' Cup
The Royal Ocean racing Club today announced a change to the class rating bands for the 2010 Rolex Commodores' Cup. The lower limit of Class 1 has been lowered by 10 points from 1.120 to 1.110. The rating bands for classes 2 and 3 remain unchanged.
Eddie Warden Owen, RORC CEO, explained the thinking behind the change: "We have become aware that many countries have struggled to find competitive Class 1 boats and by lowering the bottom rating limit of Class 1 and creating an overlap between classes 1 and 2 I am sure it will help countries select competitive teams."
"Interest in the event continues to grow from all over the world," explained Eddie. "America, Scandinavia, the Baltic, Germany and South Africa are all assembling competitive teams as IRC continues to grow worldwide."
The pre-notice of race has been altered as follows:
BOAT/TEAM ELIGIBILITY: A team shall consist of three boats, one from each of the following rating bands: -
Class 1 1.110 – 1.230 DLR not exceeding 200
Class 2 1.075 – 1.119 DLR not exceeding 200
Class 3 1.025 – 1.074 DLR not exceeding 215
DLR = Displacement Length Ratio
CHALLENGES: (which need not identify the boats) shall be lodged by a Member National Authority. RORC shall have the discretion to accept a Challenge or Challenges from two or three Member National Authorities in combination, with the intention that any such team is representative of an identifiable region (e.g. Scandinavia).
NATIONALITY: At least 50% (rounded up e.g. a crew of 9 = 5) of the crew of each boat on board in any race shall comprise individuals who are Nationals of the country of the relevant team or individuals who have since 1 August 2009 had their principal residence in that country or individuals who were born in that country.
SAILOR CLASSIFICATION CODE: ISAF Regulation 22, Sailor Classification Code, shall apply
(a) Crew Limitations
The crew of each boat shall include no more than:
For Class 1: two Group 3 sailors
For Class 2: one Group 3 sailor
For Class 3: one Group 3 sailor
The full Notice of Race will be published in January 2010.
Advance Notice of the 2010 Rolex Commodores' Cup
Race Date: Sunday 15th – Saturday 21st August 2010
The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), together with Rolex, is delighted to announce details for the 2010 Rolex Commodores’ Cup to be held in Cowes, Isle of Wight between Sunday 15th and Saturday 21st August 2010.
This tough mix of inshore and offshore races will be compacted into a challenging 7 day racing schedule on the testing waters in and around the Solent. As in 2008, the handicap system will be IRC (Endorsed) and there will be three rating bands.
The international teams will consist of three boats, with one boat from each of the following Bands:
Class 1, TCC 1.120 - 1.230, maximum DLR (Displacement Length Ratio) 200
Class 2, TCC 1.075 - 1.119, maximumDLR 200
Class 3, TCC 1.025 - 1.074, maximumDLR 215
Note: the RORC reserves the right to change the rating bands slightly in the light of any changes to the IRC Rule. It is not intended to change the range of eligible boats.
Within these Bands, each boat must also comply with STIX and AVS (Safety and Stability Indices) requirements.
The three bands proved successful in 2008. These remain the same for 2010. This will promote close racing on the water, whilst still ensuring competing teams have a sufficiently large pool of yachts from which to choose.
The Plan Comes Together for GBR Red
While the GBR Red team started the final day of the Rolex Commodores' Cup with a comfortable lead, a double points scoring final race combined with a front passing over the Solent bringing with it solid 30 knot winds, even stronger gusts, rain and terrible visibility maintained the tension until the very last moments of the competition.
In the end John Shepherd's big boat, Fair Do's VII made it around the race course cleanly to post a second place behind Anthony O'Leary's Antix Eile in Ireland White, while the two smaller GBR Red boats, Jerry Otter's Erivale III and Peter Rutter's Quokka 7 had a much harder time in their classes, the mid-boat finishing ninth and the small boat coming home fourth. But overall the results were good enough for GBR Red to win the 2008 Rolex Commodores' Cup comfortably, on 122 points with the two Irish teams White and Green on 144 and 161 respectively, pulling ahead of France Blue today, the defending champions dropping to fourth on 166.5.
GBR Red Tightens the Screw
Strong winds at the Rolex Commodores' Cup led to a change of course from the planned round the island race to a 35 mile course down the Solent and around Hayling Bay, keeping the fleet out of the worst of the winds. GBR Red took the opportunity to post their most impressive performance of the Rolex Commodores' Cup with all three of their boats winning their respective classes. Having led by ten points going into today's race, GBR Red have delivered a near terminal blow over the other teams, and now hold a 32.5 point lead over defending champions France Blue going into tomorrow's final race.
"Obviously we are all very very pleased. It's been a lot of hard work," commented Peter Rutter, skipper of GBR Red's Class Three boat Quokka 7.
Today's race was scheduled to be a clockwise lap of the Isle of Wight. However, with near gale force winds blowing on the south side of the island and the potential for severe wave conditions off the island's southernmost tip, St Catherines Point, the Rolex Commodores' Cup race committee chose to instead send the 45 boat fleet eastward down the Solent and in the lee of the island.
The Pressure Cooker Starts to Boil
Day five of the Rolex Commodores' Cup 2008 and the 45 competitors and their 15 teams found themselves challenged by a new course format. Today's single race was around a variety of marks in the central and eastern Solent, sailed in an awkward southeasterly breeze of around 12 knots.
In Class One John Shepherd's Fair Do's VII led around the race course as usual, but behind her at the weather mark was the surprising sight of John Dean's Poppy of Portland Marina, one of the slower of the big boats, hot on her heels in second place.
"We made a reasonable start and went off towards the island shore and that seemed to be the thing to do," recounted Dean modestly. "We reckoned there was a tidal advantage and the wind was a bit better that way."
Poppy of Portland Marina is a new boat for Dean this year and a sistership to Rolex Commodores' Cup defending champion Géry Trentesaux's highly successful Lady Courrier. Having earned herself such a good place so early on in the race, Dean and his Poole-based team defended well and it was only around two thirds of the way into the race that they were passed. "We didn't make too many mistakes today. We were ahead of Dark & Steamy which pleased us," continued Dean, referring to Nick and Anne Haigh's big boat in GBR Black. The unusual name of the boat relates to the new marina (next door to the 2012 Olympic sailing venue) which Dean's company is developing.
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Race Date
Rolex Commodores' Cup 2010
Start:
Saturday 14th August 2010
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