REGATTAS
SUCCESS FOR UK SPIRIT FLEET AT SUMMER REGATTAS
With the return of the famous Admiral’s Cup, SailGP drawing huge crowds in Portsmouth, and it is a Fastnet year, the south coast of the UK is a fantastic place to be this summer if you are a sailing fan.
So far this summer, Spirit yachts have competed in high profile British regattas including the Royal Thames Yacht Club 250th anniversary regatta, the Taittinger regatta, and British Classic Week.
All hosted in the Solent (the stretch of water between the Isle of Wight and mainland England), these regattas have attracted some of the best sailors in the UK and further afield.
In June, the Royal Thames Yacht Club hosted a regatta as part of its 250th anniversary celebrations. Founded in 1775, the Royal Thames Yacht Club is one of the oldest yacht clubs in the world.
Racing in the Classics Cruisers fleet in a four-race series, Spirit R52 Oui Fling took the class win, with Spirit C72 Gwenhyfar II second in class.
In July, three Spirit yachts travelled to Yarmouth in the west of the Isle of Wight for the Royal Solent Yacht Club’s annual Taittinger Regatta.
Racing in feisty conditions (Saturday saw consistent 30+ knots and a lively wind against tide sea state) the Spirits were up against tough competition. After three races, Spirit R52 Flight of Durgan, fresh from a winter refit at Spirit Yachts, placed second in IRC Class 1 in a class of 19 modern GRP yachts, many of which were highly optimised and professionally crewed.
Spirit C72 Gwenhyfar II continued her successful season and won the Classic Cruiser class. Despite the challenging conditions for a yacht with a low freeboard, Spirit R30 Lady Elena completed all three races in the series and placed 6th in class.
Owner of Gwenhyfar II commented, “None of us are professionals, we are just a good bunch of guys from Guernsey. We have a good laugh onboard and we have great camaraderie, but we take the racing seriously.”
From Yarmouth, it was on to Cowes, the UK’s historic home of yacht racing, for British Classic Week – the leading classic yacht regatta in Great Britain. Seven Spirits were competing, from a Spirit R30 up to a C72, in a varied programme of races. The five-race series included a 50nm race around the Isle of Wight, with the same clockwise course around the island as the first America’s Cup race on 22nd August, 1851.
After a week of champagne sailing conditions, Spirit R52 Happy Forever won Class 1 and the BCYC Yacht of the Week trophy. Following some tightly contested racing, Happy Forever was followed closely in second place in Class 1 by Flight of Durgan.
Spirit Yachts Marketing Director Helen Porter was sailing at all three events and commented, “It has been a spectacular few weeks of sailing for the Spirits in home waters. Racing alongside yachts ranging from 1890s classics steeped in history to modern race boats with pro crews, the Spirits secured brilliant results – and most importantly they’ve had a great time doing it!”
Photos: Luke Dorey / Volano Media
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