The RORC Nelson’s Cup Series kicked off in spectacular style with high speed action and tight finishes right through the three IRC Classes. Antigua is renowned for some of the world’s best sailing conditions and it was delivered in spades with 20 knots of easterly wind sweeping the race course.
The RORC Race Team assisted by the Antigua Yacht Club set courses off the South Coast of Antigua with all classes completing the scheduled two races. Making full use of the superb racing conditions, the RORC Race team set legs of varying length with a mixture of wind angles.
Congratulations to today’s race winners: Karel Komarek’s ‘V’, Niklas Zennström’s Carkeek 52 Rán, RP37 Warthog skippered by Jules Mitchell, Andrea Recordati’s Wally 93 Bullitt, and Philippe Frantz’s NM43 Albator.
RORC Nelson’s Cup Series Results Here
Epic Battles & High-Speed Thrills in the IRC Maxi Class
Karel Komarek’s Wallycento V © Tim Wright/RORC
In an exhilarating first race, Karel Komarek’s Wallycento V claimed Line Honours and secured victory after IRC time correction by just nine seconds over Andrea Recordati’s Wally 93 Bullitt. Wendy Schmidt’s Botin 85 Deep Blue rounded out the podium, finishing just 45 seconds behind V after correction. The IRC Maxi fleet roared into action, hitting speeds of over 20 knots in a thrilling big boat showdown. Bryon Ehrhart’s Juan K 88 Lucky was called OCS but returned to start correctly.
Andrea Recordati’s Wally 93 Bullitt © Tim Wright/RORC
The second race also went to the wire in the IRC Maxi Class with Bullitt taking the win from Deep Blue by 48 seconds after IRC time correction. Chris Flowers’ Wallycento Galateia took Line Honours but was third after time correction. The winner of the first race, Wallycento ‘V’, retired from the second race with gear failure. Bullitt leads the class by two points from Deep Blue, with Galateia in third, just ahead of the chasing pack.
Three-time Olympic Finn sailor and two-time Volvo Ocean Race veteran Anthony Nossiter, racing aboard Bullitt, reflected on an intense day on the water:
“We had a bit on today in 20 knots and some sea state. Everything is loaded – you don’t want to break anything, but you also want to race hard. Striking that balance in these conditions is tough, but the racing was fantastic.” He praised the accuracy of the IRC rating rule, keeping the fleet tightly matched and every small gain crucial: “Joca (Signorini) had strong starts and we worked hard to put some pressure on the bigger Wallys before they hit full speed. It felt like one-design racing, just like a Laser. Incredible competition.” Nossiter also highlighted the challenging yet rewarding nature of the course: “There was nowhere to hide – it all came down to who was dialled in. Andrea (Recordati) even said it was the best day of sailing he can remember.”
Rán at full-throttle to take a grip on IRC One
Niklas Zennström’s Carkeek 52 RánThe first race saw a full-throttle battle for the podium in IRC One. Niklas Zennström’s Carkeek 52 Rán claimed victory after IRC time correction by 84 seconds. Frederic Puzin’s Carkeek 54 Daguet 5 took Line Honours but was second after IRC time correction. The fight for third was even more fierce, Jon Desmond’s PAC 52 Final Final edged out James Neville’s Carkeek 45 Ino Noir for the race podium by just five seconds after IRC correction.
Team Rán won the second race of the regatta, becoming the only boat with a perfect scoreline, but it was far from an easy win. James Neville’s Ino Noir finished just 29 seconds behind after IRC time correction. Desmond’s PAC 52 Final Final secured its second podium finish, correcting out for third place. Zennström’s Rán now leads the class by four points, while a peloton of three boats; Ino Noir, Daguet 5 and Final Final are tied for second place.
Frederic Puzin’s Carkeek 54 Daguet 5 © Tim Wright/RORC
“Windy, bumpy, shifty, and full-on,” that’s how Team Rán’s Niklas Zennström summed up the racing. “There were quite a few holes in the breeze, which made it tricky. Everyone is pretty tired but still smiling. It was incredibly close racing, especially with Daguet. This was our first time competing against them and they were really competitive.” Zennström acknowledged the challenge of getting a new boat up to speed: “They’ve only just got the boat and we know from experience that it takes time to get everything dialled in, but they did a pretty good job today; well done to Daguet.”
Warthog, Albator & Mojito Shine in Thrilling IRC Two Showdown
RP37 Warthog © Tim Wright/RORCIn a nail-biting first race, Jim Voss’ RP37 Warthog, skippered by Jules Mitchell, clinched victory for the young Antiguan team, winning by just two seconds after IRC time correction over Dunlop & Cox’s J/122 Mojito. Philippe Frantz’s NM43 Albator took Line Honours, but after correction, had to settle for third place.
Philippe Frantz NM43 Albator © Tim Wright/RORC
In the second race, Frantz’s Albator took race Line Honours and corrected out to win by just over a minute from Dunlop & Cox’s Mojito. The Antiguan youth on Warthog was in third, just over a minute behind Mojito on corrected. After two races, Albator, Warthog and Mojito are tied at the top of the class leaderboard.
“The boat just came out of the yard, so it was a really good day,” said Warthog’s Jules Mitchell. “The class is highly competitive and we’re excited for tomorrow.” Mitchell highlighted the team’s strong Antiguan roots: “On Warthog, we have the core of Antigua’s national sailing team from the SSL Gold Cup. It’s amazing to come back together to race at such a prestigious event and defend our home waters.” A proud moment for Antigua’s youth sailing talent!
Wendy Schmidt’s Botin 85 Deep Blue © Tim Wright/RORC
Elkhorn Marine Conservancy team – Genevieve Renaud-Byrne, Christal Clashing, Dr Molly Wilson with Wendy Schmidt and the Deep Blue team © Tim Wright/RORC
Prior to the daily prize-giving Elkhorn Marine Conservancy (EMC) based in Antigua, invited sailors to learn about the vital work being done to restore Antigua’s coral reefs. Despite their incredible value, Antigua and Barbuda’s reefs are severely degraded, but with the support of EMC and Wendy Schmidt’s Deep Blue team, restoration efforts are underway. Speakers at the presentation were Genevieve Renaud-Byrne and Christal Clashing. For more information and to support the initiative towards restoring Antigua’s coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds: https://www.emcantigua.org/
Haspa Hamburg at the daily prizegiving © Tim Wright/RORC
After a day of epic racing, the party kicked off on the lawn at Antigua Yacht Club for the daily prizegiving with 5 Year Old English Harbour Rum as prizes. Hundreds of sailors came together, celebrating the day’s champions with cheers, laughter, and a well-earned drink in hand.
The good vibes, great company and pure racing spirit will continue tomorrow, Wednesday 19th February, with Day Two of the RORC Nelson’s Cup Series.
Lead image: Wallycento ‘V’ © Tim Wright/RORC
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I wish there was more local involvement in the sport. More investment in youth sailing would be great!
Hoping for fair winds and thrilling races ahead.
Waw!!!! Antigua continues to shine in the sailing world!
100’s of thousands have been put into local sailing iniatives for the youth of Antigua by the NSA and the like, and some of the names listed in the above are a product of that investment
This is our water. We started racing from St. Paul’s Ocean front, in Falmouth & English Harbor in 1962; racing ordinary yachts of no particular class or, rigs, right after the Charter season ended. It was a pastime respite for the Foreign Skippers and, mostly local crew hands, racing to Guadeloupe’s Dehaies Bay, and back to Antigua, on Sunday afternoons. This was the genesis of Antigua’s Sailing Week, under the auspices of Captain Bruno Brown, of the Schooner Freelance and Desmond Nicholson MollyHawke. He of Antigua Yacht Charters: with Joile Bayley, another of the layover intrepid Skippers of the day; to include, our very own; young Captain: Hugh Bailey, on Sagittarius, with his all exclusive crew hands, out of Falmouth & English Harbour.
Captain Hugh Bailey, had already graduated from racing Cougar Cats on Sundays in Falmouth; with racing starting from The Catamaran Marina, (of which he was the budding entrepreneur) out into the harbor, where a triangle of buoys marked the course-out to Bishop shoal, then downwind to Diept Bay and, upwind to Conch Bank. This racing initiative led to the invitation of a challenge from Australian crew of that year’s American Cup winner, “Grethel” -who was enjoying their leisurely respite, after their winning, at Mill Reef Club, curtesy of the American investor scion, “The Mellons”.
Sunday’s racing was the must-do-thing happening in the local community; mostly the men, who’d anxiously wait for the event to commence, and filling the walls of the Catamaran Marina, and, The Admiral Inn, at English Harbor’s Nelson Dockyard; frolicking, and mingling with glee, and with bathed anticipation of whomever, the day’s racing winner would have been. The momentum seemed to have morph into a more glamorous invitation; with the inception of the Friends Of English Harbor; and the advocacy for the restoration of the Nelson Dockyard, and drawing more international inputs, and participation in the annual event; transforming it into what it has become-a global renowned yacht racing occurrence.
There were many local participants who was indelible involved in the genesis of this esteemed social event-that has not been recognized or, even mentioned as a footnote to its harbinger or, retention. And this should be corrected, with even their names enshrined permanently on a Sailor’s Plank In The DockYard: in recognition of the local input in the history of Antigua’s Sailing Week: to inform how it all began for us, Antiguans; from Dogger Logs to Dinghy and, before the modernity of a Sailing Academy formality-when they’d called me-“Nylonn”. As some locals still do.