X-Yachts Solent Cup 2010 Overall Results


A massive thank you to our participating owners for their attendance at our Solent Cup this year, hosted by ourselves and the Royal Southern Yacht Club.
 
Please see below a report of the weekend with the confirmed overall results.
 
Full photo gallery to follow shortly; images supply courtesy of Eddie Mays at www.eddiemays.com
 
 
 
 
 
Total - Open Family Class / Open Sport Class / X-35 Class
Plac.
Class
Model
Boat Name
Owner
Sail No.
Entry No.
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
1
X-35
X-35
X Waves
Mike Brand
GBR 35N
15
12418
Total - Open Family Class Overall Winners
Plac.
Class
Model
Boat Name
Owner
Sail No.
Entry No.
R1
R2R3R4Total
1
Open Family
Xc 45
Perseverance
John Oldridge
GBR2647R
531228
2
Open Family
X-46
Blue Vortex
David Carratt
GBR9886T
843119
3
Open Family
X-46
Ulixes
Peter Howland
GBR1846
6154414
 
Total - Open Sport Class Overall Winner
Plac.
Class
Model
Boat Name
Owner
Sail No.
Entry No.
R1
R2R3R4Total
1
Open Sport
X-302
Antix
John Allen
GBR 581R
1111114
Total - X-35 Class
Plac.
Class
Model
Boat Name
Owner
Sail No.
Entry No.
R1
R2R3R4Total
1X-35X-35
X Waves
Mike Brand
GBR 35N
1511114
 

The 2010 Solent Cup was organised by X-Yachts (GB) Ltd and sailed under the burgee of the Royal Southern Y.C. in Hamble. The regatta received generous support from North Sails, the marine electronics company B&G and Wight Vodka, the fashionable and unique new brand of vodka.

 

Registration was carried out at the Clubhouse during Friday afternoon and was followed by the Skippers’ briefing from the Principal Race Officer, Peter Bateson, finishing with drinks & canapés reception (sponsored by North Sails) for the owners and crew. Racing was organised with the fleet divided into three classes; the X-35s and the Open Sports classes raced together whilst the Open Family Class had their own start.

 

Saturday morning saw the main committee boat take up station near Hill Head harbour on the north side of the Solent. The weather was overcast but the 10 kts breeze blowing from the Southwest up the Needles Channel remained constant all day. With a mid-day high tide there was plenty of water around the Brambles Bank giving the race team plenty of options for course setting from the Solent’s many racing marks. Starting precisely on time at 10:30 ‘Antix’ (John Allen’s X-302) and the X-35’s of Robin Knibb (‘Turbulence II’) & Charles Bull (‘Unruly’) all hit the line at full speed and it was some time into the race before Mike Brand (X-35 ‘X Waves’) managed to establish a winning lead over the other X-35s. ‘Antix’ held on to take the gun in the Open Sports Class. The Open Family class were only permitted to use white sails, no spinnakers; and was very creditable that Peter Howland helming his X-46 ‘Ulixes’ was the third boat to cross the finishing line, just ahead of another X-46 ‘Blue Vortex’ (David Carratt).

 

Meanwhile out on the water, Sally Howard and Debbie Weldon from X-Yachts were joined on motorboat ‘Jenny M’ by families from the children’s charity, Starlight Foundation. A slightly more gentle afternoon than the racing by the X-Yachts on the Solent, but a lovely opportunity for the children to watch the racing first hand, enjoying the experience out on the water. Sally and Debbie had an earlier finish, bringing the visitors back to the Royal Southern for what was a rather impressive lunch spread, all courtesy of the generous owners of Bonne Bouche! (Hamble).

 

After lunch out on the water and with a different course set, the day’s second race for the participating X-Yachts started at 13:25. In the combined class start, ‘X Waves’ managed to get to the first mark in the lead, which he kept to the finish. ‘Unruly’ was unlucky and had to retire from the having lost a spinnaker halyard. Nick Mulholland sailing ‘Alexis’ (X-40) won the Open Sports class comfortably but in the Family class, although ‘Ulixes’ took the gun, John Oldridge onboard his Xc 45 ‘Perseverance’ had persevered well enough to win after his handicap allowance had been calculated.

 

After the racing the crews returned to the club for a BBQ supper and were entertained (and left gobsmacked) at their tables by what was consensually a very talented and entertaining magician Roger Lapin while listening to some fine guitar music played by the classical guitarist Jonathan Prag. To round off the evening the top bar had been converted to the Royale Casino in Monte Carlo for those who fancied a flutter!

 
Sunday morning and the weather conditions were very different from Saturday. The wind had swung round to the Nor-Northeast and increased to 18 – 20 kts. The committee boat was forced to go further South and a start line was laid in the deep water near North Ryde Middle buoy. The first leg took all the boats to a mark off the Lee-on-Solent shore before zigzagging across the central Solent. Sailing a slightly shorter course the first four boats to finish were in the Open Family class. ‘Ulixes’ took line honours but ‘Blue Vortex’ had been on her heels all the way and finished just six seconds behind to take the class win on handicap. ‘X Waves’ again had the edge on ‘Turbulence II’ and although ‘Alexis’ established a good lead over ‘Antix’ in the Open Sports class the smaller boat’s handicap was enough for her third consecutive win.
The final race of the weekend was sailed over a shorter course that led the boats back towards the mouth of Southampton Water and the entrance of the River Hamble. ‘X Waves’ in the X-35’s and ‘Antix’ in the Open Sports made it a clean sweep in their respective classes. ‘Blue Vortex’ won her second race of the day but finished 2nd behind ‘Perseverance’ overall in the Open Family class. 
 

As with all good X-Yachts events, the weekend was rounded off on Sunday evening with a cocktail reception followed by the Prize-giving Dinner at the club. With thanks to Ritu Manocha of 50 Degrees North, the cocktail reception featured the first ever tasting of the specially created WVXY cocktail, made from the unique vodka brand, Wight Vodka. Crew and organisers sat down to a well executed 3 course meal and each owner was presented with a framed photograph of their yacht as a momento of the weekend. Prizegiving took place just after dessert, with a few words from Conor Fanning and Mark Inkster (Vice Commodore), followed by Niels Jeppesen and Sally Howard presenting prizes to the winners of each class and of course the trophy to the

 

Overall Winner of the Solent Cup 2010. A short speech was given by a crew member of the winning boat, X-35 ‘X Waves’.

 

All in all a successful weekend for X-Yachts and the Royal Southern Yacht Club, and a great time had by all owners, on and off the water. All images courtesy of Eddie Mays at www.eddiemays.com