Catapult stretched but maintains lead

After 40-mile partial round the Isle of Wight race yesterday, Ireland’s team in the Brewin Dolphin Commodores’ Cup enter today’s single final with their overall lead shaved by just five points.

Although yesterday’s race started with a favourable tide and light breeze, halfway through the 55-nautical mile course, the power of the ebb tide overcame the breeze.

Ireland’s Catapult, owned by American Marc Glimcher, powered away from the start and had established a five-minute lead on the water passing the famous Needles lighthouse at the western end of the island.

Anthony O’Leary’s Antix and Quokka, chartered by Michael Boyd and Niall Dowling, were also sailing well, holding fifth and sixth places on the water in the 27-boat fleet.

By St Catherine’s Point, it appeared that race officer Stuart Childerly’s decision to proceed with the race in the face of a light airs forecast was being vindicated. Team Ireland were having their best result of the series to date, placing second, third and fourth on corrected handicap time.

But a turnaround in fortunes was waiting on the eastern side of St Catherine’s, the most southerly point on the Isle of Wight.

Although the boats were making a modest four to five knots through the water, the tide was building at a similar rate in the opposite direction.

One by one, the leaders came to a halt and some even drifted backwards.

At the same time, the backmarkers gained ground and compressed into the leaders before they too came to a halt. With the fleet stopped dead but the race time still running, the longer the park-up continued, the greater the advantage that was passed to the smaller, lower rated boats at the back of the fleet.

These boats also had an advantage in that they could see what wasn’t working ahead and could move to use a light change in wind direction to get moving sooner than the leaders.

Only the arrival of a thunderstorm with heavy rain and squalls of up to 25 knots unlocked the impasse and the race was underway once more.

A decision was taken to shorten the course at Bembridge, roughly three-quarters of the distance, and it became apparent the small boats would have the day.

Ireland’s team comprises mostly bigger, higher handicapped boats so the loss of five points from a winning cushion of 99 was regarded as acceptable by Irish Cruiser Racing Association officials last night.

Quokka placed 13th, Catapult 17th and Antix 22nd for the day that counted for 50% bonus points. However, when key British boat Cutting Edge hit the Shingles Bank buoy earlier in the race, they were penalised two minutes. That allowed Catapult take over as best performing individual boat of the series and sets Ireland up for a big day in today’s final race.