After the racing results from the weekend in the Hebe Haven Yacht Club Nautica Typhoon Series 2012, some have had such superior performances that they only need to enter the remaining two series races to win their class. Meanwhile, in other divisions, the title chase is on.
It was an enjoyable, if not defining, weekend despite imperfect racing conditions in the weekend’s two races, with only light breezes throughout—there was drizzling rain at the start and for most of the first race, with the weather clearing up somewhat for the second race.
“[It] was a great weekend out on the water and many managed to catch the sun even with 90-100 percent cloud cover!” said Jade Bourne of Fly By Wire who crewed in Race 7—the Mirs Bay Passage Race on Saturday (Aug 4) and skippered in Race 8 the next day—the Mirs Bay Return Race.
IRC-A
Freefire again showed her class by timing her start perfectly in Race 7 and immediately pulled away from the other boats. She had a good run and finished in style 30 minutes before Tornado 2 in second place. Confirming her dominance in the IRC-A Division, she was 14 minutes ahead of Tornado 2 on corrected time.
Freefire did not take part in Race 8, allowing Tornado 2 to take the division’s line honors and second behind Surfdude on corrected time. Freefire is already a clear winner of the series in this division, unless she misses the last two races—but it will be a good contest between Tornado 2 and Surfdude for second position.
IRC-B
Putting in exceptional performances by sharing the first three places in the two races in the IRC-B Division were: Sell Side Dream (first on Saturday and third on Sunday), EFG Bank Mandrake (second and first) and Ambush (third and second).
With 13 boats in this division, anything is still possible; but, barring a disaster, EFG Mandrake should clinch the title.
Ambush has also performed well and is in a good position to take second place, but the third spot is still wide open between Minnie the Moocher, Sell Side Dream (who has improved as the series progressed), Elektra and Wicked.
IRC-C
Three different boats featured in the top three places in the two IRC-C Division races.
In Race 7, although Red Kite II won line honors, St Happens, Gambit and Red Kite II were one, two, three, respectively, on corrected time. But Barnstormer, Dexter II and Talkinghead were the top three in Race 8.
Red Kite II still looks likely to win the IRC-C Division, but Dexter II may give her a hard fight.
The third position will still be closely contested between several boats as Gambit, Whiskey Jack and Vixen are all very close on points.
IRC-D
Taking double line honors and first place in both races, Boss Hogg is now at the top of the standings for IRC-D Division. Impala I and Taxi finished in second and third spots in each race. Boss Hogg and Taxi are still close on points to take the title, but Impala I and Moll have outside chances should either of these falter.
SMS Sportsboats
Fly By Wire won Race 7 in the SMS Sportsboat Division, followed by Sidewinder and Black Magic.
“Fly By Wire took the first place with plenty of time and the strategy of staying well away from the shoreline for the almost 90 percent downwind race,” Jade Bourne, crew on Fly By Wire explained to The Epoch Times.
Merlin lost a lot of ground in Race 7 by collecting unwanted rubbish on her keel, but after clearing this she started to catch the other boats. At the finish, it was extremely tight racing for second to fourth places with Black Magic, Sidewinder and Merlin.
“Black Magic started to relax close to the finish line thinking second place was in the bag. Sidewinder, after winning a jibing match with Merlin, snuck in while Black Magic was ’taking a break' and Sidewinder snatched second place by two seconds apparently,” explained Bourne.
In the return race, Fly By Wire was relegated to third place by Merlin and Sidewinder. Bourne added to her helming experience in this race with the usual helm, Frank Van Kempen, unable to take part.
“I was unfortunately beaten by the experienced helms who knew to stay close to the shoreline and ride the tide,” she noted.
The last two races will be exciting to watch; although Fly By Wire still has the edge, Merlin and Sidewinder are very close on points.
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