Four travelling Irish boats are lined up for the Cape 31 National Championship, which will kick off on Friday with the largest ever Cape 31 fleet to date!
The Royal Yacht Squadron team is gearing up to run the event alongside the Cape 31 Class. With 21 teams on the start line for nine windward-leeward races, it’s shaping up to be an awesome three days.
As regular Afloat readers know, in eight races, ten days ago at the Royal Thames Invitational at the same venue, there were five different race winners making for some exciting sailing in the new class that also saw visitors from Holland in the new boat, 'Netherlands Motions'.
Howth's David Maguire was best of the travelling Irish in ninth overall out of 17. The best Individual result was Maguire's clubmate Dan O'Grady who had a second in race seven.
Simon Perry's Jiraffe (foreground) is one of 21 Cape 31s entered for the UK Nationals on the Solent Photo: Ian Roman
The entry this weekend consists of the 17 teams from the Royal Thames Invitational and four more entries.
Michael Wilson’s Shotgunn is back out, along with William Edward’s Sardonyx X and James Howells Gelert being helmed by Ian Southworth. Royal Yacht Squadron’s own Bertie Bicket has entered Harlequin whilst he waits for his own boat to arrive
With big conditions due, the weekend will be a real test for the new teams and probably a bit of a gift to the older teams who have had the opportunity to race more in windy conditions. Either way, with a lot of mix-up within teams it will be a regatta to watch to see which team will come out on top.
Russell Peters Cape 31 Squirt is a favourite at the UK Cape 31 Nationals on the Solent Photo: Ian Roman
Firm favourites are Squirt and Tokoloshe, the overall leaders in the series, but both teams have new main trimmers for the weekend. Following Squirt’s win last weekend, they are in direct competition with Tokoloshe for the Cape 31 Race Circuit Series. The real battle will be for third in the series with five teams in contention - Katabatic, Fanatic, Jubilee, Arabella and Shotgunn.
The trophy, donated by HYS, for the top high-performance class of the year in the Solent, will be up for grabs, won by Russell Peters last year and teams such as Niklas Zennstrom's Ran in the past.
Prizes also up for grabs are the top travelling boat - there are six teams in contention for this, four Irish, one Dutch and one American. Finally, there will be a prize for the top Corinthian team, of which six teams are also eligible.
Cape 31 UK Overall Standings
