Royal Temple Yacht Club End of Year Prize Giving
by Karen Cox 9 Dec 15:24 UTC
Royal Temple Yacht Club End of Year Prize Giving © Chris Cox
The Royal Temple Yacht Club recently celebrated another successful year of sailing at our annual Prize Giving, with the prizes handed out by Commodore Karen Cox.
Five new boats boosted the twenty-strong fleet based in Ramsgate Royal Harbour for 2024, with 25 series races held on most Sundays, plus offshore and one-off trophy events.
Matt Green 's Far East 31 Sidewinder, with co-owners Grant and Nolan Forward steering, showed great reaching speed to give top rated Pronavia 42 Sport Assassin a run for her money.
On a smaller scale Martin Law's modified Cork 1720 'Flying Pig' did the same.
Having received an offer he couldn't refuse for his Corby 36 Stiletto last year,John Barrett and Paul Woodward, an ex x332 National Champion, bought the ex IRC National Champion x362 sport 'Exhale', from Ireland to replace her, renaming her with the winning name 'Stiletto'.
Smaller still, Alan Lucas added the 22ft E Boat Elfin to the cruiser fleet.
Mike Brand, another ex x332 National Champion, replaced his Gold Cup winning X34 Foxy with an X40 Fox out the Box, and in the 11 boat cruiser class, Gary Walters J97 Jura arrived and was quickly up to speed.
The last major change in the IRC Classes was a new keel bulb to Rob Smith's Stewart 30 Kabluzo, which was designed by and built by recently passed, and sadly missed brothers, Andrew and Robbie Stewart.
The other top IRC runners were Peter Pearson and partners HOD35 Buccaneer, Nick and Fiona Rawbone's First 34.7 Warrior and Debbie Thomas's X99 Xpedite, back from a year sailing in the cruiser class.
Few cross Channel races were sailed in '24 but more are planned for '25, including the combined French/UK fleet 'Link Cup' race and an annual joint race with the Belgium fleet.
In the 7 race Spring Series, IRC combined classes 1 and 2 were dominated by ex Prima 38 National Champion Peter Jackson's scratch Class 1 boat Assassin, which was jointly helmed by Peter's son Alex, taking 1st position in Class 1 and overall. Stiletto took combined 2nd position followed by Xpedite taking 3rd place.
2nd in Class 1 was Sidewinder and 3rd in class 1 was Rob Smith's Kabluzo helmed at times by F18 cat ace Simon Northrop and also Kym Leatt.
Winner of Class 2 was the new Stiletto finding her pace. Xpedite was 2nd in class 2 and coming in 3rd in class 2 was the winner of Ramsgate Week 2024 Gold Cup, Flying Pig.
The Spring Series cruiser classes, 3 and 4 were dominated by John and Michelle Stonely's Sun Odyssey 37 Pippy, 2nd was Anthony and Mark Dale's Corby 26 'Bad Boys', converted to carry the wheelchair of disabled navigator Anthony.
James Bradney's small but beautiful varnished wooden quarter toner yacht Monarch claimed 3rdoverall.
During the Summer Series James Bradney switched from Monarch to helm Jura in the cruiser classes and help her get up to speed, but sadly it was too late to make the podium.
This time Bad Boys took the top step, knocking Pippy down to 2nd. Notably the UFO 31 of Michael 'Chalky' White, C Hodson & L Mayne Manana made the podium in 3rd overall.
In the Summer series IRC Class 1 was again won by Assassin, but in the combined IRC results Stiletto, with a new wardrobe of Relling Sails was now up to full speed and took Class 2 and overall honours with Assassin coming 2nd.
Warrior, IRC winner of the club's Wednesday Evening Series, also showed strongly in the Summer Series to get 3rd Overall, and took 2nd in Class 2 from Flying Pig.
The cruiser class evening series winner was Pippy, with Susan Anderson's Impulse 2nd and Alan Lucas's little Elfin also making the podium.
A short weekend regatta in July, not part of the club championship, threw up new winners. IRC overall; 1st Flying Pig, 2nd Xpedite and 3rd Buccaneer.
Cruiser class 3 and 4 July regatta results; 1stManana from Pippy in 2nd and 3rd place Elfin.
The Autumn Series was windy with 2 out of 8 races lost to gales.
Class 2 boats dominated, led by Stiletto, but Buccaneer (Pearson, Lilwall, Gouldstone and Linman) with a new wheel replacing the HOD 35's tiller, gave her a close run for the money. Flying Pig enjoyed the conditions to take 3rd.
Cruiser classes 3 and 4 rated on local 'base' and 'progressive'handicaps with different winners. Bad Boys, Pippy and Manana filled the 'Progressive' podium, but 'Jura', now up to speed, won the 'base' division from the usual suspects Bad Boys and Pippy.
Overall 2024 IRC Class 1 went to Assassin, from Sidewinder and Kabluzo. Stiletto took Class 2 and the overall IRC prestigious Trafalgar Bowl from Assassin. Flying Pig and Buccaneer filled the Class 2 podium.
Overall places in the cruiser classes for 2024 went to Pippy, Bad Boys and Manana.
Special prizes were awarded to junior sailors for their efforts this year, 11 year old Assassin trainee navigator Gray Jackson, and Woody Walters sailing on his fathers boat, Jura.
The Race Committee will now focus on 2025 with the IRC East Coast Championship moving back to form part of Ramsgate Week 2025, 20-25th July.