What a fantastic weekend of sailing at the RORC Vice Admiral’s Cup! The Impalas were invited for the first time this year and had three days of close racing in everything from 8-25 knots. Excellent race management and some great sailing – let’s do it again next year!
Having waited a number of years for an Impala to race in a JOG Offshore race, two came along at once over the Easter weekend when Hamble based boats Two Frank and Magic raced to Cherbourg, the first of the Hamble based Impalas to enter a Cat 3 event in JOG since the class returned to the river.
Good Friday’s race saw a very light wind start which Frank made the best off being the first boat out of the Solent. She finished the race in the dark at 21:35bst to take third place with Magic coming in twenty five minutes later in fifth.
The return leg on Sunday was more of an off-wind affair which should give an advantage to more modern hulls but the Impala’s were again on the pace with Two Frank completing the passage in just twelve hours and thirty two minutes to grab another third ahead of Magic in fourth.
The Impala class has been invited to compete in the RORC Vice-Admiral’s Cup, 19-21 May in Cowes.
This should be a great event and entries look to be in the double figures already, and will be up to eight races, with a mixture of round the cans and windward-leeward type races.
The 2017 Nationals will be sailed at Cowes Corinthian YC from 18-20 August… Put the date in your diaries now, and watch this space for more details in the new year….
Travelling bursaries will be available for those coming by road
A good deal on lift in, mast stepping, trailer storage and liftout for travelling boats
Cheap moorings before/afterwards for boats coming by sea
Well done to Imptish, who was first Impala in both races of weekend 2 of the Hamble Winter Series! Here’s Scallywag having a small issue with a quarter tonner on the startline…
Three Impala’s rocked up for the starline of the final JOG race of the year on Saturday. The course was round the cans (or Solent), starting in Cowes, passing Portsmouth, and finishing in Lymington. The weather was, how I can put this…, rather uncertain. Thunder and lighting (very, very exciting/scary) was seen before the start, rainbows throughout the day, and we had every shade of sun, cloud and wind to amuse us as we alternatively drifted/got blown away.
In brief, Imptish won, benefiting from a speedy first leg under kite, and a lucky ship cross. Cheeky Monkey was second Impala home (and 4th on handicap), and Magic made a sensible decision to head back to Hamble and scrub their weed off before the next days Winter Series.
The most exciting/scary bit of the was the ride home from the finish to Hamble. Watch the video evidence!
JOG racing is now over for the year. 9 Impala’s competed in 2016, making up one third of the 27 strong class six Inshore group. We didn’t quite manage to being home to top prize but with Imptish 3rd, Polly 4th, Reaction 4th and Cheeky Monkey 6th for the overall year we’ve definitely made an impression.
Come and join in next year. JOG racing is fun, accessible, and they ensure you always get to the evenings destination in time for drinks before dinner!
Come and 'like' the Impala class on 
