Rain and light breeze defined the weekend for Round 5 of the UK Cape 31 race circuit, hosted by the Royal Thames Yacht Club as part of the RORC Vice Admirals Cup. Four races were completed for the 18 Cape 31 line-up, with Christian and Jacintha Hamilton-Love’s Khumbu Red taking their third win at the 2024 Cape 31 circuit.
“I think the secret to today was to keep pushing. We had a few times where things weren’t looking pretty, but there is always your moment that comes,” said Christian on Sunday’s racing.
Rounding off the podium was Sandy Askew’s Flying Jenny in second and Guy Gillon’s Khumbu in third. Duncan McCarthy’s Tonto secured the win over the Corinthian fleet, with a bullet in race two. It all came down to the last race between Tonto and David Cummin’s Flurg, who finished on tied points, with Tonto taking the win.
“We had a win in our first race today, followed by two tough battles, as usual. It was really great racing,” said McCarthy on Sunday’s races.
The Royal Thames Yacht Club did a fantastic job getting four races off in testing conditions over the weekend. In the small window of opportunity on Saturday, the first race started with a general recall before rolling straight into a black flag.
The same was true for the first start of race two on Sunday. It wasn’t until the storms cleared that the wind picked up enough for racing, and the first race of the day was a general recall followed by two clear starts and incredibly tight racing around the course.
Saturday’s social activity brought more competitiveness to the weekend with the VAC Cyclops Competition. The race to lift the weight of a Cape 31 using TRX and new Cyclops load sensors brought out the same level of determination usually seen on the race course. Alongside the competition, sailors enjoyed a BBQ and drinks at the Royal Ocean Racing Club.
Round 6 and season finale will be a thrilling conclusion to the 2024 circuit. Held on 27-29 September, it will be hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron in conjunction with the UK Cape 31 Class Association.
Thank you to our international partners Quantum Sails, Doyle Sails, and Mount Gay, as well as our UK class partners North Sails, Mount Gay, Ocean Art, Harken, and Cyclops for supporting the event.
Find full results here - https://cms.cape31class.com/racing/regatta/40
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