Wicklow design wins Red Funnel

20th April 2009

Tokoloshe King 40 03 designed by Wicklow's Mark Mills (pictured below the fold) won the first major event of the UK calendar last weekend, the RORC Red Funnel Easter Challenge. The boat is owned and helmed by South African Mike Bartholomew. In a generally light airs series she was chased throughout the event by the Mills MAT 12 Foxy of Jan-Willem Jannink, but consistent scoring in Class 0 saw Tokoloshe take the no-discard title with all podium placings: 2,1,2,2,1,3. Assisted by local expert Mike Richards and South African sailmaker Rick Nankin they exhibited particularly strong downwind speed to secure the result, mirroring last years win at this event by the King 40 01 Blondie.

Elsewhere at the Red Funnel the Mills Design modified quarter-tonner Espada owned and helmed by the vivacious Louise Morton won Class 3 and took the quarter-ton class, with the Mills-modified Runaway Bus in third. Morton’s husband Peter will launch his near-sistership to Espada shortly after completing a similar upgrade, hoping to emulate Louise’s success.

Further South African success for the Landmark 43 07 Windpower recently delivered to Cape Town which has had an exceptional start winning her first 4 out of 5 races on handicap and often on the water as well ahead of higher handicap rivals. North sailmaker Rick Nankin who sailed with Windpower last weekend reported: “three more races, three 1sts on IRC and also across the line.. The races were all in 8 to 14 knots and Windpower was dominant."

Published in News From the Afloat.ie Archive

About The Author

Afloat.ie Team

Email The Author

Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.

Have you got a story for our reporters? Email us here.

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven’t put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full–time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.