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Displaying items by tag: Red Bull Youth America's Cup

#AmericasCup - Hanuman rebounded from a false start to claim victory in the first round of the America’s Cup Superyacht Regatta in Bermuda yesterday (Tuesday 13 June).

Optimised for expected light conditions, the J Class fleet leader was quick despite the patchy breeze of 5-9 knots, catching up with classmate Velsheda after the first windward mark when their kite-setting failed, and passing Ranger to take the line.

Topaz, who also started near the committee boat with Velsheda and Hanuman, slipped down to fifth, while Lionheart overcame early struggles to place fourth.

All five yachts — plus Svea, expected to join the fleet today (Wednesday 14 June) — will be competing for their own J Class prizes next week, represented by exquisitely detailed 3D maps of Bermuda commissioned from relief chart specialists Latitude Kinsale.

Racing for the J Class among the larger superyacht fleet continues this afternoon with round two, and concludes with the third and final round tomorrow (Thursday 15 June).

In other news from Bermuda, Land Rover BAR Academy placed second in the final standings of the Pool B qualifiers in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup.

The handpicked team now have a few days to prepare before the final series races from Tuesday 20 to Wednesday 21 June.

Update 20/6: An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that the J Class Prize was being contested in the Superyacht Regatta; instead, the J Class have their own regatta which began on Monday 19 June.

Published in J Class Yachts

The Half Ton Class was created by the Offshore Racing Council for boats within the racing band not exceeding 22'-0". The ORC decided that the rule should "....permit the development of seaworthy offshore racing yachts...The Council will endeavour to protect the majority of the existing IOR fleet from rapid obsolescence caused by ....developments which produce increased performance without corresponding changes in ratings..."

When first introduced the IOR rule was perfectly adequate for rating boats in existence at that time. However yacht designers naturally examined the rule to seize upon any advantage they could find, the most noticeable of which has been a reduction in displacement and a return to fractional rigs.

After 1993, when the IOR Mk.III rule reached it termination due to lack of people building new boats, the rule was replaced by the CHS (Channel) Handicap system which in turn developed into the IRC system now used.

The IRC handicap system operates by a secret formula which tries to develop boats which are 'Cruising type' of relatively heavy boats with good internal accommodation. It tends to penalise boats with excessive stability or excessive sail area.

Competitions

The most significant events for the Half Ton Class has been the annual Half Ton Cup which was sailed under the IOR rules until 1993. More recently this has been replaced with the Half Ton Classics Cup. The venue of the event moved from continent to continent with over-representation on French or British ports. In later years the event is held biennially. Initially, it was proposed to hold events in Ireland, Britain and France by rotation. However, it was the Belgians who took the ball and ran with it. The Class is now managed from Belgium. 

At A Glance – Half Ton Classics Cup Winners

  • 2017 – Kinsale – Swuzzlebubble – Phil Plumtree – Farr 1977
  • 2016 – Falmouth – Swuzzlebubble – Greg Peck – Farr 1977
  • 2015 – Nieuwport – Checkmate XV – David Cullen – Humphreys 1985
  • 2014 – St Quay Portrieux – Swuzzlebubble – Peter Morton – Farr 1977
  • 2013 – Boulogne – Checkmate XV – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1985
  • 2011 – Cowes – Chimp – Michael Kershaw – Berret 1978
  • 2009 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978
  • 2007 – Dun Laoghaire – Henri-Lloyd Harmony – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1980~
  • 2005 – Dinard – Gingko – Patrick Lobrichon – Mauric 1968
  • 2003 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978

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