A Magnificent Land Union September Regatta
(Hamble, England)- The Royal Southern Yacht Club Summer Series came to a spectacular conclusion with the Land Union September Regatta held 24-25 September. The final regatta of the four-event series was blessed with magnificent racing, superb shoreside entertainment, and outstanding prizes, including a holiday with flights, superb accommodation, and entry to the world-famous Munich’s Oktoberfest. Den’s Deck was transformed into Oktoberfest on Saturday with complimentary beer and sausages and an Oompah Band!
The Land Union Raffle for a complimentary city break to Munich for Oktoberfest was held on Sunday. The winners included the Royal Thames Academy J70, skippered by Bethan Matthew!
Antigua Sailing Week’s Rana Lewis awarded the regatta experience of a lifetime; an all-in trip to Antigua including; flights, Dream Yacht Charter, and boat entry to Antigua Sailing Week. North Sails Ian Walker joined the prize-giving team with North Sails prizes awarded to race winners and a timely reminder that September is a great time to order new sails for next season!
Land Union has supported the September Regatta for three years and the hundreds of sailors who take part thoroughly enjoy the shoreside entertainment. After the first day of racing, sailors return to find Den’s Deck at the Royal Southern Clubhouse transformed into Oktoberfest with complimentary German Beer and Sausage supper.
In IRC Two, Mike & Susie Yates’s J/109 JAGO was third.
In IRC Three, David Greenhalgh’s J/92 J’RONIMO scored three race wins to win the class. Three generations of the Greenhalgh family (above) attended the regatta including David’s wife Judith and their three professional sailor siblings Libby, Peter, and Robert, plus the Grandchildren!
In the J/111 Class, Chris Jones & Louise Makin’s JOURNEYMAKER 2 edged out their friends and rivals Anthony & Sally Mack’s McFLY. JOURNEYMAKER 2 won the final race to win the class by a single point. Louise Makin was also awarded a Locman watch by Antigua Sailing Week as the best female skipper.
In the J/70 Class, BOYSTEROUOS skippered by Ian Wilson was the winner. The BOYSTEROUS crew was without doubt the most senior crew in terms of age and experience. Past J/70 Corinthian World Champions are Ian Wilson and Marshall King, Past Corinthian National Champion Patrick Liardet, and none other than this month’s reigning Open European Champion, Johnathon Calascione. To add to the A-Team prowess multi-world champion Geoff Carveth also put in a shift on the first day! Second in the J/70 Class was Kai-Uwe Hollweg’s LIGHTFOOT, beating his friend and CEO at Land Union- Lutz Strangemann- racing GEISHA, which won two of the eight races and was third in class.
The J/70 UK Class introduced a new Mixed + Division at the Land Union Regatta, where at least half the crew must be women. The inaugural event winner was the Royal Thames Academy Team skippered by Bethan Matthew. Second was Ian Poynton’s POWDER MONKEY and third was Paul Wollmann’s Royal Thames Charter.
With the 2022 Royal Southern Summer Series now concluded, the Overall Series prizes and trophies will be presented at the prize-giving dinner on Saturday 12th November. Plans are in place for a superb celebration held at the Royal Southern Clubhouse on the banks of the River Hamble. Booking is strongly recommended to avoid disappointment. Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth/ PWPictures.com. For more RSYC Land Union September Regatta sailing information