The final races in the Red Funnel Cowes Keelboats championship took place last weekend on The Solent

The final set of races in the Red Funnel Cowes Keelboats championship series was run by the Royal Thames Yacht Club on the Solent off Cowes last weekend.

On the Saturday competitors enjoyed close racing in excellent wind conditions once the sea breeze had settled and in the Etchells class Mahem sailed by Keith Tippell enjoyed two firsts along with Excalibur sailed by Paul Potenall in the Dragon class.

The competitive Daring class featured two different winners, Decanter in Race 1 and Dreamer in Race 2. The first race on Sunday was abandoned after the wind went 40 degrees right just as the Dragons, last away, were approaching their leeward mark. Principal race officer Malcolm McKeag, of the Royal Thames YC, said the change in wind direction had rendered the race on the original track fairly meaningless as a windward/ leeward race for all boats would have wasted 40 minutes on a procession with little or no hope of place changes.

Results

Etchells

Saturday, Race 1: Mayhem, 2 1039, 3 975

Race 2: 1 1039, 2 Mayhem, 3 773

Sunday, Race 1: 1 1039, 2 Mayhem. Race 2: 1 Mayhem, 2 1039

Dragons

Saturday, Race 1: 1 Excalibur, 2 Stampede, 3 Jerboa IV

Race 2: 1 Excalibur, 2 Asa, 3 Caramba

Sunday: Race 1 (scored on rounding order at leeward mark, race abandoned): 1 Excalibur, 2 Caramba, 3 Apalala

Race 4: 1 Jerboa IV, 2 Caramba, 3 Stampede

Darings

Saturday, Race 1: 1 Decanter, 2 Dreamer, 3 Devius

Race 2: 1 Dreamer, 2 Double Knot, 3 Destroyer

Sunday: Race 1 (scored on rounding order at leeward mark, race abandoned due to wind change): 1 Dauntless, 2 Finesse, 3 Streak

Race 2: 1 Streak, 2 Decanter, 3 Dauntless