VICE SQUAD
The Vice Admiral’s Cup has a reputation for producing tantalisingly close, quick-fire racing for a variety of one-design classes and level rating or ‘box rule’ type fleets, including Performance 40s and Quarter Tonners. This year was no exception and the three day regatta saw many changes of leader across every class, with 23 different boats achieving at least one race win and 46 scoring at least one podium finish.
The format tests many elements of performance – upwind speed, pointing, tactics, boat handling and more, with the smallest mistakes all too frequently exacting a heavy penalty.
The opening day, on which six of the eight classes were racing, was a very light airs affair. However race officers Stuart Childerley and Paul Jackson both managed to get one race away on their respective courses during the 80 minutes that there was a reasonably reliable breeze. After a 1.5-hour postponement, the second day saw four races completed for all classes, in testing conditions averaging 10-12 knots, but with some lighter holes and a rain squall that provided excitement downwind when gusts rapidly rose to over 20 knots.
The final day was mostly light, but race officials still got two or three races away for each class. The race teams won universal approval for getting an exciting series of racing completed in what had appeared to be a very
