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Wednesday 18th was set aside for registration and measurement, with the racing for the FARR 52, IC 45 and FARR 40 classes starting on the 19th and the MUMM 30's commencing on the 20th. A team event, comprising 1 FARR 52, 1 IC 45, 1 FARR 40 and 1 MUMM 30 was also part of the regatta, the teams racing for the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. For the RORC, CHERNIKEEF 2 - Peter Harrison, BOUNDER - Chris Little, VICTRIC 5 - Tony De Mulder and KING LOUIE - Malcolm Thorpe, for the CYCA, LOCO - David Lowe, HAWK - Nigel Bramwell, SOUTHERN STAR - John Calvert-Jones and MAD COW HYDE - Darren & Georgina Baker.

Racing began on the 19th at 10:35 for the FARR 52 and IC 45 classes in a NW force 3-4 under overcast skies in the central Solent area, a course of approximately 10 miles. LOCO - David Lowe was to steal the first march of the event in the FARR 52s with some close racing, BEAR OF BRITAIN - Kit Hobday / Tim Louis 2nd 54 seconds behind and CHERNIKEEF 2 - Peter Harrison 3rd. In the IC 45 class HAWK - Nigel Bramwell was victorious over BOUNDER - Chris Little by just over 2 minutes. Race 2 of day 1 saw the 16 FARR 40s come out to enjoy the conditions for the first time. Starting 10 minutes ahead of the FARR 52s & IC 45s at 12:30 the course of 10 miles took both fleets further to the Eastern Solent and once again the closeness of the One Designs was to be shown, only seconds splitting the fleet. Unfortunately it was not to be for BEAR OF BRITAIN, as a mistake during the pre-start jockeying found them squeezed at the Committee Boat end and were unable to bear away quickly enough to stop them 'T Boning' the committee boat ZULU - Brian Stewart. This collision was to put them out of the rest of the days racing to effect repairs, ZULU also sustained damage, but was able to remain on station. STRUNTJE LIGHT - Wolfgang Schaefer was the first of the FARR 40s home ahead of A BIT OF A COUP - Tony Buckingham by 51 seconds and GBR25 - Mark Heeley 3rd 25 seconds later, the whole of the fleet being separated by only 10 minutes. Both LOCO and HAWK took their second bullets of the day to win in the FARR 52 & IC 45 classes.

The final race of day 1 saw the FARR 40s away at 14:35, 2 boats being OCS but returned correctly and the FARR 52s & IC 45s at 14:45 with a clear line. The course remained in the same vicinity of the last race using Seascope, Peel Bank, a Temporary Inflatable to finish at Air Canada. Not to detract from the earlier conflicts the racing remained tight with only 8 minutes between the first and last boats to finish. Holding its grip at the top of the FARR 52s LOCO recorded its 3rd bullet of the regatta, as did HAWK in the battle of the 2 IC 45s. NERONE -Massimo Mezzaroma took 1st place in the FARR 40s second race of their regatta, 45 seconds ahead of DUNE -Janssens / Trentesaux and GBR25 3rd.

Day 2 dawned to a calm Solent and bright sunshine, the forecast however was for the breeze to increase throughout the morning reaching force 4 from the Southwest by the afternoon. Racing for the FARR 52s, IC 45s & FARR 40s was due to start at 10:30 and it was hoped that enough breeze would have filled in by this time, the first race for the MUMM 30 fleet not planned to commence until midday to allow for the completion of registration and measurement. Enough breeze had indeed materialised by 10:00 to allow the battles to commence on schedule. The FARR 40s were to be first away at 10:30 with the FARR 52s & IC 45s on the second start at 10:40, the race track being the Central Solent. As had been shown on the previous day, the racing was once again to be very tight and by the end of race 4 (race 3 for the FARR 40s) of the series only six minutes split the 21 boat fleet. LOCO kept up her 100% record for the event with another 1st in the 52s, BEAR OF BRITAIN coming in 2nd just over a minute behind. In the fight for the IC 45 slot, HAWK had a real battle on her hands to try and fend off attentions of BOUNDER who was more than snapping at her heels, but managed to do so and crossed in 1st by 1 second! 1st home in the FARR 40s was A BIT OF A COUP, thirty seconds in front of the Italian yacht NERONE who in turn was twenty seconds ahead of SOUTHERN STAR.

The second race of the day, race 5 (race 4 for the 40s) began for the FARR 40s at 12:55, after a General Recall and the FARR 52s & IC 45s at 13:05 with a triangular course the windward mark being East Knoll. For the first time in the regatta LOCO was not to be the 1st of the 52s to cross the line, this was taken by BEAR OF BRITAIN with CHERNIKEEF 2 fourteen seconds behind in 2nd and LOCO pressing hard three second later in 3rd. HAWK was not to lose her grip of the IC 45 pairing due to the retirement of BOUNDER in this race with a broken backstay fitting. A minute split the leaders at the finish of the FARR 40 fleet with A BIT OF A COUP picking up his second 1st place in a row, GAME ON - J Oswald / J Bainbridge in 2nd and WARLORD VII - Philip Tolhurst with his best result so far in 3rd.

The last race of the day, Race 6 (race 5 for the 40s) was away at 15:10 for the FARR 40s and the 52s at 15:20. Due to the gear failure of BOUNDER in race 5 it was not possible for her to start so HAWK decided that she would also abstain from this race. Another bout of hand to hand combat ensued to finish the day off the way that it had started, seven minutes separating the 19 boats at the end. LOCO was back in her winning ways again after the slip up in race 5 a minute and a half ahead of BEAR OF BRITAIN. BAMBAKOU - John Coumantaros brought the 40s home for his first win of the regatta with GBR25 eleven seconds astern who was also having to fend off the third boat VICTRIC 5 five seconds behind her.

Midday of day 2 also saw the commencement of racing for the MUMM 30s around windward/leeward courses off Hill Head. As would be expected, the racing in this class was to be just as close as their bigger cousins, with the split between the first and last boats in Race 1 of just over 2 minutes. First blood was to go to ASTERIX - Louis Browne ahead of SARDONYX - William Edwards and MAD COW HYDE - Daren & Georgina Baker 3rd. Race 2 of the MUMM 30s also saw ASTERIX at the front and they were to remain there ahead of POGO BOGO - David Knight 2nd and MAD COW HYDE in 3rd. With the breeze increasing Race 3 got underway at 14:30 with the front runners of Race 2 once again ahead, but only just and giving no room for errors. ASTERIX held on to her top slot by one second in front of POGO BOGO, who was a mere seven seconds ahead of MAD COW HYDE in 3rd. The intention was to hold a fourth race for the MUMMs, however it was deemed that the increasing breeze was making the conditions marginal and rather than risk gear failures racing ceased for the day.

The penultimate day of the regatta began with broken cloud and a SW 3. Racing was once again programmed to commence at 10:30 with a further three races for the FARR 40s and IC 45s and to keep the MUMM 30s from getting bored six races were scheduled for them. In continued form the racing in all the fleets was tight and with the weather being kind to both the competitors and the Race Committee it became possible to keep to the schedule. Race 7 for the FARR 52s was again taken by LOCO back in her winning ways. The two boat IC 45 contest in Race 7 was another triumph for the CYCA team with a win for HAWK. GBR25 took line honours for the FARR 40s and WARLORD VII 2nd. Races 8 and 9 in the FARR 52 and IC 45 classes told the same story as before with LOCO and HAWK both taking the 1st places respectively. A BIT OF A COUP regained her winning ways in Race 8 for the 40s fleet, narrowly beating SOUTHERN STAR.

In the MUMM 30s, day 3 was to be a busy time for all involved to fit in the six scheduled races. Race 4 saw ASTERIX keep her unbeaten record and SARDONYX - William Edwards 2nd, with MAD COW HYDE again up amongst it in 3rd. SARDONYX improved her position in Race 5 by getting her first bullet and MAD COW HYDE 2nd pushing ASTERIX into 3rd place. Upset by losing her unbeaten slot ASTERIX fought back in Race 6 and was once again ahead of the field to take 1st place from POGO BOGO in 2nd and consistent MAD COW HYDE 3rd. It was to be yet another 1st for ASTERIX in Race 7 piping MAD COW HYDE, who finished just ahead of SARDONYX who had come into this race having been DSQ'd for an incident in race 6. KING LOUIE managed to get up with the front guys in Race 8 but could not get passed MAD COW HYDE to take 1st, having to settle for a 2nd ahead of POGO BOGO. To what I am sure must have been the relief of crews the last race of the day started at 15:10 and was won by SARDONYX with MAD COW HYDE retaining her good form to finish 2nd ahead of KING LOUIE.

Sunday 22nd, the last day of the 2001 RORC One Design Regatta, saw two races for the 52s, 45s and 40s and the last three for the MUMMs. In the FARR 52s LOCO took her ninth 1st in Race 10 to confirm her overall win, not coming to play for the final race, which out of the two remaining boats was won by CHERNIKEEF 2. HAWK tripped up in Race which gave BOUNDER the 1pt, but came back to finish Race 11 as she had been throughout the regatta to win and claim the overall prize. Race 9 for the FARR 40s was won by BAMBAKOU, A BIT OF A COUP in 2nd ahead of SOUTHERN STAR and Race 10 DAWN RAID - Oscar Strugstad ended his regatta with a win from NARONE and BAMBAKOU. The overall prize going to GBR25.

Three different winners in the last three races for the MUMM 30s, POGO BOGO in race 10, ASTERIX Race 11 and HIGHLANDER III in Race 12. This would not be enough to undermine the consistent results for both ASTERIX and MAD COW HYDE who took 1st and 2nd overall prizes respectively.

Results:

1.GBR25R Mark Heeley
2.ITA2272 NERONE Massimo Mezzaroma
3.US51581 BAMBAKOU John Coumantaros
4.AUS1770 SOUTHERN STAR John Calvert-Jones
5.GBR98R A BIT OF A COUP Tony Buckingham
6.GER5055 STRUNTJE LIGHT Wolfgang Schaefer
7.GBR40 DAWN RAID Oscar Strugstad
8.GBR9040R WARLORD VII Philip Tolhurst
9.GBR5R VICTRIC 5 Tony de Mulder
10.GBR7040R GAME ON Oswald/Bainbridge
11.BEL6000 DUNE Janssens/Trentesaux
12.GBR1640R TOO STEAMY Nick Haigh
13.GBR10R 2XL David Murrin
14.ITA4088 ZZENZERO Renato Mazzeschi
15.GBR40L FORZA Mark Timbrell
16.GBR8940R A BIT OF A FLING Ewart/Palmer