News - 2012

18:19 Friday 17 Aug 2012 Sue Pelling/CWLJ/109 Harlequin is the overall winner of Black Group 2012

The J/109, Harlequin, jointly owned by Jonathan Calascione and Jonny Goodwin from the Royal Yacht Squadron, is the overall winner of Black Group after a week of intense racing.

The Calascione/Goodwin team entered today’s final race of the series less than a point ahead of Bernard Olesinski’s X40 Xinska and all they needed to do today was to win. Xinska scored an OCS which left an opportunity for Fever Glenfiddich, Grant Gordon’s J/97 (Class 5 IRC) to take second place overall.

As he arrived back on shore this afternoon, Calascione commented: “We’ve had an amazing week. I have been racing at Cowes Week on more than 20 occasions and finished second last year, so to win this special award is a great achievement.”

Calascione, who was on the helm all week said it was a real family affair. “I have been sailing with my two daughters and son Archie, who was 13 years old today, so the fact that all the family is involved makes it even more special. We have a great team of good sailors onboard and really pushed it during the second half of the week. We’ll be back next year to defend our title.”

Sam Richmond, Harlequin’s boat captain, added: “Cowes Week is always a long week, so to win is really special. Actually we’re a bit of a party boat, so to start with it wasn’t so much about winning but then we started to do well and everything seemed to come together. I am delighted we have done so well because the owners are such lovely people to be around and they truly deserve to win.”

The racing at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week is split into Black Group (larger yachts with cabins, capable of racing offshore) and White Group (smaller class dayboats). Trophies for the overall winner of Black and White Group are awarded at tomorrow’s prizegiving and one of these will also be crowned the overall winner of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week 2012.

White Group still has one race to sail tomorrow. Interestingly, a boat also named Harlequin – a Redwing owned by John Raymond and Matt Alexander – leads that too. The racing in White Group has been exceptionally close throughout the week with Malcolm Hutchings and Andy Ramsey’s Squib, Lady Penelope, which is currently lying second, also in contention.