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12:45 Saturday 11 Aug 2018 Sue Pelling/LCWBlack and White Group winners emerge at Lendy Cowes Week 2018

The J/109 Jack Rabbit on her way to taking a class win and Black Group overall – photo Paul Wyeth/LCW

 Black Group winners

Caroline van Beelen and Rutger Krijger who sailed their J/109 Jack Rabbit on a 220-nautical mile trip all the way from Holland, have not only won their highly competitive class for the second year in succession, but have also won Black Group overall. 

Team Jack Rabbit sailed impressively all week and, apart from Thursday when they scored a third place, they had a perfect score of five first places, which was enough, in the overall Black Group calculations, to win overall.

Commenting on their success at Lendy Cowes Week, Krijger said: “When we managed to win the J/109 class last year, our first time at Cowes Week, and the fact we had a great time, we decided to come back to defend this year. Being on top of the Black Group results after a few days and eventually winning black group was not something we expected at all.

“Most of our crew have done Cowes Week before several times, but on different boats but our secret of success, I believe, was always being focussed on maximising boatspeed in the changing conditions. Together with smart tactics and navigation, and not making any high-risk decisions, was key. 

“Jack Rabbit somehow has never lost a series, either in handicap or one-design racing, so we are happy to have been able to keep this strange flow of results going this week!”

On their plans on their passage home to Holland, Krijger concluded: “Sailing the boat back to Holland will be our vacation, but we will take it easy, starting with visiting several places in the Solent."

White Group winners

Giles Peckham is not only a seasoned Lendy Cowes Week sailor, but he is also seasoned Lendy Cowes Week winner with more successes under his belt than many other competitors, including two previous White Group wins.

Sailing Dauntless, a 2011 Daring, that was built using the keel and rig from his original 1961 boat, Peckham and his crew comprising his wife Jane, Milo Carver and Richard Romer-Lee, achieved another near-perfect scoreline of six first places and a second, to win both class and White Group overall for the third time.

Commenting on his win, in true modest Peckham style, he said: “Winning for the third time is a bit embarrassing, but of course we are ecstatic. We did however, have a great series and fantastic competition. Fortunately for us there were very many others in contention as opposed to one challenger who threatened us all week. There were no easy wins, and we got beaten on one day fair and square, so we had to be on our toes all week.”

“It has been a classic Cowes Week in many senses with windy days and light days and I think one thing that hasn’t happened, at least for us this week, is we haven’t had a race turned inside out. There have certainly been snakes and ladders, which is what you need when you get a bad start, and there is good luck and bad luck out there. We needed a bit of good luck and we got it but at the end of the day there is nothing really to replace preparation, teamwork and everybody on the boat contributing to the win.

Chatting about his years of experience sailing at Lendy Cowes Week, Peckham continued: “It doesn’t matter how many years you spend sailing here, there are always new things to learn about the Solent including wind directions and currents.”

As he rushed to board his Daring again this morning, Peckham concluded: “Not surprisingly we had a few drink last night, so we are suffering a bit this morning. We actually don’t need to sail today but don’t want it to seem like sour grapes if we don’t go out. It is also a lovely day for sailing and a great opportunity to enjoy ourselves at Lendy Cowes Week for the final time this week.”