The X-35’s had the best of both worlds at Cowes this year. Competing in IRC Class 5, all 6 boats raced off their one design handicap allowing some close boat to boat racing as well as dominating the top ten Class results.

 

Although the X-35 is most at home on a windward leeward course, the crews have learnt how to get the best out of the boats on the standard Cowes week reach around course. With winds from 5 to 22 knots the only boat to threaten was Jacobite the Swan 48 who trundled around almost undefeated.

David Pinner’s Kiss proved to be the most consistent of the X-35’s finishing second to Jacobite in class, but X-Dream (Peter Howlands), Vortex (Tim and Sophie Harrington) and Jazz 2 (Ian Smyth) all had their moments of glory, together with Swallow (Gordan Craigen) these boats took five of the top ten places with the nearest Beneteau 34.7 another 15 places further back.

 

Although the IRC class results were important, most boats found themselves more absorbed in racing the other X-35’s. On several occasions the Castle line were left struggling to identify the winners as 3 boats crossed the finish line within two boats lengths of each other.

With 15 boats now afloat in the UK and several more in the pipeline, next year will undoubtedly see the fleet go from strength to strength. Earlier this year ISAF granted the boat International One Design status and fleets are growing steadily across Europe.

 

The first World championships were held in Kiel back in July with 35 entries, next year the expectation is to double that number as the total number of boats afloat moves over 200.

 

By David Pinner