July 26, 2018

Rex crew Canadian J 70 champions Mark Goodyear, Rene Serin, Peter Wickwire and Scott Weakley. Photo credit Kathy Large

A J70 team with the regal name of Rex has been crowned Canadian champion for the third year in a row and a new team based in Prince Edward Island has won the Farr 30 Canadian title. Both classes competed at Charlottetown Race Week July 12-14.

HeadFirst 3 Crew Canadian Farr 30 champions (Left to Right) Topher Kingley-Williams, John Whynacht, Jonathan Ross, Peter Toombs, Adam Roy, Graham Roy, Missing Darren Jones. Photo credit Emily Gaudet

Skipper Peter Toombs and his Farr 30 crew on HeadFirst 3 won six of seven races. It is an auspicious beginning for the group, “We’ll go at this hard for the next five years. I am ecstatic that an Atlantic Canadian team has won the Farr 30 championship for the first time. I hope it helps us grow the class.” Toombs’ goal is to bring the World Championship to the region in the years ahead. o will compete for the Farr 30 North American title at Chester Race Week in Nova Scotia next month.

Team Rex skippered by Scott Weakley from Port Credit, Ontario had five bullets in seven races. He claims not to have any secrets about making his J70 go faster, since the class requires every team to have the same basic equipment. He credits his success to the amount of time he spends in the boat. “We do a lot of regattas and get humbled pretty quickly when sailing with professionals. But that makes you better. As for winning a third title, we are lucky. You always need a little luck to go with experience in racing.”

J 70's round the mark on Charlottetown's Hillsborough Bay. Photo credit Kathy Large

Weakley took time when accepting his trophy to salute the local club for a great regatta and warm hospitality to all competitors. Wind conditions varied from 10 to 12 knots with higher gusts on the first day, allowing for four races. Day two was extremely light air. Charlottetown J-70 sailor Graeme Carr says Todd and Fredrickson "made a silk purse out of a sow's ear" by getting in one race in fading winds. The third day started with steady breezes of 6 to 7 knots which dropped off as the second and final race was finishing.

Farr 30's race against the backdrop of PEI's famous red soil cliffs. Photo credit Lorne Kelly

Twenty-seven boats and 175 sailors competed in the regatta, which also included J 29 and PHRF classes.

Kathy Large