Win for Jameson

THE Irish Mumm 36 footer Jameson won its class at the annual Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC) in Miami at the weekend.

With a score of four first places, a second and a fourth by Saturday night, the internationally crewed Dun Laoghaire boat could afford not to sail the final race yesterday.

The latest win follows on from success at the Key West regatta in January, shortly before which the US Sailing the national administrator in America, announced the Irish boat as the Mumm 36 for the United States team in this summer's Champagne Mumm Admirals Cup at Cowes in late July.

The SORC was dominated by fresh winds of up to 30 knots at times that combined with a heavy ocean swell to produce fast and testing conditions for the various classes sailing.

These conditions contrast with the lighter winds and flatter seas at Key West and indicate a good all-round performance by Jameson.

However, this event also saw considerable improvements by other challengers that can be expected at Cowes.

British Olympic silver medalists John Merricks and Ian Walker did pull up to the front of the fleet and yesterday narrowly missed taking second place overall.

The Mumm 36 circuit resumes in Europe in May.