Jon Short and Miles Bastick’s MRX rounded out an excellent seasons sailing on Saturday to take out the PHS and IRC pointscores in the overall Short Haul Summer Series and the IRC Autumn Short Haul Pointscore.

Despite poor results in the final two races of the season, where the fleet encountered heavier breezes to which the Farr 34 was less suited, MRX had done enough early in the season to hold off Elusive and Katinka in the overall PHS Pointscore and Vivacite and Lady Ann in the overall IRC results. 

An outstanding appeal (effecting MRX) against the decision of the protest committee in an earlier race is due to be heard in March however the result of the appeal is unlikely to impact the overall standings.

In the Autumn Pointscore a third place on Saturday for Paul O’Connell’s Katinka (behind Lu Lu Belle and Mr Bojangles) saw Paul and his crew celebrate their first season of Short Haul racing with a win in the Autumn PHS Pointscore from Attitude and Big Blue.

This season has been an excellent one for the Short Haul fleet with numbers up significantly from 2006/7.  In Short Haul racing classic yachts such as Caprice of Huon, race against stalwarts such as Electra and Katinka, and modern production boats including John Walton’s Beneteau 44.7 Vivacite and Warren Grounds’ Jeanneau 45 Mr Bojangles.

It is however the spirit of Short Haul that makes the crews turn up week in and week out. At the end of the season few would disagree that the right results have been achieved with some memorable races and even more memorable raft ups along the way.

We look forward to seeing as many Short Haul crews as possible at the summer prizegiving on 4 April 2008, and an even better 2008/9! – Paul Billingham