Rix, at the helm of Gill, was trailing John Pollard’s Xcellent by five points going into the last day of the four-day series with five races still to be sailed after Fridays’ racing was postponed because of a lack of wind in St Aubin’s Bay.
After the first race of the day Xcellent had cemented its lead, finishing three places ahead of its rival in beautiful, sunny sailing conditions with a light five to six knot easterly breeze.
But, come the start of the final race, the pair were level at the head of the 22-strong fleet.
Whichever of the two boats crossed the line first took the title.
And there was nothing in it going into the final three-mile beat against the tide south of the Demi-des-Pas light with Xcellent third and Gill fifth.
But Xcellent got it’s line wrong, suffered in the tidal race and came home 11th – seven places behind Gill.
Back in the St Helier YC clubhouse winning skipper Rix said: ‘We didn’t start the day well – we were seventh and they were fourth so it all looked doom and gloom.
We thought we’d never catch them.
‘But then we beat them in each of the next three races and then in the last we were 11th and they were fourth at one time; then we were second and third and then third and fifth.
On the last beat we lost a place by going downwind – but they lost more.
‘Yes, we’re delighted – it’s been a great competition.’ Xcellent skipper John Pollard was, understandably, a little down at losing the series after winning no less than three races.
‘Yes, we’re a bit disappointed,’ he said.
‘We mispredicted the tides on the last beat when we chose the incorrect spacer mark – they gybed off and went to the favourable side of the course.
The tide was the big player today.
We’re a bit low now – but we’ll bounce back.’ Now Pollard and his crew are looking forward to taking their revenge when they again face Gill at the European championships in Torquay next month.
Meanwhile the first Jersey boat was The Dogs .
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But Allen Brown’s boat dropped three places to ninth on the final day while Michael Henning’s Guernsey-based March Hare came through to sixth – the top amateur.
Jersey’s other entries were Rhys Perkins’ Final Fling which finished in 18th spot and The Bees .
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! helmed by Dave Myatt which was 22nd.
Bob de la Haye, chairman of sailing at the St Helier club who had been aboard Final Fling was happy – not just because his boat claimed an extraordinary first place in the penultimate race of the series, but because the event had gone so well.
‘Winning that race was the highlight of our week – it was only our third time out together on the boat.
We had a good start and chose the right side of the course because we got the tide.
‘But the whole thing’s been fantastic.
It’s been three days of contrasts – the first day was very windy and the next was much gentler.
And today was perfect.
‘It’s been a great event for Jersey, a huge success – everybody’s enjoyed it.’ Prizes were presented at a gala dinner at the Grand Hotel on Saturday.
The championship was sponsored by Condor Ferries, BNP Paribas, Link Insurance and WKD Beverage Brands, Jersey Tourism and Education Sport & Culture to whom the organisers, the St Helier and Royal Channel Islands Yacht Clubs, extend their thanks.
