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Sailor · 2015–2025

James Close

rqys IRC handicapClass 40

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Events
25

25 races · 0 race wins

Win rate
4%

4% win rate · 1 of 25

Podium rate
12%

3 top-three finishes

Typically beats
55%

of boats faced (range 53%–57%, 1,699 boats)

Most successful partnership
Sarah Kafetz

1 wins · 1 podiums in 5 events together · 20% win rate

Biggest lift
Sarah Kafetz

+45 points of fleet beaten when sailing together

Longest-running crew
Nigel Ford

Apr 2023 – Jul 2025 · 6 events

Signature result
1st of 73

Cowes Dinard St Malo Race (IRC 2H Europeans Race 1) · IRC handicap · 5 Jul 2024

Partnerships · 49 sailors

Most successful partnership: Sarah Kafetz — 1 wins · 1 podiums in 5 events together · 20% win rate
  • Nigel Ford · LUTINE · IRC handicap 6events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 0% win rate · 0 of 6 races won Beat 68% of the fleet together(+32 vs. without) · best 7th · Apr 2023 – Jul 2025
  • Richard Laver · LUTINE · IRC handicap 6events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 0% win rate · 0 of 6 races won Beat 61% of the fleet together(+23 vs. without) · best 13th · Apr 2023 – Jul 2025
  • Sarah Kafetz · LUTINE · IRC handicap 5events 1 wins together · 1 podiums · 20% win rate · 0 of 5 races won Beat 79% of the fleet together(+45 vs. without) · best 1st · Jul 2024 – Jul 2025
  • Mark Shipley · LUTINE · IRC handicap 4events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 4 events · 0 of 4 races won Beat 74% of the fleet together(+37 vs. without) · best 7th · Sep 2024 – Jul 2025
  • Darren Powell · LUTINE · IRC handicap 4events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 4 events · 0 of 4 races won Beat 74% of the fleet together(+37 vs. without) · best 7th · Sep 2024 – Jul 2025
  • James Brady-Banzet · LUTINE · IRC handicap 4events 1 wins together · 1 podiums · 4 events · 0 of 4 races won Beat 65% of the fleet together(+26 vs. without) · best 1st · Apr 2023 – Jul 2024
  • Richard Shreeve · LUTINE · IRC handicap 4events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 4 events · 0 of 4 races won Beat 74% of the fleet together(+37 vs. without) · best 7th · Sep 2024 – Jul 2025
  • Vivienne Russell · LUTINE · IRC handicap 4events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 4 events · 0 of 4 races won Beat 74% of the fleet together(+37 vs. without) · best 7th · Sep 2024 – Jul 2025
  • Kate Hamilton-Baily · LUTINE · IRC handicap 4events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 4 events · 0 of 4 races won Beat 74% of the fleet together(+37 vs. without) · best 7th · Sep 2024 – Jul 2025
  • Tim Blackstone · LUTINE · IRC handicap 3events 0 wins together · 0 podiums · 3 events · 0 of 3 races won Beat 53% of the fleet together(+11 vs. without) · best 47th · Apr 2023 – Jul 2023

Lift shows how much better this sailor finishes with that partner aboard.

Rating history

-62-251220162018202020222024Helm rating, all classesCrew rating, all classes

— Helm rating, all classes · - - Crew rating, all classes

Event history · 25

DateEventBoatClassRoleFinish
26 Jul 2025Rolex Fastnet RaceLUTINEIRC handicapSkipper205th / 380
24 May 2025Myth of Malham Race (R3 Cowes Offshore Racing Series)LUTINEIRC handicapSkipper37th / 128
3 May 2025Cervantes Trophy Race (R1 Cowes Offshore Racing Series)LUTINEIRC handicapSkipper13th / 91
6 Sep 2024Lewmar Cherbourg Race (with JOG)LUTINEIRC handicapSkipper7th / 71
5 Jul 2024Cowes Dinard St Malo Race (IRC 2H Europeans Race 1)LUTINEIRC handicapSkipper1st / 73
26 Dec 2023Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023Showdown (TH)IRC handicapSkipper61st / 83
21 Jul 2023Rolex Fastnet RaceLUTINEIRC handicapSkipper184th / 358
27 May 2023Myth of Malham RaceLUTINEIRC handicapSkipper55th / 147
29 Apr 2023Cervantes Trophy RaceLUTINEIRC handicapSkipper47th / 87
2 Sep 2022Cherbourg Race 2022LutineIRC handicapSkipper2nd / 4
8 Jul 2022Cowes Dinard St Malo Race 2022LutineIRC handicapSkipper4th / 5
26 Dec 2021Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2021Stefan RacingIRC handicapCrew12th / 12
9 Jul 2021Cowes Dinard St Malo Race 2021LutineIRC handicapSkipper13th / 20
26 Dec 2019Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2019Bounty Brassware Our RushIRC handicapCrew42nd / 120
13 Jul 2018Cowes Dinard St Malo Race 2018FortissimoClass 40Skipper7th / 10
6 Aug 2017Rolex Fastnet Race 2017FortissimoClass 40Skipper19th / 26
7 Jul 2017Cowes Dinard St Malo Race 2017FortissimoClass 40Skipper7th / 8
13 May 2017De Guingand Bowl Race 2017FortissimoClass 40Skipper2nd / 3
29 Apr 2017Cervantes Trophy Race 2017FortissimoClass 40Skipper6th / 7
18 Jun 2016Volvo Round Ireland Race 2016FortissimoIRC handicapSkipper5th / 8
14 May 2016De Guingand Bowl Race 2016FortissimoIRC handicapSkipper6th / 6
16 Aug 2015Rolex Fastnet Race 2015FortissimoClass 40Skipper20th / 23
10 Jul 2015Cowes - Dinard - St Malo Race 2015FortissimoIRC handicapSkipper10th / 20
19 Jun 2015Morgan Cup Race 2015FortissimoIRC handicapSkipper13th / 20
2 May 2015Cervantes Trophy Race Cowes - Le Havre 2015FortissimoIRC handicapSkipper12th / 14

Helm rating across all classes: -43, #60,000.Crew rating across all classes: 12. Compiled from public results; not an official ranking.