Ocean BMW Torbay Week
by Katina Read 27 Aug 2008 15:29 BST
22-27 August 2008
IRC2 winner Xcellent during Ocean BMW Torbay Week © Katina Read
Nearly 200 boats and around 700 competitors have taken part in the first ever Ocean BMW Torbay Week.
The regatta started with the traditional Friday night fancy dress Pursuit Race from Brixham won by Peanut owned by Ron Campion of Brixham Yacht Club.
Saturday was the start of the main three-day Torbay Championship with 17 classes including three dinghy national championships racing in varied conditions throughout the three days.
The event concluded with two days of Admirals’ Cup, pursuit, team and corporate racing.
This is the first time Torbay’s four sailing and yacht clubs – Babbacombe Corinthian Sailing Club, Brixham Yacht Club, Paignton Sailing Club and Royal Torbay Yacht Club - have worked together to jointly hold a regatta and the formula proved very successful with competitors with Paignton and Babbacombe running the dinghy racing from Paignton's harbour and green, and Brixham and Royal Torbay running the yacht racing.
With five courses – IRC, PY and small keelboats, a championship dinghy course for the ISO, Buzz and Tasar Nationals, handicap dinghy course and a junior course, Tor Bay looked spectacular filled with boats of all shapes and sizes.
Race officers were David Rayment of Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Robin Meads of Brixham Yacht Club, David Homer of Babbacombe Corinthian Sailing Club and Ken Falcon of Paignton Sailing Club with courses primarily windward leeward and Olympic triangles.
Tim Whitehead, event director, said: “The event has been very successful with 200 boats on the water and 700 people competing. We’ve had some great racing and received very positive feedback. Everyone has worked extremely hard to pull the week together and it’s paid off. The four clubs working together seem to have a formula that works and it’s been a marvellous start to build on for future years.”
He added: “We have learnt some lessons but we do have a fantastic event in the making. It’s very pleasing that the dinghy championships have already asked us if they can come back next year.
“Thanks must go to all our sponsors including Ocean BMW, Raymarine, Chatham Marine and National Boat Shows plus our local sponsors of SailSport, Pedros Yacht Refinishing, Beverage Brands, Bayside Marine and Torbay Development Agency.”
The biggest fleet was the 38 boats racing for the Tasar National Championships with competitors coming from the local fleets as well as sailors based in Rotterdam, Scotland, Wales, the Solent and the East Coast.
But it was the experienced Paignton team of Malcolm and Fiona Davies with three firsts in the eight races – they were never out of the top 10 finishers – who comprehensively claimed the title of national champions.
Two other dinghy classes were using Ocean BMW Torbay Week for their nationals with Stuart Bailey and Zoe Noble from the Medway taking the Buzz championship and Neal Ashby and Sam Proctor winning the ISO Championship.
The junior and cadet classes were made up of experienced young sailors as well as those who have only recently started sailing through the RYA Onboard schemes at Torquay and Babbacombe.
With racing held close to Torquay Harbour, parents and spectators could watch proceedings from the harbour wall and help with rigging and launching boats.
Ben Binmore and Sophia Cockall from Royal Torbay won the Cadet class and Robert McPherson and Herbie Harford – sailing an RS Feva – won the junior handicap.
The Pico class was won by Rebe Finnon and Emily Hale from Royal Torbay, but special mention must go to Jovian Short and Jacob Barnett - who only started sailing in April with the Torbay Youth Sailing Trust – who came third in their first regatta.
The yachts racing on the two offshore courses had close racing with IRC 1 decided on the last race with Vortex, Red and Sir DUCKtion all capable of winning the class.
After a good start in the last race, Joe Woods and crew sailing Red had their jib halyard fail and consequently finished third overall.
Tim and Sophie Harrington from the Royal Torbay Yacht Club, sailing the X35 Vortex, won the class never finishing outside of the top three.
IRC 2 was won by John and Kate Pollard sailing their X99 Xcellent from RTYC, while Brixham took class honours in IRC 3 and Unrated Cruiser classes.
Matt and Michelle Dodd, sailing their Hunter Impala Fearnought, took the win in IRC 3 and John Thorpe – with a win in every race sailing Firefox – took the unrated cruiser class and the regatta overall. He was presented with the Addison Gold Cup for top boat.
The Laser SB3 class was won by Xcellent helmed by Rob Smith, and the second boat in the fleet to win every race in its class was the Folkboat Bluetooth of Mike Ellis and Graham Jenkins.
The Flying Fifteen class was very close with Antidote helmed by Richard Gillham just ahead of Outsider helmed by David Ramsden.
There were prizegivings at both Paignton and Torquay harboursides with general manager for Ocean BMW Torbay, Gary Bolton, presenting the prizes.
Overall Results: (three day championship)
IRC 1: Vortex, Tim and Sophie Harrington (RTYC)
IRC 2: Xcellent, John and Kate Pollard (RTYC)
IRC 3: Fearnought, Matt and Michelle Dodd (BYC)
Unrated Cruiser: Firefox, John Thorpe (BYC)
SB3: Xcellent, Rob Smith (RTYC)
Folkboat: Bluetooth, Mike Ellis and Graham Jenkins (RTYC)
Flying Fifteen: Antidote, Richard Gillham (RTYC)
Cadets: Wipeout, Ben Binmore and Sophia Cockall (RTYC)
Juniors: RS Feva, Robert McPherson and Herbie Harford (Restronguet and RTYC)
Pico: Rebe Finnon and Emily Hale (RTYC)
Tasar National Championship: Malcolm and Fiona Davies (PSC)
Fast Handicap Fleet: Elaine & Graham Slater (PSC)
Medium Handicap Fleet: Jim Hill-Jones (PSC) & David Mathews (Yealm YC)
Asymmetric Handicap: Mark Elkington & Charlie Game (Starcross YC)
Full results are available on www.torbayweek.co.uk/results