Trafalgar Trophy at Tamesis Club
by John Dunkley 20 Oct 2009 16:51 BST
18 October 2009
Hardly any wind for the Trafalgar Trophy at Tamesis © John Dunkley
Mike Stephens wins battle for Trafalgar Trophy
A gentle south westerly breeze gave the 22 competing boats some anxious moments in the Trafalgar Trophy class handicap pursuit race at Tamesis Club, Teddington, on Sunday 18 October. After some impressive sailing from the Solos, the first class to start in the absence of any Cadet entries, the race settled down to a battle between last year's winners, Richard and Harry Harris in Passing Cloud (Merlin Rocket 1079) and Mike Stephens and Liz Foxley in Luka (MR 3560), who had been beaten by Harris in the Sondown Cup the previous Sunday. In rather less wind than the week before Stephens took his revenge, pulling clear ahead from a convergence of other boats at the last mark after one and a half hour's racing.
Race Officer Eric Webb set a modest course with the Canbury buoy just downstream of Stevens Eyot and the Lensbury mark a third of the distance along Trowlock Island. This gave a beat up river and a downstream run, but there were many tricky moments with bunching at both buoys and the best of the sailing in the modest breeze coming across the recreation ground and between the buildings on the Teddington shore. The Surrey bank was the favoured side but with very little stream some contestants made faster progress in the middle of the river and one Merlin briefly attempted to fly a spinnaker to take advantage of an up river gust.
The three Solos showed the Lasers how to make the most of the opportunities in the light conditions and both Joe McLaughlin in Bada Bing (4850) and Rob Wilder in Wild Wood (5041) kept well ahead of the fleet until passed by the two leading Merlins, which lapped many of the other boats. This battle of the Solos was almost as fierce as that between Stephens and Harris. Berry Ritchie and Sue Harris in Crescendo (MR 607) were never far behind and fought off an attack from another Merlin and the leading Laser for fifth place.
Overall Results:
1 Luka (MR 3560) Mike Stephens & Liz Foxley
2 Passing Cloud (MR 1079) Richard & Harry Harris
3 Bada Bing! (Solo 4850) Joe McLaughlin
4 Wild Wood (Solo 5041) Rob Wilder
5 Crescendo (MR 607) Berry Ritchie & Sue Harris