Merlin Rocket Open Meeting at Chichester Yacht Club

The third Craftinsure Silver Tiller event of the season is held at Chichester © John Crawley

The third Craftinsure Silver Tiller event of the season is held at Chichester © John Crawley

Thirty Merlin Rockets arrived at Chichester Yacht Club for the third Craftinsure Silver Tiller of this season. Three races, three different race winners and we lost count on how many times the black flag was flown!

Race 1 - Start the day as you mean to go on
First general recall of the day, but fortunately with the tide against the fleet they managed to get away without the black flag coming out. 2010 Grand Slam Winners Simon Blake and Alex Jackson showed the fleet they meant serious business by flying off the start line, leading round the windward mark never to be seen again. Second place went to William Warren and Sophie Mackley, who were clear ahead of the pack, which consisted of Matt Biggs crewed by Ben Hollis, Steve and Gill Leney, and Jon Gorringe crewed by Francois Fung.

Race 2 - Be consistent
Yep you got it, another general recall, followed by another but this time the black flag was out and caught some of the fleet out with four boats being sent home. A couple of these were looking for victory at the event, yet all they could do was go ashore sit in the naughty corner with a cup of tea whilst race 2 got underway. It was time for some more familiar faces to show the fleet around the course. Judith Massey and Graham Williamson sailed a very consistent race to take the victory gun holding off a chasing pack with a well deserved second place going to the Leneys, followed by Biggs/Hollis then Blake/Jackson.

Race 3 – Why change the habits of the day?
So the tide by now was really starting to ebb. All this meant was the fleet of 30 Merlins had to make sure that they had enough momentum to be up on the line or over it in this case. Yep you got it…..another general recall! Unlike the other 2 races of the day where the leader had got away it wasn’t the case here. Andy and Phil Dalby lead for lap 1, Gorringe/Fung lead lap 2 and Biggs/Hollis who had been nibbling their way back from 4th finally got to the finish line first to take the bullet. Gorringe/Fung took second, Warren/Mackley who were now back out on the water having had a breather in race 2 took third, with the Dalby sisters taking fourth.

Congratulations to Matt Biggs and Ben Hollis who took home the Nick’s Boat Trophy, with Simon Blake and Alex Jackson in second, and William Warren and Sophie Mackley in third. Thanks must go to Chichester Yacht Club for doing their best to tame the fleet, keeping them back behind the line, for their super efficient race team with time between races kept to a minimum and for the great food they put on for all competitors at the end of the day.

Overall Results: