Flying Fifteens at the Ovington Inlands
By Tom Taylor on 9 Nov 20115-6 November 2011
This was the first year that the Flying Fifteens have been included in the Ovington Inlands at Grafham Water. At short notice the fleet turned out a really strong showing of eight boats with visitors from as far afield as Bewl and Burton. Ovington and GWSC laid on an excellent social program with a Band, Supper and fantastic fireworks.
The race programme comprised of seven races with one discard, four back to back on Saturday and three of the same format on Sunday. Certainly more hectic than the oldies are used to! Racing on the same course as the 29ers some close calls were inevitable, but courtesy and good planning from both fleets kept this disruption to a minimum. Races were kept within forty minutes facilitating very close racing right to the finish line.
Race 1 started promptly in light airs with a square line and pressure up the port and starboard lay-lines, Robert Hogben and Glyn Morgan rounded the windward in first closely followed by Allen Cave with Ashley Painter and Tom and Nick Taylor. Much place changing ensued up and down the next legs seeing Robert and Glyn with the bullet, followed by Tom and Nick then Allen and Ashley.
Tactically race 2 was very similar with both sides paying and a hole in the middle of the beat, requiring careful planning to avoid the hooligans on skim dishes ringing the bell on the corners of their beat and run. Robert and Glyn secured their final bullet for the day followed by Chris Swallow and Arthur George.
In a freshening breeze races 3 and 4 promptly got under way with a tight group meeting at the windward mark in both instances. In both cases Tom and Nick Taylor and Dave and Jenny Philpott pulled away downwind followed by strong challenges upwind from the Philpotts, beaten off by the Taylors giving them two bullets and the Philpotts two 2nds. Robert and Glyn racked up a 3rd in race 3, with Jonathan and Tricia Knight securing a well deserved 3rd in race 4.
Racing commenced on Sunday to a stiff, cold northerly gusting up to 23 knots – just superb planing conditions for the Flying Fifteens! In race 5 Robert and Glyn were back on form securing another 1st, closely followed by Allen and Ashley in 2nd favouring the breeze and the Knights gaining another 3rd.
Races 6 and 7 concluded with Allen and Ashley, Robert and Glyn taking turns at 1st and 2nd place, Graham Wadeley and Angela Tasker and the Taylors taking 3rd respectively. An incident on the final gybe mark of race 6 saw Barry Wyatt take a refreshing dip aided by Jonathan Knight's mainsheet... after breaking most of the rules of racing Jonathan carried out a successful MOB drill with the fleet stopping to watch, point and laugh their heads off – genuine sympathy!
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 3953 | Robert Hogben | Glyn Morgan | Bewl Valley | 1 | 1 | 3 | -4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| 2nd | 3645 | Tom Taylor | Nick Taylor | GWSC | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | -4 | 4 | 3 | 14 |
| 3rd | 3789 | Allen Cave | Ashley Painter | GWSC | 3 | -7 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 20 |
| 4th | 3794 | Dave Philpott | Jenny Philpott | GWSC | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | -6 | 5 | 5 | 23 |
| 5th | 3627 | Jonathan Knight | Tricia Knight | GWSC | 8 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | (DNF) | 4 | 28 |
| 6th | 3932 | Chris Swallow | Arthur George | GWSC | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 34 |
| 7th | 3727 | Barry Wyatt | Katy Wyatt | GWSC | 6 | 6 | 7 | -8 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 37 |
| 8th | 3894 | Graham Wadeley | Angela Tusker | GWSC | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | (DNC) | 3 | 6 | 38 |
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