John Merricks Tiger Trophy at Rutland Sailing Club
By Andy Rice, SailJuice on 6 Feb4-5 February 2012Tiger Trophy at Rutland
All photos © Martin Hollingshead
Tom Jeffcoate and Tom Pygall won the John Merricks Tiger Trophy 2012 by the skin of their teeth. Competing in sub-zero conditions, the Scorpion National Champion equalled Merlin Rocket racers Matt Biggs and Ben Hollis from Blithfield with 20 points apiece from the four races. But on the tie-break the trophy went to the Scorpion sailors.
Nine different classes filled the top 10 places, with 139 boats coming to Rutland to compete at the two-day regatta despite a heinous weather forecast. With ropes and boats icing up even as the fleet set out for three back-to-back races on Saturday, the challenge was to stay warm enough to be able to race effectively. International Moth sailor Ricky Tagg was concerned about his foiling mechanism icing up, but in the moderate breezes he hammered out of the congested start line at full pace and made mincemeat of the trapezoid course, winning two of the three races on handicap.
Former Musto Skiff World Champion Richard Stenhouse professed to ‘feeling rusty’ but still did enough to hold a top-three position after the Saturday, and there was a good variety of classes well in the hunt.
That evening the snow started to fall, but sailors still enjoyed a two-course dinner at the club before heading off into the freezing night. Two sailors left it a bit late leaving a pub, however, and had to stay put for the night, only being delivered back to the hotel they had paid for in Oakham the following morning when a farmer drove them back into town on his tractor.
With the prospect of a two-hour pursuit race in fog, melting snow and next to no wind, some competitors called it a day. But more than 80 boats braved the final, no-discard race to see how they would fare. Stuart Bithell, recently selected in the 470 for the British Olympic Sailing Team, steered a Merlin to victory with crew Ed Clayson, ghosting across the line ahead of fellow Merlin sailors Biggs and Hollis in second. Peter Gray and Rachael Rhodes in a Scorpion were third across the line, but title contenders Jeffcoate and Pygall were further back in 15th place. A close finish, but in the end that proved just enough for the Scorpion to hold off the challenge of the Merlins.
Thanks to Rule 26 for event logistics and site branding, and Everards Brewery for all the umbrella prizes and Tiger beer for every entrant.
Trophy winners:
John Merricks Tiger Trophy (Overall Winner) - Tom Jeffcoate & Tom Pygall, Scorpion, Notts County SC
John Merricks Lady Tiger Trophy (First all girl crew) - Vicki Payne & Stephanie Orton, 29er, Emsworth SC – 23rd
Shere Khan Trophy (Combined crew of 75+ or helm aged over 45) - Richard Stenhouse, Musto Skiff, Rutland SC – 6th
Youth Trophy - Toby Morsley & Matt Wallis, 420, Port Dinorwic SC – 4th
Full results
The Tiger Trophy was the fourth event in the SailJuice Global Warm-Up 2012 series. The last event is the Draycote Dash on 25/26 February.
SailJuice Global Warm-Up 2012
Peter Gray and Rachael Rhodes won the SailJuice Global Warm-Up 2012 after sailing their Scorpion to 2nd place in the final of the five events in the series, the Draycote Dash last weekend.
Posted on 1 Mar
Lark wins the Draycote Dash, Scorpion wins the SailJuice Series
Father and Son team Stuart and Nick Hydon sailed their Lark to victory at the Draycote Dash on a sunny, light to medium weekend at Draycote Water.
Posted on 27 Feb
Phantom could play Wilde card in SailJuice Global Warm-Up series climax
The outcome of the SailJuice Global Warm-up hangs in the balance as competitors head to the final of the five events in the series, this weekend’s Draycote Dash at Draycote Water near Coventry.
Posted on 23 Feb
A light wind Steve Nic, but who will grab the Tiger by the tail?
With the Steve Nicholson Memorial Trophy just completed, the SailJuice Global Warm-Up 2012 has passed the half-way stage, with a Fireball still sitting in pole position.
Posted on 3 Feb
Grafham Grand Prix at Grafham Water Sailing Club
Sunny skies, mild temperatures and moderate winds attracted the best turnout in years to the Grafham Grand Prix on 2 January.
Posted on 3 Jan
SailJuice Global Warm-Up kicks off with Grafham Grand Prix
The third edition of the SailJuice Global Warm-up kicks off in just over a week’s time at the Grafham Grand Prix. This winter championship brings together five of the biggest winter handicap racing events into a unified series.
Posted on 23 Dec 2011
Praise be to Mother Teresa for saving ISAF from itself
It all came down to one vote. In a tense face-off around the ISAF Council table, the 37 members voted 19:18 in favour of keeping skiffs on the Olympic sailing roster, at the expense of the keelboats.
Posted on 8 May 2011
Can the Star pull another fast one?
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly are out in St Petersburg to determine the future of Olympic sailing. It’s the ISAF Mid-Year Meeting, and yesterday the Events Committee secured a 60% majority in favour of the following events and equipment.
Posted on 6 May 2011
Controversial Merlin retirement hands title to Peake
Musto Skiff sailor Andy Peake has found himself as the new, unexpected and somewhat reluctant champion of the SailJuice Global Warm-Up 2011.
Posted on 18 Feb 2011
Matt Biggs & Ben Hollis retire from SailJuice Global Warm-Up
After much heartache, and the reading of the comments placed on this website and the Merlin Rocket forums, myself and Ben have decided to duly retire from the event.
Posted on 16 Feb 2011