Hornet Final Fling at Carsington Sailing Club

Close racing between Strangler / Pippa Rogers and Gareth Russell / Paul Carrington during the Hornet Final Fling at Carsington © Tim Rush / North Sails

Gareth Russell and Paul Carrington during the Hornet Final Fling at Carsington © Tim Rush / North Sails

Mike Owen & Andy Holmes during the Hornet Final Fling at Carsington © Tim Rush / North Sails

Eight Hornets travelled to Carsington Sailing Club on Saturday 27th October for the final event of the Hornet season. It was great to see some newcomers to Hornet sailing joining us. The weather forecast was predicting brisk conditions to be the order of the day with it hopefully easing over the afternoon and maybe a little less the for Sunday depending on which weather forecast you looked at. Most of the Hornets launched in the sheltered bay to be greeted by winds gusting force 7 on the way to the start line for race one of three for Saturday. Sharing the event with the Javelins holding their Nationals (postponed from earlier in the year) the Hornets were starting second.

The first race started fairly Gareth Russell and Paul Carrington in 2176 led round the first mark with Strangler and Pippa Rogers in 2132 close behind in second. Gareth then rounding the gybe mark of the first triangle and discovered that helming a Hornet for the first time in this much breeze he should have practised gybing first... Their swim allowed Strangler and Pippa through and Mike Owen sailing with Andy Holmes to close up in third. This wasn't to be their first swim of the race, in fact it was only Strangler and Pippa who stayed upright for the whole race. Strangler and Pippa went on to win the race by some margin with Gareth and Paul coming second and Geoff Furlong and Jim Ingram coming in third.

With boats and sailors both feeling weary after that first, many sailed straight to shore to rest up and recover ready for Sunday. Gareth and Paul managed to persuade Strangler and Pippa to stay out for a second race. This one was much closer between the two boats with Gareth again rounding the windward mark first but Strangler then making a better gybe mark rounding and taking the lead. The close racing continued for 5 laps with places changing a few more times and some amazing spinnaker reaches. Strangler and Pippa got the lead back again with one lap to go and held it until the end.

After this both boats decided a third race was a little too much and had heard rumours that the bar was now open.

The following morning the sailors awoke to mist and very light winds. The forecast had said otherwise. As the boats were rigged the wind filled in to a steady force 2.

With the lighter winds the racing was much closer within the fleet with place changes happening on almost every leg. Strangler and Pippa took a commanding lead in the first race of the day with close racing between Gareth and Paul and Mike and Andy. Gareth managed to stay ahead of Mike to take second place.

For Race two the wind increased slightly and was closer at the front with Gareth and Paul very close with Strangler and Pippa all race. Just behind there was a close race for third between Mike and Andy, Gary and Tracey Haylett in 2162 and Geoff and Jim for third place. Across the finish line it was Strangler and Pippa followed by Gareth and Paul, with Mike and Andy coming in third.

With first and second place for the weekend now beyond doubt the race was on for third with only one point separating third and forth places. Mike and Andy got yet another excellent start but Geoff and Jim got ahead of them early in the race. Strangler had disappeared off in the lead with a close race for second between Gareth and Geoff. The race finished with Strangler and Pippa first, Gareth and Paul second and Geoff and Jim third.

Overall Strangler and Pippa Rogers had a commanding first place overall and were awarded the Final Fling trophy. Gareth Russell and Paul Carrington came second and third based on places in the final race went to Geoff Furlong and Jim Ingram.

Overall Results: