Contender Open at Mengeham Rythe Sailing Club

3D sailing on big waves made conditions interesting on Saturday. Out in the bay the first races started off in a force 4.

Stuart Jones won the first race. Dan Taylor came second. The next race took place in dramatically increasing conditions. Stuart also led the race. The battle for 2rd and 3rd place was between Dan Taylor, Martin Jones and Carl Tagoe. Just as Stuart Jones and Carl Tagoe were to cross the by now the moving finishing line, the race officer cancelled the race, with good reason. With 35 knots of wind over tide, the Hayling Island bar lived up to its reputation. The 'butcher's bill' was high, there was significant boat damage; two masts snapped and a hole in a beautiful Bonezzi hull.

Sunday's weather conditions looked like being a repeat of Saturday's. Most of the fleet was suffering from post-traumatic stress and on pain of death, the race officer made the decision to stay in the harbour.

Stuart dominated the remaining 3 races that were held in perfect Contender conditions and came first overall. Wise Ed Presley had decided to stay away from the Saturday racing with his new boat. With impressive boat speed and more energy than the '2 dayers', he wiggled out two 2nd's and a fourth. Dan Taylor, now on his backup mast, had scored two fourths and two seconds and landed equal points with Ed. The tie-break went to Ed who came second overall, followed by Dan Taylor (third) and Carl Tagoe and Martin Jones in fourth and fifth place respectively.

The racing, although dominated by Jones, was close and exciting. A big thank you goes to Mengeham Rythe Sailing Club who managed to offer up this successful event when faced with some very challenging conditions - even for Contenders!

Overall Results: