Illusion Team Racing at Bembridge Sailing Club
by Mike Samuelson 9 Dec 2013 05:41 GMT
7-8 December 2013
With the tides quite late, the high pressure holding the water back and a containable F3 - 4 Westerly breeze, it was decided to hold the annual Illusion Team Racing outside the harbour off Silver Beach both days - the first time ever and pretty amazing for early December.
Although there were only 6 teams of two boats (rather than the ideal 8), racing was very close and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves - including the Umpires who were kept pretty busy particularly on Sunday. As always, the first day was a round robin with each team racing each other. The Bailey's (Graham & Julia) who were representing the RYS and Bruce Huber & Alastair Speare-Cole representing BSC both finished the day with 4 wins; and the Downer's (Jo & Mark) sailing for RVYC and Raymond Simonds (SVYC) & James Meaning (RSolentYC) both had 3 wins. Although never far away, the joint team of Matt Alexander (BSC) & Matt Muhlenkamp (CulverSC) had one win, and the joint RTYC/Thames SC team of Richard Ambler & Andy Christie failed to score.
Sunday's semi-finals and finals saw some extremely competitive team racing with most races being decided on the final run to the finish line. In the first semi-final, Raymond Simonds & James Meaning outfoxed the Bailey's and won two straight races. In the other semi, the Downer's took the first race but Bruce Huber & Alastair Speare-Cole came back and won the next two by a whisker. This therefore put Raymond & James up against Bruce & Alastair in the best of 5 race finals with the Downer's & Bailey's in the best of 3 race sail-off for third & forth places.
Exciting stuff - the first flight saw Raymond & James and Jo & Mark go one up. In the second flight, Bruce & Alastair secured a 2nd & 3rd place so made it one all and Mark & Jo just managed to push Graham into last place so with two wins, secured third place. The third race went to Raymond & James, the fourth to Bruce & Alastair which meant a fifth race was required as daylight began to disappear! It was anyone's race with the places changing on each leg and the outcome only being decided with metres to go the finishing line with Raymond & James just holding their nerve and therefore winning 3 - 2.
A great two days racing; many thanks to the Umpires & Race Officers who as always ensured that everything went off smoothly.
Next weekend - the inaugural Bill's Barrel Regatta.
Finish - Semi-Finals (BSC v RVYC) 3rd race
Windward Mark - Finals (BSC v SVYC/RSolentYC) 3rd Race
Finish - Finals (BSC v SVYC/RSolentYC) 3rd Race
Finish - Finals (BSC v SVYC/RSolentYC) 5th Race