Chichester Yacht Club Open Snowflake Series - Overall
by Louise Varley 7 Mar 2014 07:08 GMT
2 March 2014
The forecast was uncertain, with grey skies and moderate breezes for the morning, increasing around midday. With a programmed 10.30 start but not much breeze, Race Officer Charlie Porter decided to set a W-shaped course for the fast and medium fleets, with 2 beats and 2 runs, the slow fleet missing out the 3rd mark to sail a V course. The breeze came up from the southwest, but remained shifty, with some frisky gusts developing.
The fast fleet was reduced to 8 starters for Race 9 of the series. Only the leaders managed to round the leeward mark, the rest of the fleet chasing it towards Dell Quay. The race was abandoned and the fleet sent ashore as the mark was recaptured and tethered to the seabed again. The race was restarted but by this time the gusts were strong enough to cause a few capsizes, and a number of boats retired. First over the line was the CYC Fireball of Andy Palmer-Felgate and Rich Anderson, but on handicap the Merlin Rocket of Neale Jones and Sam Adam (HISC) came out ahead, with the RS200 of David and Fiona Sayce (HISC) in 3rd. In Race 10 there were only 5 starters, 1st place going to the Fireball, with Jones & Adam 2nd, and the Sayces 3rd.
36 fast fleet boats competed in the series, which allows entry for the whole series or on a day by day basis. Several boats entered on only 1 or 2 days, but a total of 15 qualified for the series results. The top places all went to Merlin Rockets, the Shoreham teams of Warren & Oakey and Jackson & Gifford taking 1st and 2nd, and the Cockerills (HISC) in 3rd. These 3 were all level on 17 points nett, the final results being calculated on the number of 1st places. First CYC boats were the Fireball of Palmer-Felgate & Anderson in 11th place, and the Ellimans in their RS400 in 12th.
Single-handers dominated the 17 entrants in the medium fleet again, with Jerome Bakker (HISC) in his Solo taking 1st place in Race 9. Jimmy Carter (CYC) crossed the line first in his Laser, but earned 2nd on handicap, with Ray Collins (Laser, Locks SC) 3rd. In Race 10, Richard Bailey (Emsworth) in his Laser took first place with a clear lead on the water, followed by Bakker and Mark Harper (CYC) in Solos. Michael and Paula Olliff (CYC) in their 2000 put in a confident performance to cross the line in 2nd place, dropping to 4th on handicap.
The medium fleet had a total entry of 47 boats for the series, 21 of which qualified. The overall winner was Jerome Bakker, who competed in every race and counted three 1sts and three 2nds for his final score. In second place was Richard Bailey and third Mark Harper.
6 boats competed in the slow fleet, the Topper of Jess Carter (CYC) crossing the line first in Race 9, but losing out to Thomas Weston and Patrick Jefferies from Itchenor in their Mirror on handicap. In 3rd place was another Itchenor Mirror, sailed by Edward and Celia Hansell. Jess Carter was the only one tough enough to compete in Race 10, gaining her another bullet to count in the series.
Overall results for the slow fleet gave Carter a well-deserved 1st place, with four 1st and two 2nd places to count. Second overall was Howard Lane of Lancing (Topper) and 3rd the Hansells.
By a complicated formula involving square roots, the number of qualifiers and other mysterious factors, it was determined that the overall trophy winner was Jerome Bakker, with Jess Carter 2nd, and Richard Bailey 3rd. So although they did not win the best chocolates, we expect the Merlin Rockets will be back in force for the CYC Open meeting on Sunday 30th March.
For full results see www.cyc.co.uk/dinghy_section/results/opens/snowflake_2014.htm