Sharps Doom Bar Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week 2014

Sharps Doom Bar Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week 2014 – Day 3

by Tim Fells 9 Jul 2014 14:33 BST 6-11 July 2014

Day 3 of Merlin Rocket week at Salcombe © Malcolm Mackley

Day 3 at the Doom Bar Salcombe Merlin Week greeted competitors with wall to wall sunshine and a 10 knot NW. Unfortunately for the morning flights this is a bad wind direction as it comes over the town, making the harbour a very messy race track.

Race 5 – Green v Blue flights. NW Force 3. Course 1,7,1,3,1,3

With the flood tide in their faces and little or no breeze on the start line, just getting across the line was a challenge. The majority of the fleet opted for the Portlemouth shore where Dave Winder and Pippa Taylor executed a perfect start, clear ahead of the fleet, to lead away close tacking up to Mill Bay. Simon Blake and Chris Dodds, and Sam Pascoe with Alex Adams managed to play the shifts best to round ahead or Dave and Pippa. Getting the biggest cheer of the day for rounding in the top 5 were Dave and Abigail Croft in their classic Smokers Satisfaction, 3165 'Panatella', while many of the top teams struggled back in the pack. On the trip through The Bag and back, Dave and Pippa retook the lead to extend for a comfortable win from Simon and Chris and Sam and Alex. Dave Hayes and Oli Wells came through very well from their unfavoured town side start to take fourth from the very consistent Dan Alsop and Jenny King. Other front runners struggled to recover from poor starts; Taxi and Ellie Bremmer were 11th and Jon Gorringe with Nicki Bass 13th.

Race 6 – Red v Black fleets, SW Force 2-3, Course 1,7,4,2,3

The fleet rigged on the beach in high expectation of a classic Salcombe race. The sky was clear, the wind was up and it looked like we were in for a blast. Then with 10 minutes to go to the start the clouds came in, the rain poured down the wind went round in circles and disappeared. No-one knew what would happen next. The PRO rolled the dice and selected Blackstone as the first mark and the fleet, rather shambolicly, prepared for battle. On the gun, well in fact two seconds before the gun, Day 2 winners Tim Fells and Chris Downham got over-excited and headed up the track for an early bath. The rest of the fleet ambled up the harbour with the river boat racers faring best. Most of the leaders round the first mark were from Hampton! On the run(ish) back through the town it was anyone's guess what to do. However, Day 1 winners Olly Naked Guns Turner and Alex Warren found a great track to sail around the majority of the leading bunch, jumping from the twenties to take the lead into The Bag. As they had done on Sunday, once in the lead there was no looking back and they extended to take a comfortable win. Following their lead, it was a race for young heads to enjoy their moments of glory. Ben Hollis and Caroline Croft had a great race to take second, narrowly ahead of local youth star Peter 'the next Ben Ainslie' Ballantine and Sandy Ramus, who were closely followed by Neale Jones and Jam Adam. Steve Crook and Jo Marlow continued their strong week with fifth ahead of front runners Mike Calvert and Ian Garwood, and Tom Stewart and Phil Dalby.

Overnight, Dave and Pippa have strengthened their grip on the title they have won for the last two years, holding a wonderfully strong 1,2,3. Tom Stewart has slipped back a bit with 2,3,7 and is being challenged by Dave Hayes and Oli Wells with 2,4,6. However, Olly Turner and Alex Warren are right in the mix with two firsts and will be pleased to discard their 13th.

Results so far:

Pos	Sail No	Helm/Crew	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts
1	3656	Olly Turner/Alex Warren	[127]	1	[127]	[13]	[127]	1	[3]	2
2	3735	Dave Winder/Pippa Taylor	[127]	2	[3]	[127]	1	[127]	[9]	3
3	3684	Andy Davis/Ellie Bremmer	[127]	[5]	2	[127]	[11]	[127]	1	3
4	3733	Tom Stewart/Phil Dalby	[127]	3	[127]	1	[127]	[7]	[4]	4
5	3734	Dave Hayes/Oli Wells	[6]	[127]	[127]	2	4	[127]	[127]	6
6	3754	Jon Gorringe/Nikki Bass	2	[127]	[127]	4	[13]	[127]	[127]	6
7	3691	Mike Calvert/Ian Garwood	1	[127]	6	[127]	[127]	[6]	[127]	7
8	3703	Richard Whitworth/Nick Copsey	[127]	[9]	[127]	5	[127]	[8]	2	7
9	3759	Sam Pascoe/Alex Adams	4	[127]	[127]	[66]	3	[127]	[127]	7
10	3688	Ben Hollis/Caroline Croft	[127]	6	[127]	[12]	[127]	2	[8]	8
11	3539	Dan Alsop/Jennie King	3	[127]	[127]	[6]	5	[127]	[127]	8
12	3678	Steve Crook/Jo Marlow	[127]	4	[127]	[7]	[127]	5	[6]	9
13	3724	Neale Jones/Jam Adam	[16]	[127]	5	[127]	[127]	4	[127]	9
14	3738	Simon Blake/Chris Dodds	8	[127]	[127]	[10]	2	[127]	[127]	10
15	3707	Alex Jackson/Sarah Bines	[127]	[18]	[127]	3	[127]	[14]	7	10
16	3764	Tim Fells/Chris Downham	10	[127]	1	[127]	[127]	[64]	[127]	11
17	3743	Matt Biggs/John Hackett	[127]	[7]	4	[127]	7	[127]	[62]	11
18	3676	Antony Gifford/Jo Gifford	[127]	[25]	[127]	9	[127]	[15]	4	13
19	3645	Peter Ballantine/Sandy Ramus	[30]	[127]	11	[127]	[127]	3	[127]	14
20	3753	Simon Potts/Annabelle Ransome‑williams	5	[127]	[12]	[127]	[127]	10	[127]	15
21	3716	Steve Leney/Gill Leney	[13]	[127]	[127]	11	6	[127]	[127]	17
22	3710	Jon Ibbotson/Chris Kilsby	[127]	8	9	[127]	[15]	[127]	[14]	17
23	3756	Will Warren/Frances Gifford	7	[127]	10	[127]	[127]	[19]	[127]	17
24	3696	Alan Warren/Bill Carroll	[127]	[13]	7	[127]	[18]	[127]	11	18
25	3685	Sophie Mackley/James Warren	[127]	12	8	[127]	[19]	[127]	[18]	20
26	3611	Jen Taylor/Debbie Taylor	[15]	[127]	[127]	8	12	[127]	[127]	20
27	3679	Nick Hegginbotham/Becky Jones	[127]	10	[127]	[16]	[127]	11	[19]	21
28	3564	Rich Adams/Rob Kennaugh	11	[127]	[127]	[66]	10	[127]	[127]	21
29	3715	Paul Rayson/Julie Rayson	[127]	16	[32]	[127]	[22]	[127]	10	26
30	3753	Will Rainey/Andy Douglas	[14]	[127]	13	[127]	[127]	13	[127]	26
31	3761	Tom Jeffcoat/Ben Rayner	9	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	17	[127]	26
32	3702	Duncan Salmon/Harriet Salmon	12	[127]	[127]	[15]	14	[127]	[127]	26
33	3651	Colin Brockbank/Martin Hughes	[127]	11	[127]	[27]	[127]	[32]	16	27
34	3652	John Bell/Olivia Bell	[127]	[19]	[127]	19	[127]	9	[21]	28
35	3687	Matt Greenfield/Hannah Playford	[127]	14	[27]	[127]	[21]	[127]	15	29
36	3165	Dave Croft/Abigail Croft	[127]	[42]	21	[127]	8	[127]	[30]	29
37	3730	Paul Hollis/Lisa Scott	[127]	[20]	[18]	[127]	17	[127]	13	30
38	3768	Rob Cage/Hatty Cage	[28]	[127]	[127]	21	9	[127]	[127]	30
39	3727	Mark Stockbridge/Roop Stock	17	[127]	15	[127]	[127]	[29]	[127]	32
40	3583	Colin Anderson/Sean Anderson	[127]	15	[127]	18	[127]	[24]	[27]	33
41	3744	Chris Martin/Jo Tosh	[127]	[17]	[127]	17	[127]	[23]	17	34
42	3675	Mike Fenwick/Penny Fenwick	18	[127]	[127]	[66]	16	[127]	[127]	34
43	3725	AJ Squire/Tristram Squire	[127]	22	[127]	14	[127]	[33]	[127]	36
44	3666	Jon Meadowcroft/Katy Meadowcroft	[127]	[27]	16	[127]	23	[127]	[62]	39
45	3731	Andy Jones/Jilly Blake	[127]	[24]	[127]	22	[127]	18	[33]	40
46	3719	Jeremy Deacon/Andy Currel	[127]	[26]	[127]	20	[127]	21	[24]	41
47	3565	Paul Keeling/Michelle Keeling	[127]	21	[29]	[127]	20	[127]	[34]	41
48	3643	Tim Harridge/Andrea Ralph	21	[127]	[25]	[127]	[127]	20	[127]	41
49	3740	Patrick Blake/Anna Blake	[127]	[63]	[127]	[24]	[127]	22	20	42
50	3448	Sam Thompson/Clare Thompson	[127]	[41]	[127]	[26]	[127]	16	26	42
51	3578	Godfrey Clarke/Claire Clark	[127]	[34]	20	[127]	24	[127]	[37]	44
52	3748	Nigel Brooke/Suzie Brooke	19	[127]	[127]	25	[26]	[127]	[127]	44
53	3672	John Cooper/Hilary Bradshaw	[127]	[33]	17	[127]	[34]	[127]	28	45
54	3641	Mark Waterhouse/Matt Currell	22	[127]	[127]	23	[31]	[127]	[127]	45
55	3573	Simon Bond/Anna Bond	[127]	23	[127]	[35]	[127]	[37]	23	46
56	3700	Phil Emery/Karen Emery	[127]	[63]	22	[127]	[35]	[127]	25	47
57	3698	Graham Cranford Smith/Fiona Cranford Smith	20	[127]	28	[127]	[127]	[31]	[127]	48
58	3647	Hywel Bowen Perkins/tbc	25	[127]	[35]	[127]	[127]	25	[127]	50
59	3751	Tony Johnson/Louis Johnson	26	[127]	[127]	[39]	25	[127]	[127]	51
60	3705	Geoff Wright/Carol Murcott	23	[127]	[127]	[32]	29	[127]	[127]	52
61	3714	Alan Markham/Sue Markham	[127]	[35]	31	[127]	[32]	[127]	22	53
62	3339	Tim Male/Rebecca Male	34	[127]	19	[127]	[127]	[38]	[127]	53
63	3657	Anthony Lofts/Sophie Penwarden	[127]	[44]	24	[127]	30	[127]	[44]	54
64	3627	Alex Jones/Jack Deung	[29]	[127]	26	[127]	[127]	28	[127]	54
65	3633	Dave Bursey/Frances Bursey	[127]	28	[127]	[29]	[127]	27	[62]	55
66	3640	Rien Zilvold/Phil Scot	[127]	29	[33]	[127]	27	[127]	[32]	56
67	3559	Tosh/Alex Pawsey	[127]	[30]	[127]	28	[127]	[35]	29	57
68	3708	Colin Humphrey/Keith Callaghan	31	[127]	[38]	[127]	[127]	26	[127]	57
69	3663	Chris Haworth/Joanne Harvey	[45]	[127]	23	[127]	[127]	34	[127]	57
70	3674	Mike Anslow/Chris Winters	24	[127]	[127]	[37]	33	[127]	[127]	57
71	3706	Kevin Anderson/Sadie Anderson	[39]	[127]	[127]	31	28	[127]	[127]	59
72	3683	Ben Jones/Helen Hilditch	[127]	[31]	[127]	30	[127]	30	[38]	60
73	3682	Jon Steward/Harry Steward	[127]	32	[41]	[127]	[42]	[127]	31	63
74	3665	Ross Jackson/Kelly Jackson	27	[127]	39	[127]	[127]	[64]	[127]	66
75	3575	Richard Cooke/Decklan Coleman	33	[127]	[127]	33	[38]	[127]	[127]	66
76	3598	Rob Smith/Andrew Smith	32	[127]	[46]	[127]	[127]	36	[127]	68
77	3692	Steve Mitchell/Julie Nuttall	[127]	37	[127]	36	[127]	[39]	[62]	73
78	3697	Richard Page/Lizzy Dalby	[127]	39	[127]	[46]	[127]	[41]	35	74
79	3607	Mark Bugler/Rima Bugler	[127]	36	[127]	[42]	[127]	40	[41]	76
80	3602	Anthony Rickaby/Nicki Della Porta	36	[127]	[127]	[41]	40	[127]	[127]	76
81	3621	Oliver Squire/various	[127]	46	30	[127]	[57]	[127]	[127]	76
82	3497	Jan Holland/William Anderson	[127]	40	37	[127]	[51]	[127]	[62]	77
83	3634	Ben Archer/Philippa Daniels	37	[127]	40	[127]	[127]	[42]	[127]	77
84	3762	Malcolm Hyams/Dan Barratt	41	[127]	[45]	[44]	37	[127]	[127]	78
85	3650	Paul Englemann/Katy Englemann	35	[127]	[127]	[48]	43	[127]	[127]	78
86	3600	Stuart Jenkins/Imogen Jenkins	[127]	[45]	34	[127]	45	[127]	[62]	79
87	3456	Martin Evans/Chris Evans	[46]	[127]	[127]	43	36	[127]	[127]	79
88	3291	Dave Philpott/Jenny Philpot	[43]	[127]	[127]	40	39	[127]	[127]	79
89	3755	Peter Jackson/Andy Aimes	[127]	38	[127]	[45]	[127]	[45]	42	80
90	3511	Andrew Mills/Ellie Mills	42	[127]	[127]	38	[46]	[127]	[127]	80
91	3648	Antonia Wright/Jamie Wright	[127]	48	[127]	34	[127]	[64]	[62]	82
92	3547	Pete Male/Christine Male	[127]	47	36	[127]	[53]	[127]	[62]	83
93	3561	Keiron O Farrell/Fionn O Farrell	[127]	[43]	42	[127]	[55]	[127]	43	85
94	3599	Ken Duffell/Brian Corking	[127]	[52]	[127]	[51]	[127]	46	40	86
95	3563	Philip Ashworth/Alison Ashworth	[48]	[127]	43	[127]	[127]	43	[127]	86
96	3556	Jodok Gerber/Janik Roempp	38	[127]	[127]	[52]	48	[127]	[127]	86
97	3451	Jemma Horwood/Russell Hall	[127]	[49]	49	[127]	[52]	[127]	39	88
98	2604	Jeremy Stein/Sarah Percival	[127]	[53]	44	[127]	44	[127]	[45]	88
99	3594	Robin Clifton Dey/Michael Clifton Dey	40	[127]	[127]	[54]	50	[127]	[127]	90
100	3589	John Hollands/Ellen Cooper	[127]	50	[51]	[127]	41	[127]	[62]	91
101	3567	Martin Smith/Karen Beston	47	[127]	[55]	[127]	[127]	44	[127]	91
102	3680	Steve Watson/Andrew Prosser	44	[127]	48	[127]	[127]	[48]	[127]	92
103	3569	Duncan Bell/Alex Oxley	[50]	[127]	[127]	47	47	[127]	[127]	94
104	3574	John Donoghue/David Collier	[127]	[63]	[50]	[127]	49	[127]	47	96
105	3530	Mike Colles/tbc	[127]	[63]	[127]	49	[127]	47	[62]	96
106	3555	Ian Mckenzie/Angela Mackenzie	52	[127]	47	[127]	[127]	[64]	[127]	99
107	3616	Nick Shuttleworth/Jeremy Loveless	[127]	[54]	[54]	[127]	54	[127]	46	100
108	3296	Luke Tucker/Theo Harris	[127]	51	[52]	[127]	[59]	[127]	50	101
109	3414	Ian Laing/Andrew Hunt	[127]	[63]	[127]	56	[127]	[64]	48	104
110	1638	Bernard Prickett/Peter Bishton	[127]	55	[127]	[66]	[127]	[64]	49	104
111	3625	Richard Bramley/Tony Cheal	49	[127]	[127]	55	[60]	[127]	[127]	104
112	3571	Alan Feist/Stephen Comley	[61]	[127]	57	[127]	[127]	49	[127]	106
113	3333	John Adams/Zoe Adams	[61]	[127]	[127]	50	56	[127]	[127]	106
114	3586	Kieron Mason/Henry Mason	51	[127]	56	[127]	[127]	[64]	[127]	107
115	3464	Greg Flyn/Adrian Mickleson	61	[127]	53	[127]	[127]	[64]	[127]	114
116	1692	Patrick Rayner/Various	[127]	[127]	[127]	53	[127]	[64]	62	115
117	3478	Andy Hind/Gareth Griffiths	61	[127]	[127]	[66]	58	[127]	[127]	119
118	3581	Brendan O Connell/Jatet O Connell	61	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	64	[127]	125
119	3606	Richard Mourant/Joe Woods	61	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	64	[127]	125
120	3725	Tristian Squire/Laura Squire	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	127	12	139
121	3729	Jon Turner/Richard Parslow	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	12	127	139
122	3621	Andrew Squire/Sheila	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	127	36	163
123	3354	Charles Anderson	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	64	127	191
124	3547	Peter Male	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	64	127	191
125	3354	Nigel Cooper/Annabel Cooper	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	127	127	254
126	3725	John McLaren/Annie McLaren	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	127	127	254
127	3757	Richard Domoney	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	127	127	254