Sharps Doom Bar Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week 2014

Sharps Doom Bar Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week 2014 – Day 4

by Tim Fells 9 Jul 2014 21:36 BST 6-11 July 2014

Wednesday morning at Doom Bar Salcombe Merlin Week was again bright and sunny but with a stronger Northwesterly blowing, meaning the start was going to be to the North and the best conditions would be up the estuary towards Kingsbridge. With the wind coming over the town, the harbour section was a minefield of vertical bomb gusts and windless holes.

Race 7 – Blue v Black flights. NW Force 3-4, Course 7,5,7,1,3,1

With the fleet unable to cross the line on starboard, the winning move was to get onto port early, but not too early as Matt Biggs and John Hackett found to their cost. The teams who started in the middle of the line were best away hooking into breeze coming out of Batson creek. Taxi and Ellie Bremmer led the charge to The Bag ahead of Richard Whitworth and Nick Copsey. By the time they had returned from their tour of the estuary, they had been joined by Tom Stewart and Phil Dalby who took the lead with Olly Turner and Alex Warren fast catching the leaders. These leading four battled through two loops of the harbour minefield, swapping places regularly. Ultimately Taxi and Ellie took the lead at the final stage ahead of Richard and Nick with Olly and Alex third. Tom and Phil found a couple of snakes at the wrong time to drop back to fourth, finishing in a dead heat with Anthony and Jo Gifford.

Day 4 of Merlin Rocket week at Salcombe - photo © Malcolm Mackley

Race 8 – Red v Green fleets, NW Force 3-5, Course 8,6,5,7,2,3,2

Conditions were exactly the same for the afternoon race and the same start tactics worked with Tim Fells and Chris Downham making up for their OCS on Wednesday by nailing the start in the middle of the line. They led up through The Bag on the long beat to Kingsbridge but were passed by Peter Ballantine and Sandy Ramus who played the shifts to perfection to lead at the windward mark from Mike Calvert and Ian Garwood. On the breezy circuit of the top of the Estuary, Tim and Chris retook the lead and were able to extend to a comfortable second bullet of the week. Behind them it was anything but comfortable. With huge gusts hammering the harbour section it was a wild and crazy end to the race. Navigating through the minefield, Jon Gorringe and Nikki Bass grabbed second ahead of Mike and Ian with Jen Taylor and guest crew Tom Pygall an excellent fourth.

Overall, Olly and Alex have taken the lead from Dave and Pippa. Everyone in the top 10 will feel they have a chance of taking the week and each has a bad race result they will not want to count. All to play for!

Results after Day 4:

Pos	Sail No	Helm/Crew	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts
1	3656	Olly Turner/Alex Warren	[127]	1	[127]	[13]	[127]	1	3	[127]	5
2	3735	Dave Winder/Pippa Taylor	[127]	2	3	[127]	1	[127]	[9]	[127]	6
3	3684	Andy Davis/Ellie Bremmer	[127]	5	2	[127]	[11]	[127]	1	[127]	8
4	3733	Tom Stewart/Phil Dalby	[127]	3	[127]	1	[127]	[7]	4	[127]	8
5	3754	Jon Gorringe/Nikki Bass	2	[127]	[127]	4	[13]	[127]	[127]	2	8
6	3691	Mike Calvert/Ian Garwood	1	[127]	6	[127]	[127]	[6]	[127]	3	10
7	3764	Tim Fells/Chris Downham	10	[127]	1	[127]	[127]	[64]	[127]	1	12
8	3734	Dave Hayes/Oli Wells	6	[127]	[127]	2	4	[127]	[127]	[9]	12
9	3759	Sam Pascoe/Alex Adams	4	[127]	[127]	[66]	3	[127]	[127]	5	12
10	3539	Dan Alsop/Jennie King	3	[127]	[127]	6	5	[127]	[127]	[14]	14
11	3703	Richard Whitworth/Nick Copsey	[127]	[9]	[127]	5	[127]	8	2	[127]	15
12	3678	Steve Crook/Jo Marlow	[127]	4	[127]	[7]	[127]	5	6	[127]	15
13	3738	Simon Blake/Chris Dodds	8	[127]	[127]	[10]	2	[127]	[127]	6	16
14	3688	Ben Hollis/Caroline Croft	[127]	6	[127]	[12]	[127]	2	8	[127]	16
15	3743	Matt Biggs/John Hackett	[127]	7	4	[127]	7	[127]	[62]	[127]	18
16	3724	Neale Jones/Jam Adam	[16]	[127]	5	[127]	[127]	4	[127]	13	22
17	3707	Alex Jackson/Sarah Bines	[127]	[18]	[127]	3	[127]	14	7	[127]	24
18	3611	Jen Taylor/Debbie Taylor	[15]	[127]	[127]	8	12	[127]	[127]	4	24
19	3756	Will Warren/Frances Gifford	7	[127]	10	[127]	[127]	[19]	[127]	7	24
20	3645	Peter Ballantine/Sandy Ramus	[30]	[127]	11	[127]	[127]	3	[127]	11	25
21	3753	Simon Potts/Annabelle Ransome‑williams	5	[127]	12	[127]	[127]	10	[127]	[127]	27
22	3676	Antony Gifford/Jo Gifford	[127]	[25]	[127]	9	[127]	15	4	[127]	28
23	3716	Steve Leney/Gill Leney	[13]	[127]	[127]	11	6	[127]	[127]	12	29
24	3761	Tom Jeffcoat/Ben Rayner	9	[127]	14	[127]	[127]	[17]	[127]	8	31
25	3696	Alan Warren/Bill Carroll	[127]	13	7	[127]	[18]	[127]	11	[127]	31
26	3710	Jon Ibbotson/Chris Kilsby	[127]	8	9	[127]	[15]	[127]	14	[127]	31
27	3753	Will Rainey/Andy Douglas	[14]	[127]	13	[127]	[127]	13	[127]	10	36
28	3564	Rich Adams/Rob Kennaugh	11	[127]	[127]	[66]	10	[127]	[127]	15	36
29	3679	Nick Hegginbotham/Becky Jones	[127]	10	[127]	16	[127]	11	[19]	[127]	37
30	3685	Sophie Mackley/James Warren	[127]	12	8	[127]	[19]	[127]	18	[127]	38
31	3702	Duncan Salmon/Harriet Salmon	12	[127]	[127]	15	14	[127]	[127]	[62]	41
32	3652	John Bell/Olivia Bell	[127]	19	[127]	19	[127]	9	[21]	[127]	47
33	3715	Paul Rayson/Julie Rayson	[127]	16	[32]	[127]	22	[127]	10	[127]	48
34	3730	Paul Hollis/Lisa Scott	[127]	[20]	18	[127]	17	[127]	13	[127]	48
35	3687	Matt Greenfield/Hannah Playford	[127]	14	[27]	[127]	21	[127]	15	[127]	50
36	3744	Chris Martin/Jo Tosh	[127]	17	[127]	17	[127]	[23]	17	[127]	51
37	3727	Mark Stockbridge/Roop Stock	17	[127]	15	[127]	[127]	[29]	[127]	22	54
38	3768	Rob Cage/Hatty Cage	[28]	[127]	[127]	21	9	[127]	[127]	24	54
39	3651	Colin Brockbank/Martin Hughes	[127]	11	[127]	27	[127]	[32]	16	[127]	54
40	3583	Colin Anderson/Sean Anderson	[127]	15	[127]	18	[127]	24	[27]	[127]	57
41	3165	Dave Croft/Abigail Croft	[127]	[42]	21	[127]	8	[127]	30	[127]	59
42	3675	Mike Fenwick/Penny Fenwick	18	[127]	[127]	[66]	16	[127]	[127]	26	60
43	3641	Mark Waterhouse/Matt Currell	22	[127]	[127]	23	[31]	[127]	[127]	16	61
44	3643	Tim Harridge/Andrea Ralph	21	[127]	[25]	[127]	[127]	20	[127]	21	62
45	3748	Nigel Brooke/Suzie Brooke	19	[127]	[127]	25	[26]	[127]	[127]	20	64
46	3731	Andy Jones/Jilly Blake	[127]	24	[127]	22	[127]	18	[33]	[127]	64
47	3719	Jeremy Deacon/Andy Currel	[127]	[26]	[127]	20	[127]	21	24	[127]	65
48	3740	Patrick Blake/Anna Blake	[127]	[63]	[127]	24	[127]	22	20	[127]	66
49	3666	Jon Meadowcroft/Katy Meadowcroft	[127]	27	16	[127]	23	[127]	[62]	[127]	66
50	3448	Sam Thompson/Clare Thompson	[127]	[41]	[127]	26	[127]	16	26	[127]	68
51	3725	AJ Squire/Tristram Squire	[127]	22	[127]	14	[127]	33	[127]	[127]	69
52	3751	Tony Johnson/Louis Johnson	26	[127]	[127]	[39]	25	[127]	[127]	19	70
53	3565	Paul Keeling/Michelle Keeling	[127]	21	29	[127]	20	[127]	[34]	[127]	70
54	3674	Mike Anslow/Chris Winters	24	[127]	[127]	[37]	33	[127]	[127]	17	74
55	3705	Geoff Wright/Carol Murcott	23	[127]	[127]	[32]	29	[127]	[127]	23	75
56	3672	John Cooper/Hilary Bradshaw	[127]	33	17	[127]	[34]	[127]	28	[127]	78
57	3578	Godfrey Clarke/Claire Clark	[127]	34	20	[127]	24	[127]	[37]	[127]	78
58	3698	Graham Cranford Smith/Fiona Cranford Smith	20	[127]	28	[127]	[127]	31	[127]	[62]	79
59	3647	Hywel Bowen Perkins/tbc	25	[127]	[35]	[127]	[127]	25	[127]	30	80
60	3573	Simon Bond/Anna Bond	[127]	23	[127]	35	[127]	[37]	23	[127]	81
61	3700	Phil Emery/Karen Emery	[127]	[63]	22	[127]	35	[127]	25	[127]	82
62	3627	Alex Jones/Jack Deung	29	[127]	26	[127]	[127]	28	[127]	[31]	83
63	3633	Dave Bursey/Frances Bursey	[127]	28	[127]	29	[127]	27	[62]	[127]	84
64	3714	Alan Markham/Sue Markham	[127]	[35]	31	[127]	32	[127]	22	[127]	85
65	3706	Kevin Anderson/Sadie Anderson	[39]	[127]	[127]	31	28	[127]	[127]	27	86
66	3559	Tosh/Alex Pawsey	[127]	30	[127]	28	[127]	[35]	29	[127]	87
67	3640	Rien Zilvold/Phil Scot	[127]	29	[33]	[127]	27	[127]	32	[127]	88
68	3663	Chris Haworth/Joanne Harvey	[45]	[127]	23	[127]	[127]	34	[127]	34	91
69	3339	Tim Male/Rebecca Male	34	[127]	19	[127]	[127]	38	[127]	[38]	91
70	3683	Ben Jones/Helen Hilditch	[127]	31	[127]	30	[127]	30	[38]	[127]	91
71	3708	Colin Humphrey/Keith Callaghan	31	[127]	[38]	[127]	[127]	26	[127]	36	93
72	3575	Richard Cooke/Decklan Coleman	33	[127]	[127]	33	[38]	[127]	[127]	28	94
73	3657	Anthony Lofts/Sophie Penwarden	[127]	[44]	24	[127]	30	[127]	44	[127]	98
74	3682	Jon Steward/Harry Steward	[127]	32	41	[127]	[42]	[127]	31	[127]	104
75	3634	Ben Archer/Philippa Daniels	37	[127]	40	[127]	[127]	[42]	[127]	33	110
76	3556	Jodok Gerber/Janik Roempp	38	[127]	[127]	[52]	48	[127]	[127]	25	111
77	3602	Anthony Rickaby/Nicki Della Porta	36	[127]	[127]	[41]	40	[127]	[127]	35	111
78	3692	Steve Mitchell/Julie Nuttall	[127]	37	[127]	36	[127]	39	[62]	[127]	112
79	3598	Rob Smith/Andrew Smith	32	[127]	46	[127]	[127]	36	[127]	[127]	114
80	3650	Paul Englemann/Katy Englemann	35	[127]	[127]	[48]	43	[127]	[127]	37	115
81	3697	Richard Page/Lizzy Dalby	[127]	39	[127]	[46]	[127]	41	35	[127]	115
82	3607	Mark Bugler/Rima Bugler	[127]	36	[127]	[42]	[127]	40	41	[127]	117
83	3456	Martin Evans/Chris Evans	[46]	[127]	[127]	43	36	[127]	[127]	39	118
84	3762	Malcolm Hyams/Dan Barratt	41	[127]	[45]	[44]	37	[127]	[127]	41	119
85	3291	Dave Philpott/Jenny Philpot	43	[127]	[127]	40	39	[127]	[127]	[127]	122
86	3511	Andrew Mills/Ellie Mills	42	[127]	[127]	38	[46]	[127]	[127]	43	123
87	3600	Stuart Jenkins/Imogen Jenkins	[127]	45	34	[127]	45	[127]	[62]	[127]	124
88	3755	Peter Jackson/Andy Aimes	[127]	38	[127]	[45]	[127]	45	42	[127]	125
89	3569	Duncan Bell/Alex Oxley	[50]	[127]	[127]	47	47	[127]	[127]	32	126
90	3561	Keiron O Farrell/Fionn O Farrell	[127]	43	42	[127]	[55]	[127]	43	[127]	128
91	3497	Jan Holland/William Anderson	[127]	40	37	[127]	51	[127]	[62]	[127]	128
92	3665	Ross Jackson/Kelly Jackson	27	[127]	39	[127]	[127]	64	[127]	[127]	130
93	3567	Martin Smith/Karen Beston	47	[127]	[55]	[127]	[127]	44	[127]	40	131
94	3594	Robin Clifton Dey/Michael Clifton Dey	40	[127]	[127]	[54]	50	[127]	[127]	42	132
95	2604	Jeremy Stein/Sarah Percival	[127]	[53]	44	[127]	44	[127]	45	[127]	133
96	3621	Oliver Squire/various	[127]	46	30	[127]	57	[127]	[127]	[127]	133
97	3563	Philip Ashworth/Alison Ashworth	48	[127]	43	[127]	[127]	43	[127]	[127]	134
98	3586	Kieron Mason/Henry Mason	51	[127]	56	[127]	[127]	[64]	[127]	29	136
99	3547	Pete Male/Christine Male	[127]	47	36	[127]	53	[127]	[62]	[127]	136
100	3451	Jemma Horwood/Russell Hall	[127]	49	49	[127]	[52]	[127]	39	[127]	137
101	3599	Ken Duffell/Brian Corking	[127]	[52]	[127]	51	[127]	46	40	[127]	137
102	3680	Steve Watson/Andrew Prosser	44	[127]	48	[127]	[127]	48	[127]	[127]	140
103	3589	John Hollands/Ellen Cooper	[127]	50	51	[127]	41	[127]	[62]	[127]	142
104	3648	Antonia Wright/Jamie Wright	[127]	48	[127]	34	[127]	[64]	62	[127]	144
105	3574	John Donoghue/David Collier	[127]	[63]	50	[127]	49	[127]	47	[127]	146
106	3296	Luke Tucker/Theo Harris	[127]	51	52	[127]	[59]	[127]	50	[127]	153
107	3616	Nick Shuttleworth/Jeremy Loveless	[127]	[54]	54	[127]	54	[127]	46	[127]	154
108	3729	Jon Turner/Richard Parslow	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	127	12	[127]	18	157
109	3464	Greg Flyn/Adrian Mickleson	61	[127]	53	[127]	[127]	[64]	[127]	44	158
110	3530	Mike Colles/tbc	[127]	[63]	[127]	49	[127]	47	62	[127]	158
111	3555	Ian Mckenzie/Angela Mackenzie	52	[127]	47	[127]	[127]	64	[127]	[127]	163
112	3625	Richard Bramley/Tony Cheal	49	[127]	[127]	55	60	[127]	[127]	[127]	164
113	3333	John Adams/Zoe Adams	61	[127]	[127]	50	56	[127]	[127]	[62]	167
114	3414	Ian Laing/Andrew Hunt	[127]	63	[127]	56	[127]	[64]	48	[127]	167
115	3571	Alan Feist/Stephen Comley	61	[127]	57	[127]	[127]	49	[127]	[127]	167
116	1638	Bernard Prickett/Peter Bishton	[127]	55	[127]	[66]	[127]	64	49	[127]	168
117	1692	Patrick Rayner/Various	[127]	[127]	[127]	53	[127]	64	62	[127]	179
118	3478	Andy Hind/Gareth Griffiths	61	[127]	[127]	66	58	[127]	[127]	[127]	185
119	3581	Brendan O Connell/Jatet O Connell	61	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	64	[127]	127	252
120	3606	Richard Mourant/Joe Woods	61	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	64	[127]	127	252
121	3725	Tristian Squire/Laura Squire	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	127	12	127	266
122	3621	Andrew Squire/Sheila	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	127	36	127	290
123	3547	Peter Male	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	64	127	127	318
124	3354	Charles Anderson	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	64	127	127	318
125	3354	Nigel Cooper/Annabel Cooper	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	127	127	127	381
126	3725	John McLaren/Annie McLaren	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	127	127	127	381
127	3757	Richard Domoney	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	127	127	127	381
127	3671	Tom Jeffcoat/Ben Rayner	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	[127]	127	127	127	381