Illusion Match Racing at Bembridge Sailing Club
by Mike Samuelson 23 Feb 2015 11:25 GMT
21-22 February 2015
After a two year break, and despite the forecast, it was great that this year's Illusion Match racing was able to be run this weekend with a full house of 16 competitors. Saturday's conditions were pretty good and the NNW F3-4 breeze allowed the race committee lead by Jonathan Peel to set a short but testing course in the harbour. Although by the time the tide had made, Sunday's weather was a whole different ball game, the Illusion sailor's reputation for racing when others remained ashore was yet again impressively demonstrated. Match racing in 20+knots of wind and bitterly cold rain is not ideal, but they did and indeed still had smiles on their faces!
The format was very similar to previous year's with the 16 competitors split into two leagues, the top seeds in the Red league were Mark Downer, Colin Simonds & Rupert Holmes; in the Black league it was James Meaning, Julia Bailey & Xander Shaw. Despite a comprehensive briefing by Mike Samuelson, Jonathan Peel & the Chief umpire Barry Dyer, it took a couple of flights for everyone to work out the start routine and in particular which end of the line to enter and the timings involved. Well done in particular to Crispin Kenyon who was the time keeper for the first time; with something happening every minute of each start sequence, and with 56 starts scheduled, full on concentration is required.
In most cases, matches went as seeded, although as Mark Lees began to get the hang of sailing an Illusion, his match racing expertise was certainly very evident and he ended with four wins. At the end of Saturday's racing, the two top seeds, Mark Downer & James Meaning were unbeaten. In the Red league, Rupert Holmes had 6 wins and there were then 3 sailors with 4 wins. With only 4 places in the quarter finals and as each of them had beaten one of the others, it came down to Alastair Speare-Cole picking the short straw which mean that Colin Simonds and James Axtell went through for Sunday's quarter finals. In the Black league, Julia Bailey & Xander Shaw both had 5 wins and Mark Lees and George Downer both had 4 wins, however as Mark had beaten George in their match, he went through.
Despite the SSW F5-6 breeze and bitterly cold rain, the eight quarter finalists launched as soon as the tide allowed on Sunday. In the first two matches Mark Downer had to pull out all the stops to beat Mark Lees 2-0 and despite his best efforts, Colin Simonds who was nursing a bad shoulder lost to James Meaning 0-2 in the blustery conditions. The results were closer in the other two matches with Rupert Holmes beating Xander Shaw 2-1 and Julia Bailey, after retiring in the 2nd race, beating James Axtell 2-1.
Given the conditions it had been decided before racing started to forgo a plate competition but to offer some fleet racing for those who wanted to stay out on the water. In the event this was only Xander Shaw & James Axtell who were joined by Justin Biddle. A separate line was set up by Mike Samuelson and a short course using an inflatable that BHYC had laid was set. Xander had a senior moment and having been just ahead went round the wrong windward mark and was well behind on the first round. On the second he caught up quite a bit, but was never going to catch James and with Justin deciding to retire just before crossing the finish line full of water, the three boats then headed back to dry land.
In the first semi-final heat, Mark Downer won the first race but James Meaning took the second; however not long after the start of the deciding race James took on too much water and retired. In the second heat, Julia Bailey won the first race, but a very determined Rupert Holmes took the next two and a place in the final.
With the conditions deteriorating, it was sensibly been decided to reduce the final between Mark & Rupert to the best of three races. Pre-start tactics were arguably a bit limited in the gusts of 28 knots, however both boats crossed the line close to each other only seconds after the starting hooter. Sadly, close to the leeward mark, Rupert's Illusion nose dived and he swiftly filled up. Although keen to try to bucket the water out and have second race, the PRO wisely, and to the relief of the umpires, decided to abandon further racing and Rupert was towed back to the Illusion quay.
An excellent weekend's racing (and possibly the only match racing completed in the country!) in some pretty wild conditions on Sunday.
Next Regatta is the Spring Plate on Saturday & Sunday 7th - 8th March.