Marblehead GAMES 1 Interclub/Open at Eastleigh Model Boat Club
by Roger Stollery 18 Mar 2015 16:46 GMT
15 March 2015
GAMES 1 Marblehead Open at Eastleigh © Sue Brown
The first of the 2015 GAMES events attracted sixteen competitors from nine clubs, including seven who were 'new' to this Interclub/Open at Eastleigh Model Boat Club. The variable light to moderate 'A' rig north-easterly wind blew straight down the lake and gave some long beating and running conditions around the triangular courses set by PRO Derek Barratt.
Racing was organised by Derek's own 'fleet' system. The entry was divided into three equal fleets and competitors stayed in these fleets all day. Competitors sailed against the other two fleets in turn and then were off the water for one race, making a round of three races. Seven rounds were sailed giving everyone 14 races. These were sailed in a very sportsmanlike manner with everyone doing their penalty turns without being prompted.
The morning races were dominated by Roger Stollery's brand new UPROAR winning four races, but John Cleave sailing a SKALPEL, who won two, was more consistent and only one point behind on the lunchtime leaderboard with 10 points, in front of local competitor Chris Wilson with his own designed SCIMITAR with 20 points.
In the afternoon the wind veered and increased so that at times there was plenty of planing offwind and at other times rudders in the air! The course was changed so that it made the beats shorter and the reaching legs longer, which added to the speed of these superfast boats. Alan Viney enjoyed these conditions and put up the best performance of the day sailing his PRIME NUMBER. He won three races on the trot and the last race, pulling him up from ninth at lunchtime to tie for second place with famous full-size sailor, Dick Jobbins. With all those wins compared with Dick's two he took second place on count back.
Alan was absolutely delighted, as in previous open events he had never won a single race.
His Guildford club-mate, Roger was also pleased with the results of testing UPROAR against the 10 other designs racing.
Derek Barratt and the Eastleigh and District Model Boat Club race team were thanked by the prizewinners for running the event in such cold drizzly conditions.
Overall Results:
1st Roger Stollery (Guildford) UPROAR 18pts
2nd Alan Viney (Guildford) PRIME NUMBER 34pts
3rd Dick Jobbins (Solent) CONSTELLATION 34pts
4th John Cleave (Ryde) SKALPEL 36pts
5th Chris Wilson (Eastleigh) SCIMITAR 41pts
6th John Bennett (Eastleigh) PARADOX 41pts
7th John Tufnall (Solent) CONSTELLATION 43pts
8th Nigel Brown (Gosport) GOTHIC 45pts
9th Richard Uttley (Emsworth) STARKERS CUBED 47pts
10th Peter Crisp (Swanley) STARKERS CUBED 52pts
11th Phil Holliday (Watermead) QUARK 64pts
12th Alan Nash (Eastleigh) STARKERS CUBED 69pts
13th Austin Brierley (Eastleigh) COMPOSIT 77pts
14th Neil Burdon (Eastleigh) UNKNOWN 94pts
15th Brian Wade (Eastleigh) UNKNOWN 108pts
16th Phil Udall, CRAZY TUBE FREE 109pts