Illusion Match Racing Championship at Bembridge Sailing Club
by Mike Samuelson 25 Jan 2016 05:56 GMT
23-24 January 2016
Bembridge Illusion Match Racing Championship © Mike Samuelson
Fourteen Illusion sailors made it to Bembridge on Saturday for this year's Match Racing Championship. Indeed we actually had sixteen turn up early on Saturday morning, however with a shorter than ideal tidal window, it was just not possible to re-do the complex race schedule at such short notice to included the extra two competitors which was a real shame.
In the event, the planned 09:30 start time for the first flight had to be postponed by over half an hour as there was no wind. However, patience paid off and a gentle SSW breeze eventually materialised and allowed the race committee, lead by Colin Samuelson, to get racing underway. The fourteen entrants were split into two leagues of seven which meant that everyone had 6 races and a bye.
The schedule is set up on a four minute sequence with the six matches in each flight starting three minutes apart so lots of concentration is required by the race management team, umpires and competitors to ensure all seven flights run as planned. Well done to everyone, it all went like clockwork with only two helms missing their timing for entering the starting box and by compressing the time between the flights, the schedule was successfully completed before the tide dropped off.
With the breeze holding pretty steady, there were no real surprises in the first three flights, although well done to Philip Bown who won his first race against Jo Downer. In the fourth flight Colin Simonds & Rupert Holmes had a very close race with only a boat length between them at the finish; and Henry Hunter & Ed Eddy in their match were even closer. In the fifth flight, the lead changed a couple of times in the matches between Raymond Simonds & Bill Daniels and Rudy Jurg & Jo Downer.
At the end of the forty two matches, the top four in the red league were Mark Downer, Julia Bailey, Colin Simonds and Richard Ambler. In the black league the top three were Rudy Jurg, Raymond Simonds & Jo Downer; however as it impossible to split the other four helms who all had two wins, it was decided to fill the fourth slot with Rupert Holmes as he had had three wins in the red league.
Fortunately the forecast drizzle for Sunday morning did not materialise and although the morning was overcast, the light SSW breeze provided excellent conditions for the finals. All the matches were the best of three races except the final which was the best of five, so once the quarter finals are finished, the race officers have their work cut out getting the sequencing right and ensuring the competitors not only know who they are up against but also whether they enter the starting area from the blue or yellow side of the line. Add in some fleet racing for those who did not make the cut or who could only race the one day, and things can really get muddled. Much to the credit of the race officer team, it all went off very smoothly.
Despite some close racing, all the quarter final matches were won 2 - 0. Mark Downer beating Rupert Holmes; Julia Bailey beating Jo Downer; Raymond Simonds beating his brother Colin and Rudy Jurg beating Richard Ambler. In the first semi-final, Mark won the first race against Julia and looked set to win the second, but then somehow lost his concentration and initially rounded the finishing mark instead of the leeward mark. Athough he corrected himself, Julia had opened up an unassailable lead to make it 1 - 1. He subsequently won the third race to take his place in the final against Raymond Simonds who beat Rudy Jurg 2 - 0. In the plate semi-finals, Jo Downer beat Rupert Holmes 2 - 1 and Colin Simonds beat Richard Ambler 2 - 0.
Although the results, Mark winning 3 - 0 in the final and Colin winning 2 - 0 in the plate final, might suggest otherwise, the races were by no means a push over. Raymond was never far off the pace against Mark and there was only inches between them at times. In the plate final Jo just won both starts but was unable to make the slight advantage pay off against Colin.
An excellent event, thanks to the sterling efforts of the race officer team and umpires. Congratulations to Mark Downer who retained the trophy for the second year running. Raymond Simonds was the runner up and Colin Simonds won the plate.
The next Bembridge Illusion Regatta is Bills Barrel on 30th & 31st January.
Videos
Mark Downer v Raymond Simonds pre-start during the second race of the finals
Mark Downer v Raymond Simonds during the pre-start of the last race of the finals