Salcombe Yacht Sailing Club Series - Race 4
by David Greening 15 May 2016 20:49 BST
15 May 2016
The easterly breeze from the previous weekend had returned for the 4th race of the Salcombe Yacht Sailing Club Series, however for this week Race Officer Peter Cook had a few more options, with a high ebb neap tide which allowed him to set up a beat into Yalton Creek.
First away were the Cadet fleet, mainly comprising a the RS Tera Sports of Evie Booth and Will and Ben Meek, who sailed a shorter course in the harbour, with Evie leading the seven boat fleet home.
In the Medium Handicap, in the absence of Chris and Claire Booth, Charlie Blazeby delivered his second win of the series by leading home the RS Feva XL of Elodie Grenen and Ollie Sando-Reynolds.
With Rear Commodore of Sailing Graham Cranford-Smith disqualified for a Fairway infringement, it was a clean sweep for the National 12's in the Fast Handicap, with Christian and Sophie Day eventually hauling in Nigel and Sarah Blazeby to take the win and Charlie and Helen Lloyd completing the podium.
An excellent twenty two Solos came to the line for a start, noted for a Fairway infringement by Peter Sturgess, the previous Rear Commodore of Sailing, and Julian Meek and Stuart Cartwright starting prematurely and not returning to the line.
The fleet split with the larger group beating up the Portlemouth shore and a smaller group sailing a great circle route through the Salcombe anchorage; when the fleet reunited David Greening led Simon Yates and Phil King around the Yalton mark, however Simon Dobson found more pressure and clear air to emerge as leader by Scoble Point.
By the time the fleet turned around the Gerston mark, the wind had shifted to the south, and Simon Dobson defended his lead in shifty conditions to the finish, ahead of Simon Yates and Phil King.
A more healthy eight Salcombe Yawls started their race, with Dan and Gail Bridger emerging with a healthy lead from Paul Ellis by the Yalton mark, having pursued the Salcombe route. Jon and Clare Lewis hung onto the coat tails of Ellis for sufficiently long to take second place on corrected time.
Race 4 Results:
Cadet Handicap
1st Tera Sport 2146, Evie Booth
2nd Tera Sport 1131, Will Meek
3rd Tera Sport 1881, Ben Meek
Medium Handicap
1st Laser Radial 203307, Chris Booth
2nd RS Feva XL 1521, Elodie Grenen and Ollie Sando-Reynolds
3rd Laser Radial 173025, Nicky Dobson
Fast Handicap
1st National 12 3526, Christian and Sophie Day
2nd National 12 3439, Nigel and Sarah Blazeby
3rd National 12 3534, Charlie and Helen Lloyd
Solo
1st 5313, Simon Dobson
2nd 5601, Simon Yates
3rd 5568, Phil King
Salcombe Yawl
1st 159, Dan and Gail Bridger
2nd 150, Jon and Clare Lewis
3rd 181, Paul Ellis