Sharps Doom Bar Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club - Day 3

Sharps Doom Bar Merlin Week day 3 © John Murrell / Moor2Sea Event Photography

For the third day of the Sharps Doom Bar Merlin Week the wind had swung round to WNW, which in Salcombe means it is coming over the town. The main stretch of the harbour was therefore very patchy with big gusts and holes to navigate around.

Blue v Green flights. Course 1,7,5,6,1,3

With a flood tide against them the fleet split between the town and Portlemouth shores. Although the town side had paid handsomely the previous day and was looking good half way up the beat, the wind died on the right and the left side came in strong with the top 15 coming from the Portlemouth side.

Taxi and Alex Warren were initially battling for the lead with class veterans Dan Alsop and Jennie King but were soon able to extend away and move into another post code, with a lead of over three minutes at one point. They remained unchallenged all the way round a challenging course to take the bullet and establish a strong overall lead at the half way point.

Behind them there was a battle royal for the minor placings with the gusty wind giving moments of heroism that soon changed to zeroism. The big play came on the second beat to Blackstone where those who played the town side made big gains. Local hero Will Henderson and daughter Mary demonstrated their Salcombe know-how to jump up to second which they held to the finish. Behind them Alex Jackson and Chris Downham made a similar play and climbed further on the last beat to the line to round out the podium in third.

Si Blake and Pippa Taylor followed up their second race win with a solid fourth ahead of Mike and Jane Calvert, and Chris Jennings and Pete Horn. Elsewhere a number of the leading teams were finding conditions difficult and struggling to break out of the teens.

Red v Black flights. Course 1,Y,2,7,1,3

The afternoon race had a surprise in store. With no discernable change in the weather, a period of strong wind hit the harbour as the fleet navigated the first beat and run. With some bullet gusts striking the fleet there were many spectacular capsizes to entertain the watching crowds.

With the ebb tide underneath them, playing the middle of the track and then hooking a big right hander at the top was the fast route and it was Simon Potts and Ali Martin who made it round Blackstone first ahead of father and son team, Paul and Ben Hollis with Jon Turner and Richard Parslow in close pursuit. Staying in pressure on the run was the game but also very hard to call. Matt Biggs and John Hackett stayed on the Ditch End side to take the lead and William Warren and Mark Oakey moved up to chase them.

On the next run, Simon and Ali took a huge gust across the harbour to look like they were taking the lead but then sat in a hole under the Ferry Inn while the chasing pack blasted down the Portlemouth shore, dropping them to seventh.

Sharps Doom Bar Merlin Week day 3 - photo © Malcolm Mackley

Although Matt and John looked like they had the race signed and sealed, on the final long beat to Blackstone, William and Mark came up to challenge for the lead. On the run to Crossways, Matt and John played the east shore the whole way down and extended a good lead on William and Mark who crossed over at the Ferry.

Matt and John came home first ahead of William and Mark with Christian Birrell and Rob Gullan bringing the 'Superfast Jellyfish' up through the fleet to take third. Simon and Ali recovered well to take fourth and move into second overall. JT and Animal hung onto fifth with Paul and Ben a very good sixth.

Results after day 3: