Selden Merlin Rocket National Championship at Penzance

Selden Merlin Rocket National Championship at Penzance - Day 2

by Tim Fells 15 Aug 2016 17:28 BST 14-19 August 2016

Selden Merlin Rocket Nationals at Penzance day 2 © Lee Whitehead / www.photolounge.co.uk

With two practice races under their belts on day one, both the competitors and race committee were ready and raring to go on day two. Conditions looked ideal with a building ESE and brilliant sunshine.

Out on the race track the race team set a perfectly square line allowing the fleet to get away first time under a U flag. Although the forecast was for 17-21 knots, it never delivered and most of the race was sailed in 10-12 knots but with a building wave set to navigate through. The course was a beauty with great surfing on reaches and runs.

The first beat was pretty even, but there was just a bit more pressure and a few degrees of starboard lift on the right to bring Ben and Roz McGrane round in first, narrowly ahead of Nick Craig / Alan Roberts, Roger Gilbert / James Stewart and Stu Bithell / Tom Pygall all of whom had gone middle left. Taxi and Alex Warren were pulled out at the first mark for being OCS.

The first reach was a key leg with Stu and Tom getting high and then picking a big wave set to plane down over the top of the leading bunch to round the gybe mark clear ahead. From there on they were able to use their pace to keep a loose cover on the chasing bunch. Although there were some pressure variations and 5-10 degree shifts, the quality of the fleet is such that it was very difficult to make progress.

Selden Merlin Rocket Nationals at Penzance day 2 - photo © Lee Whitehead / www.photolounge.co.uk

At the line Stu and Tom took the gun, already looking strong favourites for the title. Roger and James battled to second with Ben and Roz completing the podium. Nick and Alan were fourth with Chris Jennings and Pete Horn fifth. Steve Hall and Si Haighton took their best ever Merlin champs results in sixth.

Selden Merlin Rocket Nationals at Penzance day 2 - photo © Lee Whitehead / www.photolounge.co.uk

The forecast is for the wind to continue in the SE overnight and build. This should deliver some big waves for what is now a two race day.

Results after Day 2: (race 1 to be re-sailed on Wednesday)

Pos	Fleet	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R2	Pts
1st	Gold	3775	Stuart Bithell	Tom Pygall	Hollingworth	1	1
2nd	Gold	3722	Roger Gilbert	James Stewart	Frensham Pond	2	2
3rd	Gold	3739	Ben McGrane	Roz McGrane	Netley	3	3
4th	Gold	3776	Nick Craig	Alan Roberts	Frensham Pond	4	4
5th	Gold	3658	Chris Jennings	Pete Horn	Burghfield	5	5
6th	Gold	3645	Steve Hall	Simon Haighton	Burnham	6	6
7th	Gold	3774	Jon Turner	Richard Parslow	Lyme	7	7
8th	Gold	3770	David Hayes	Jonny Ratcliffe	Hayling Island	8	8
9th	Gold	3753	Michael Sims	Richard Brown	Carsington	9	9
10th	Gold	3777	Simon Potts	Ally Martin	Burghfield	10	10
11th	Gold	3656	Olly Turner	Graham Sexton	Starcross	11	11
12th	Gold	3730	Pete Ballantine	Ben Hollis	Salcombe / Blithfield	12	12
13th	Gold	3764	Tim Fells	Oli Wells	Salcombe	13	13
14th	Gold	3754	Jon Gorringe	Toby Lewis	Parkstone	14	14
15th	Gold	3733	Dave Wade	Rachel Rhodes	Northampton	15	15
16th	Gold	3746	Dan Willett	Pete Nicholson	Brightlingsea	16	16
17th	Gold	3778	Chris Gould	Chris Kilsby	Blithfield	17	17
18th	Silver	3727	Mark Stockbridge	Neil Davies	Ranelagh	18	18
19th	Gold	3691	Mike Calvert	Sean Anderson	Axe YC	19	19
20th	Gold	3673	Caroline Croft	Beka Jones	Blithfield	20	20
21st	Gold	3735	Richard Whitworth	Pippa Taylor	Hollingworth	21	21
22nd	Silver	3759	Sam Barker	Megan Pascoe	Castle Cove	22	22
23rd	Silver	3740	Pat Blake	Jilly Blake	Cookham	23	23
24th	Silver	3769	Graham Cranford‑Smith	Steve Penfold	Salcombe	24	24
25th	Silver	3690	Tim Harridge	Lucy Burn	Hampton	25	25
26th	Silver	3564	Rob Kennaugh	Colin Anderson	Midland	26	26
27th	Gold	3756	William Warren	Chris Downham	Shoreham	27	27
28th	Silver	3641	Mark Waterhouse	Matt Currel	Parkstone	28	28
29th	Silver	3779	David Lee	Tim Laws	Starcross	29	29
30th	Silver	3566	James Wells	Liz Wells	Starcross	30	30
31st	Silver	3685	Sophie Mackley	James Warren	Shoreham	31	31
32nd	Silver	3773	Alan Warren	Bill Carroll	Shoreham	32	32
33rd	Bronze	3683	Ben Jones	Helen Hilditch	Shoreham	33	33
34th	Silver	3709	Tom Lonsdale	Rhos Hawes	Upper Thames	34	34
35th	Bronze	3651	Colin Brockbank	Martin Hughes	Wembley	35	35
36th	Silver	3714	Richard Burton	Alice Markham	Upper Thames	36	36
37th	Silver	3643	Mark Barwell	Louise Johnson	Lymington Town	37	37
38th	Bronze	3772	Phil Emery	David Hawkins	Whitstable	38	38
39th	Silver	3539	Dan Alsop	Frances Gifford	Lyme/ PSUK	39	39
40th	Silver	3744	Chris Martin	TBC	Midland	40	40
41st	Gold	3707	David Hall	Mari Shepherd	Blackwater	41	41
42nd	Silver	3767	Ben Archer	Theo Harris	Parkstone	42	42
43rd	Silver	3716	Steve Leney	Gill Leney	Blithfield	43	43
44th	Bronze	3713	Steve Harling	Eleanor Thomas	Starcross	44	44
45th	Bronze	3628	Robin Charles	Dan Newman	Starcross	45	45
46th	Bronze	3704	Jemma Hughes	Charlotte Cotter	Thames	46	46
47th	Bronze	3518	Julian Harms	Timothy Harms	Midland	47	47
48th	Bronze	3511	Andrew Mills	Ellie Mills	Hampton	48	48
49th	Bronze	3352	John Donoghue	Charles Vernal	TBC	49	49
50th	Bronze	3561	Kieran O'Farrell	Annabelle Steward	Wembley	DNC	55
50th	Bronze	3653	Andy Chapman	Melissa Chapman	Weston	DNC	55
50th	Gold	3684	Andy Davis	Alex Warren	Blithfield	OCS	55
50th	Bronze	3734	Phil Ashworth	Ali Ashworth	Weymouth	OCS	55
50th	Bronze	35A	Pip Taylor	Alex Paulsey	Thames	DNC	55