Shifty conditions for 2.4mR Tidal Championships
by Sarah Adams 11 May 2017 08:20 BST
29 April - 1 May 2017
Megan Pascoe sailing her 2.4mR © Allen Brothers
With 10 2.4mR's competing at the Tidal Championships over May Bank Holiday and mixed forecasts the fleet were unsure what was in store for them and Team Allen sailor Megan Pascoe kept us up to date with the weekend's events.
Megan explained "Saturday was a gusty, shifty and most definitely tidal day with 3 races sailed on a reaching course that proved more difficult than first thought." Despite the shifty conditions Pascoe took the overnight lead with two firsts and a second leaving reigning Tidal and National Champ Iain Stowe in 7th place after getting a little stuck down during the last race of the day. The Frensham Pond contingent Steve Bullmore, John Brooker and Kate Hedley also had a good start to the weekend, keeping close together in the fleet. Saturday was ended with dinner at the Fowey Gallants which was well earned and talks consisted over the events and entertainments of the day.
Overnight strong winds caused Sunday's racing to be postponed, whilst it blew through it sadly left very little wind to be played with that afternoon. The fleet sailed a single race in the pouring rain to the soundtrack of an annoying cockerel. It was an interesting race with contradicting tactics downwind as to whether get out of the tide or into the wind. Fortunately, the conditions and distractions did not put off Megan as she continued her winning streak finishing in first once again.
Monday again was going to prove to be an interesting day's sailing with a southerly breeze that was meant to be northerly and some good old British wet weather. The first leg of the first race was patchy to the point where it was unsure which of the 8 boats would round first/ John Paul Alexander took an early lead but by the bottom mark it was Steve Bullmore making an impressive lead for him-self and a bid for the championship. Both Megan and John Paul made it back to the front of the fleet along with Michael Coates from Whitby YC.
The second race wasn't any less difficult with most of the fleet struggling to stay behind the line. Steve once again took a commanding lead but managed to find a big hole down the run. Megan managed to get back to Steve and have a great race to the end. In the afternoon the wind finally went north and Steve took one race and Megan the other.
Megan stated "The fleet enjoyed their weekend away and the thanks go to a great race team and organisation from both the Fowey Gallants and the Royal Fowey". Following Megan's amazing result Liz Adams Allen Brothers MD had this to say, "As a company we have a long track record of working with sailors to design and deliver innovative products to the market. As we work together I am sure we will contribute to achieving each other's goals. We are thrilled with Megan's achievement this weekend, she is a great ambassador to our brand, and we wish her the best of luck in the next event."
The next 2.4mR event on the calendar is on the less shifty Frensham Pond.
Allen Brothers has a 60 year history of delivering performance sailing hardware to world markets from its manufacturing base in Essex, UK. Full results of the 2.4mR Tidal Championships can be found here.
For further information on Allen Brothers, go to www.allenbrothers.co.uk