Sharps Doom Bar Salcombe Merlin Week - Day 6

Taxi and Alex Warren on Sharps Doom Bar Salcombe Merlin Week day 6 © John Murrell / www.moor2seaeventphotography.co.uk

The final day brought further wall to wall sunshine with a force three Westerly that was due to swing to the SW for the afternoon.

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

With the wind in the West conditions at Salcombe are particularly challenging for competitors and race officers alike. With the breeze coming from two different directions around the town and meeting on the start line, setting a true start is almost impossible. At the first attempt to start the race, PRO Simon Dobson wisely abandoned with 30 seconds to go as the ebb tide had already taken the majority of the fleet over the line. At the second attempt the wind had all but disappeared and many boats were line shy.

Sharps Doom Bar Salcombe Merlin Week day 6 - photo © Malcolm Mackley

An isolated gust from the north running down the town side took a bunch of boats away down to the rocks where they were the able to hook into the North Sands lift. First to Blackstone were Roger and Jane Gilbert closely followed by Paul Hollis and Paula Mason with Ian and Ellie Sharps in third.

A key point in the race was always going to be the Ferry Landing where the transition from the Southwesterly to the breeze out of Batson was made. At this point Tim Fells and Fran Gifford had joined the leaders and by dint of getting themselves inside boat on the beach managed to set the leaders out into the tide and tack on to a port lift to lead away down to Snapes Point.

Mark Waterhouse and Jenny King on Sharps Doom Bar Salcombe Merlin Week day 6 - photo © John Murrell / www.moor2seaeventphotography.co.uk

From this point the race, limited by the low water, was a processional fetch up and down to Gerston, much to Tim and Fran's liking due to the lack of tactical decisions required. Although chased all the way by the Gilberts, Tim and Fran returned to the harbour for the final beat to the line in a now glorious Southwester. Taking their second cannon of the week, they secured second overall and laid down the challenge to Taxi and Alex who needed a second place to take the title.

Third across the line were Ian and Ellie ahead of Christian Birrell and Sam Brearey, Will and Arthur Henderson followed by Richard Whitworth and Sam Mottershead.

Blue v Green flights Course 1.3,1,7,2,3

So, in the afternoon race, the final shoot out.

The breeze on the line favoured the pin end but there was going to be a good right hander at the top of the course for those who played the town side. The Chrises won the Portlemouth side but hit a hole off Mill Bay. The Calverts who had made the best start on the town side led in from the right followed by Jon Gorringe and Nicki Bass, Si Blake and Pippa Taylor then the Chrises. Taxi and Alex made a second row start towards the Portlemouth shore and bailed out to the town side and were able to recover into the top ten and then make immediate gains on the leaders to be up into fourth by Crossways.

Sophie Mackley and Mary Henderson on Sharps Doom Bar Salcombe Merlin Week day 6 - photo © John Murrell / www.moor2seaeventphotography.co.uk

From here on in the race settled into a tight tacking dual amongst the top four. The Calverts led but were passed by Si and Pippa on the beat back to Mill Bay only to lose it again on the final approach. Taxi and Alex, despite their best efforts were unable to make further inroads.

At the line Mike and Jane took their second cannon of the week to jump up into fourth overall. Si and Pippa were second and third overall. The Chrises took third and fifth overall. Taxi and Alex came home a disappointed fourth, taking the bridesmaid position. Rounding out the top six finishers, Jon and Nicki were fifth and Caroline Croft with Beka Jones were sixth.

Overall, Tim and Fran took the title by one point. What a ridiculous turn of events!

Overall Results: