Gill National 12 Series at Salcombe Yacht Club

Gill Series National 12 open at Salcombe © John Murrell

Gill Series National 12 open at Salcombe © John Murrell

Even before the racing started there was much excitement in the boat park at Batson as new boats were unwrapped and received their first public airing, some were so new that they had only been collected from the builders the day before!

The Salcombe open is run over 3 days with race one on Saturday, two and three on Sunday and the fourth on Monday morning. For race one the fleet set of towards mark Zero outside Blackstone and then ‘enjoyed’ some very fast surfing back into the Estuary before a trip up to Gerston and back to the finish. After some very fast sailing throughout the Estuary and surviving encountering a Salcombe Yawl fleet sailing the wrong course and rounding a mark the wrong way as the Twelve’s went round it the right way Jo Richards & Sophie Mackley (3519) lead the fleet home followed by Tom Stewart and Nicola Bass (3526).

The weather forecast for Sunday promised wind and it didn’t disappoint! Fortunately the rain that should have come with it decided that it didn’t like Salcombe and with some of the new boats deciding that discretion was better than valour a slightly depleted fleet enjoyed a very fast sail in sun and winds as strong as people could remember sailing in, up to Gerston, a loop down to Saltstone back to Gerston and then out to mark One at Blackstone followed by a beat to Crossways, back to Blackstone and then to the finish off the Club. Tom & Nicola showed a clean pair of heels to the rest of the Fleet, Jo & Sophie keeping them honest with Jon Ibbotson & Charlotte Stewart (3528) third. Mention has to be made of two young Salcombe Cadets, Peter Ballantine & Torrin Blazeby(3003) who sailing a 33 year old Bouncer, abate with a cut down sail, finished the race when many older and much more experienced helm fell by the wayside.

With the breeze still filling only 4 boats came to the start for race three. Again a beat to Gerston followed by a reach / run back through the Bag and out to Blackstone and then to a shortened course finish off the Club. Jon & Charlotte took this race after a close tussle with Tom & Nicola. Jon & Jules Brown (3483) flew (literally!) to third with John Meadowcroft(3523) completing the finishers.

Monday again dawned bright and breezy. The Race course was a beat to Gerston, back to Saltstone, Gerston and the out to Blackstone, Crossways, Blackstone and then the finish off the Club. Tom & Nicola again showed devastating boat speed to win from Jon & Charlotte with Jo & Sophie in third. Graham Camm & Zoe Ballantyne (3530) showed great boat speed all weekend but as their boat was so new it hadn’t been measured (it passed on Monday afternoon!) retired from all the races and showed that all the new P&B Dead Cat Bounces are looking potential championship contenders!

Overall Results: