Merlin Rocket Open at Whitstable Yacht Club
by John Cooper 29 Jun 2010 10:42 BST
26-27 June 2010
25 Merlin Rockets enjoyed fantastic racing over the weekend 26/27 June at Whitstable's Silver Tiller open meeting, sponsored by Speed Sails.
Saturday saw a sunny easterly of allegedly 18 knots, although it felt much more, providing spectacular wavy conditions. There was much swimming and in the second race there were only 17 finishers. Sunday morning dawned windless and the race officer, Jon Silk, wisely postponed allowing the sea breeze to establish itself.
Fortunately it did, to between 6 and 11 knots, with 20-degree shifts, which were ably dealt with by the race team moving the marks. Two shorter races were sailed allowing the fleet to be ashore in time for the World Cup kick off.
Simon Blake and Alex Jackson who recorded a DNF in the first race following a swim and terminal spinnaker wrap, won the meeting overall. Tom Stewart and Liam Dempsey won this one but Simon and Alex made no mistake in the second race to take a convincing bullet.
The lighter winds on Sunday seemed to suit them too, with a first and a third. Tom and Liam were second overall with a first and two seconds and Matt Biggs and Ben Hollis showed consistency with a second, third and a fourth.
William Warren and Holly Scott who had struggled in the breezy conditions on Saturday won the final race.
A big thank you to all the Whitstable team afloat and ashore for their efforts in making the weekend a memorable event.
Overall Results:
| Rank | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | Race_1 | Race_2 | Race_3 | Race_4 | Nt Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 3707 | Simon Blake | Alex Jackson | Shoreham SC | (DNF) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 2 | 3701 | Tom Stewart | Liam Dempsey | Northampton SC | 1 | 2 | 2 | -9 | 5 |
| 3 | 3705 | Matt Biggs | Ben Hollis | Blithfield SC | 4 | (DNF) | 3 | 2 | 9 |
| 4 | 3662 | David Winder | Pippa Taylor | Hollingworth Lake | 2 | 4 | -7 | 7 | 13 |
| 5 | 3676 | Pat Blake | Jilly Blake | Cookham Reach SC | 3 | (DNF) | 5 | 5 | 13 |
| 6 | 3685 | Will Warren | Holly Scott | Shoreham SC | -9 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 15 |
| 7 | 3690 | Andy Dalby | P Dalby | Hampton SC | 5 | 3 | 8 | -10 | 16 |
| 8 | 3672 | John cooper | Hilary Bradshaw | Whitstable YC | -16 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 27 |
| 9 | 3717 | David Charlton | Celia Charlton | Brightlingsea SC | 6 | 7 | -17 | 16 | 29 |
| 10 | 3583 | Chris Martin | Ben Hendon | Blithfield SC | 7 | 6 | 16 | -17 | 29 |
| 11 | 3700 | Phil Emery | Karen Emery | Whitstable YC | -12 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 33 |
| 12 | 3665 | Ross Jackson | Sophie Mackley | Shoreham SC | -20 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 35 |
| 13 | 3696 | Alan Warren | William Caroll | Shoreham SC | 10 | 14 | -15 | 11 | 35 |
| 14 | 3539 | Dan Alsop | Jennie King | Lyme Regis | (DNF) | DNS | 6 | 4 | 36 |
| 15 | 3620 | Andy Bines | Derik Gentry | Brightlingsea SC | -17 | 8 | 13 | 15 | 36 |
| 16 | 3693 | Will Rainey | Kelly Miller | Shoreham SC | (DNF) | DNS | 4 | 8 | 38 |
| 17 | 3671 | P Lambert | T Bees / S Bines | Brightlingsea SC | 13 | (DNS) | 14 | 13 | 40 |
| 18 | 3650 | Tosh | Liese Scott | BanburySC | 8 | 13 | 21 | (BFD) | 42 |
| 19 | 3555 | Tim Harridge | Ben Harridge | Hampton SC | 14 | 12 | 23 | (DNF) | 49 |
| 20 | 3697 | Richard Page | Liz Page | Hampton SC | 15 | 18 | -20 | 20 | 53 |
| 21 | 3692 | Rien Zivold | Julie Nuttall | WYC | -21 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 54 |
| 22 | 3652 | John Bell | Duncan Bell | Hampton SC | 18 | 15 | 22 | (DNF) | 55 |
| 23 | 3480 | John Steward | Nick | Fishers Green SC | 19 | 16 | 24 | (DNF) | 59 |
| 24 | 3627 | Dan Willett | Pete Nicholson | Brightlingsea SC | 11 | (DNS) | DNC | DNC | 63 |
| 25 | 3644 | Steve Mitchell | Polly Newman | Porthpean | (DNF) | DNS | 19 | 18 | 63 |
