Flying Fifteen Bulwark Trophy at Hayling Island Sailing Club

Two bullets give Russell Peters & Tim Hall overall victory

36 Flying Fifteens competed in this year’s HISC open meeting for the “Bulwark Trophy”. Boats were launched in a brisk Nor-easterly but out in Hayling bay winds were lighter and the sausage/triangle course was set with a beat at 120 degrees.

In the first race the tide was still against the first beat and those plugging the left side came out on top. A pack of boats rounded the top mark in close contention. Of these, Graham Vials/Chris Turner won comfortably in their brand new boat. In second, were Steve Goacher/Phil Evans, third Russell Peters/Tim Hall and fourth the defending Bulwark champions from 2010 Dave Lucas/Mark Longstaff.

For Race 2, the wind had increased and the tide was on the turn pushing boats over the start line. After a general recall the fleet were away under the black flag. Once again the left was the way to go and the fleet was led at the top mark by HISC Commodore Mark Wood crewed by Ian Jameson. They were closely followed by Pete/Sue Bannister and Mike Hart/Richard Rigg then a group including Alan Bax/Paul Childs and Gill Browning/Simon Weatherill. Bax moved up from 4th on the run to contest the first 3 places with Hart and Bannister until the final reach when the breeze notched up a force enabling Bax/Childs to get ahead for the final beat and emerge winners. Mike Hart/Richard Rigg and Greg Wells/Mark Darling reached through in the heavier conditions and after a very tight finish Wells/Darling just pipped Hart/Rigg by a few feet to take 2nd. The Bannister’s did very well to hold off Goacher/Evans to finish 4th.

So overnight the joint leaders on 7 points were Goacher/Evans and Wells/Darling but there were a lot of boats with at least one good race under the belt.

On Sunday morning an even stronger breeze from the North East was blowing in the harbour but again it was slightly less in the bay but more than on Saturday.

Race 3 was set with a beat at 75 degrees. The tide was against the beat and quite strong. Despite this, it took 3 attempts and 2 black flags to get the fleet away. The boats starting at the committee boat end benefitted from a 10-15 degree lifting windshift. Peters/Hall were one of these boats and led comfortably at the windward mark for an easy all the way victory. There was a good battle for 2nd place between Hart/Rigg and Mike/Gemma McIntyre with Hart/Rigg taking the place. Last night’s joint leaders Wells/Darling scrambled to finish 4th.

The scene was set for an exciting last race with 7 boats still in contention for overall honours! The wind was now at 100 degrees and the tide still against. In almost a carbon copy of the previous race the leaders emerged from the committee boat end and middle right side of the first beat and once again the leaders were Peters/Hall who once again went onto record a convincing victory and with it the 2011 Bulwark Trophy. Wells/Darling recovered from a poor start to round 2nd but they were hotly pursued by Jeremy Davy/Simon Childs and Hart/Rigg. On the second beat Hart/Rigg worked the left side and pulled through to finish 2nd ahead of Davy/Childs and therefore 2nd overall.

Wells/Darling fell back to 5th and finished 3rd overall. The McIntyre’s continued their good day by finishing 4th and this moved them up to 4th overall. All in all an excellent weekend’s racing and great preparation for the forthcoming Flying Fifteen Nationals and Worlds being held at Hayling in July when a massive 132 boats will be doing battle!

The Fifteen fleet would like to convey their thanks to HISC members and staff and the Race team lead by Zeb Elliott for a terrific weekends racing.

Overall Results: