Salcombe Yacht Club Summer Series - Race 1
by David Greening 16 Jun 2015 11:14 BST
14 June 2015
Salcombe Yacht Club Summer Series Race 1 © Margaret Mackley
High tide, sun and a Force 4 south-westerly and Race Officer Nigel Blazeby making the most of the conditions by setting a course around all of Salcombe's creeks brought big smiles on the competitors' faces.
First away was the Junior Handicap fleet, which looked like they were having great fun as they ran back through the harbour on a planing breeze.
Evie Booth in her RS Tera Pro and Max Pearce in an RS Quba had a close tussle with four seconds separating them at the finish, and Ben Meek, close behind on corrected time.
There was some attrition in the Medium Handicap fleet, but Claire Booth got to grips with her RS Aero 7 to take the boat's maiden win from the Laser Radial of Jackie Humphries.
The stronger wind and the tough first beat against the tide favoured the Merlin Rocket duo of Jon Gorringe and Nikki Bass over the Merlin of Peter Cook and Janet Exelby. Being at the start line on time was not sufficient to give Alistair Morley the edge over the Merlins in the Fast Handicap fleet.
Twenty-two Solos headed for the leeward pin position off Smalls cove, and it was Tim Law who initially appeared to exercise the plan perfectly, however a big wind shift to starboard saw Ed Stephens and Chris Cleaves drive over Tim.
Tim, Ed, Chris and Bill Jago made the initial running, with Peter Ballantine having to make a recovery job after an uncharacteristic capsize after the start.
Tim worked his way back into the lead following a competitive beat out of Yalton, followed by Ed Stephens and Chris Cleaves. Meanwhile Peter Ballantine was working his way through the fleet to fourth place by the final lap of the harbour.
With Tim Law in control of the final beat, the interest was whether Ed would hold his nerve against the Cleaves onslaught, which was achieved, by seven seconds after one and a half hours of racing.
With one Modern fleet Yawl and four Classic Yawls, it may have appeared to be a shoe in for David Greening and Stephen Galvin, given conditions that would favour the power of the modern boats, however Peter Stratton and Andrew Woods would not let the red boat get away, until the stronger winds across Widegates. Peter and Andrew eventually were ground down by David Jayne and Dan Bridger.
After nearly two hours of racing Greening and Galvin held onto the corrected time victory by 22 seconds from David Jayne and Dan Bridger.
Race 1 Results:
Junior Handicap
1st RS Tera Pro 2146, Evie Booth
2nd RS Quba 4, Max Pearce
3rd RS Tera Sport 1881, Ben Meek
Medium Handicap
1st RS Aero 7 1517, Claire Booth
2nd Laser Radial 144336, Jackie Humphries
Fast Handicap
1st Merlin Rocket 3754, Jon Gorringe and Nikki Bass
2nd Merlin Rocket 3616, Peter Cook and Janet Exelby
3rd Phantom 1357, Alistair Morley
Solo
1st 5599, Tim Law
2nd 5194, Ed Stephens
3rd 5573, Chris Cleaves
Salcombe Yawl
1st 177, David Greening and Stephen Galvin
2nd 28, David Jayne and Fenella Goldsworthy
3rd 161, Peter Stratton and Nigel Hannaford