Merlin Rocket Open Meeting at Parkstone Yacht Club

Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Parkstone © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.co.uk

Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Parkstone © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.co.uk

Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Parkstone © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.co.uk

On Sunday the 24 entrants were greeted with fantastic south coast weather .... bright sunshine with a force 3-5 breeze from the north west which gave chilly and very shifty conditions meaning lots of place changing throughout each race.

Three races were sailed back to back to the west of Brownsea Island in the upper Wych area with excellent olympic courses managed by PRO Barry Rolfe.

Race 1 - set the pattern for the day with incredibly shifty beats up to the windward mark near Poole YC.The first lap saw Tom Stewart leading followed by Jon Gorringe and Nick Scroggie.

Gorringe over took Stewart on the second beat and stayed in front to take the first race. Behind Matt Biggs and Richard Whitworth were on a charge with Matt taking second and Richard third despite capsizing in spectacular style when the toe straps parted!!

Race 2 started in a freshening breeze which was getting interesting with the 30 degree shifts and saw a few capsizes at all levels in the fleet.

Matt Biggs hit the front first with Simon Blake and Mike Calvert in close pursuit. Blake broke through to lead on the second lap with Biggs second and Whitworth storming up the fleet from 6th to 3rd by the third lap. Biggs was punished for a scoop up on the gybe and slipped back.

Meanwhile Whitworth broke through Blake on the run only to hand Blake the lead again sailing to the finish with a lap to go. By now the pair were well ahead, Whitworth re-passed Blake on the last beat to win the second race with Tom Stewart taking a well sailed third place.

Race 3 - with the wind moderating slightly and still very shifty a five lap race was set with the fleet getting away with a clean start. The fleet quickly split in two with the majority going right and a few boats heading left up the channel.

At the Windward mark Willy Warren led having taken the left side with Dan Alsop in close pursuit however by the end of the first lap Whitworth was in front again Warren second and Gorringe third. The whole race stayed close with place changing around the windshifts. Whitworth kept in control to win with Mike Calvert climbing from fourth to take second and Gorringe sailing a consistent third place.

The third race left Richard Whitworth and Ollly Turner the clear overall winner (Parkstone-2 pts), John Gorringe and Toby Lewis second (Parkstone-4 pts), Simon Blake and Alex Jackson third (Shoreham-6pts); Mike Calvert and Chris Downham fourth (Axe - 7pts), Tom Stewart and Liam Dempsey fifth (Northampton - 7 pts); Mat Biggs and Ben Hollis sixth (Blithfield - 9 pts)

On the Saturday, we were pleased to welcome a few visitors to join in with the club racing and challenge for the Barnabus trophy. The conditions were very similar to the Sunday but Dave Winder with Lou Johnson crewing were consistent over the two races and we are deserved winners of the Barnabus Trophy.

Overall Results: