B14 Training & Open at Starcross

The B14s could have done with a few knots more breeze at Starcross © Mike Rice / www.fotoboat.com

The B14s could have done with a few knots more breeze at Starcross © Mike Rice / www.fotoboat.com

Dog fight at Starcross

The B14 flying circus consisting this weekend of 20 boats, descended on Starcross for a champagne sailing weekend.

On Saturday, class training took place in the morning with a 3 race personal handicap no discard series in the afternoon. With each race lasting approximately 20 minutes, the racing was close with an emphasis on tactics and boat handling. With a 450 m. course and the leeward mark 200 m. from the spectators/club verander, it proved to be great spectator sport. The winners on the day were 758 (Tim Harrison/Johny Radcliffe) with special prizes going to 745 (Rod Boswijk/Sharon Binney), 644 (Tony Blackmore/Charlotte Jones) and 713 (Chris Gould/Sam Woolner).

The fleet retired to a well deserved barbeque and drinking late into the night.

Sunday dawned with glorious sunshine and the sea breeze kicked in on queue. The format was for a 4 race no discard shootout. Racing was to be very tight all day with every position hotly contested. Race 1 got underway in a force 2. On the first round MJF/North Sails (Dave Hayes/Rich Bell) led hotly chased by a succession of boats over the first lap. The 2 boats that worked their way through over the first lap was Seavolution (Mark Barnes/Pete Nicholson (ex Readycrest) and 758. Short tacking out of the tide on the right, MJF/North Sails and Seavolution exchanged places, with MJF/North Sails rounding first and Seavolution rounding second but getting the better of them downwind. Up the next beat it was a close contest between the leading 2 with 758 closing in. At the windward mark, Seavolution led by a small amount from the following 2. Over the final run, Seavolution led to the finish with 758 getting the better of MJF/North Sails by a boat length at the finish.

Race 2 and the race got away at the first attempt led by 646 (Crispin Taylor/John Donnelly) only to be abandoned due to a mix up by a rescue boat from another club racing on another part of the river wrongly recalling the left had half of the fleet at the end of the first run. The restart took 2 attempts and started under the black flag. The charge was to the left over the sand bar. Front runners were 645 (Harrison Ashton/Miles Ashton), 776 (Dick Roe/Kate Dulieu), 762 (Mark Elkington/Chris Lloyd) and 764 (Mark Pollard/Jane Johnson). 762 was deemed OCS and left the course at the windward mark. 776 and 764 took up the lead with 645, Seavolution and INCE&CO (Mark Watts/Kathy Sherrit) in hot pursuit. By the leeward mark 764 led from Seavolution and 776. These 3 had a very close fight to gain the lead. 764 repelled both and led for the next round till the leeward mark where they were passed by Seavolution. Over the next round Seavolution covered both to win by 2 boat lengths. INCE&CO were the movers on the last round to come through to fourth.

Race 3 and with slacking water, the fleet started under black flag. Blue Marine (Allan Stuart/George Morris) led for part of the beat only to be OCS and leave at the windward mark. First was 758 followed by 646, 762, and 764. At the leeward mark 762 had taken the lead followed by 764 and 646. By now Seavolution and MJF/North Sails were making their presence felt. At the windward mark 762 led from Seavolution, 764 and 758. Over the next round 762 repelled several boats but in the run to the finish, Seavolution got past them on the last gybe but held on to beat 758 and 764 by the narrowest of margins.

Race 4, with only 2 laps, due to no discard all was to play for. Off the start Seavolution was buried in the fleet and 758 led off the start with 762, 730 (Will McGrath/Ed Griegran) and 695 (Mark Phillips/Lewis Turner). At the windward mark 758 led from 764, 695, 762 and Velocitek (Guy Whitby/Anna Payne). With many place changes on the run, at the leeward mark 758 led from 762, 764 and 730, with Seavolution sneaking through to the top 7. Up the next beat 758 led the formation but Seavolution was closing in to 4th at the windward mark. Down the last run Seavolution closed in on 758 and 762 with each gybe. Going into the finish 758 and Seavolution were neck and neck with nothing to split them at the finish. Seavolution got it by a nod from 758 closely followed by 762, 764 and 730.

The class had a fantastic weekend and would like to thank the club for a well run event and not to many sore heads on Sunday morning.

The next event is the Worlds in Falmouth kicking off on July 8th.

Overall Results: