Inaugural Powermann Trophy Race at Parkstone Yacht Club
by Mike Pascall 30 Jul 2007 18:19 BST
29 July 2007
Action from the inaugural Powermann Trophy Race © Mike Pascall
With forecasts ranging from F3 to F7, from W to N and anything from sunshine to torrential rain it was with considerable delight that Poole decided to put on its best summer face on Sunday, with clear skies and a light NW breeze. 11 boats arrived at the Parkstone Yacht Club Committee boat start line opposite Brownsea Roads for the inaugural running of the Powermann Trophy Bay race.
Three 49ers signed on, with a guest appearance by Simon Wheeler at his home club, just back from winning the silver fleet at the ISAF Sailing World Championships 2007 in Cascais, Portugal.
Unfortunately the Parkstone YC loan 49er wasn’t up to his normal standard and gear failure caused his early retirement. An International 14, 3 RS800s a Cherub, an RS400 and two foiling Moths made up the fleet.
Niall Myant and Hamish Kemp, in a 49er, led the fleet out of the harbour closely followed by Richard Devereaux and Dave Culshaw in the I14. This race between them continued to the finish with only 48 seconds separating them at the end of a 2 hour race.
A reach along the beach to Allum Chine was a search for wind, with Peter Flanders and Miles Blaver-Mann, in the Powermann 49er, apparently setting off to France under kite looking for an offshore gain.
The Powermann Youth Team support Rib shot through the fleet at 48 knots to show them the way to Allum Chine and on to Jenkins, situated 1 mile offshore. The breeze rose to a slightly fluky 8 – 10 knots and all boats finished the 12 mile course at Poole Head with only 19 minutes separating first from last place on the water.
Georgie Blaver-Mann and Toby “Tastic” Lewis, practicing in the RS400 before their Nationals, to be held in Poole Bay during Poole Week, became the first winners of the Powermann Trophy on handicap, despite sailing at the lowest allowable handicap of 924, and received the Quay West Chandlers £100 gift voucher. Richard Devereaux and Dave Culshaw in the I14 and Dave Ching and Lara in the Cherub came 2nd and 3rd respectively.