Merlin Rocket Travellers Series at Tamesis Club - Week 2
by Chris Balmbro 11 Jan 2009 17:41 GMT
11 January 2009
The second week of the Tames Merlin Rocket Travellers Series was a very different beast to the week before as far as weather was concerned. Last week’s zephyrs of wind were replaced by a gusty Force 4-5 South Westerly and the temperature increased to be the right side of freezing.
Some things weren’t so different, however, and Mike Stephens and Lee Gladman in Luka (3560) scored another series win in Race 3 from Chris Balmbro and David Benstead sailing Bad Company (3062).
Race 3 Results:
1st Mike Stephens & Lee Gladman (Tamesis Club)
2nd Chris Balmbro & David Benstead (Tamesis Club)
The fourth race in the series was contested by nine Merlins sailing the same course as the first race: a challenging upwind leg towards Kingston Bridge followed by a white-knuckle run back down to a mark off Trowlock Island. Conditions were challenging throughout and there were hairy moments for some. Stephens and Gladman stormed to another victory in fine style to keep them firmly at the top of Travellers Series table.
Race 4 Results:
1st Mike Stephens & Lee Gladman (Tamesis Club)
2nd David Baker & crew (Tamesis Club)
3rd Ken Duffell & Brian Corking (Tamesis Club)
4th Colin Stokes and Caroline Stilwell