Phantom Eastern Series at Southwold Sailing Club

17 Phantoms for the Eastern Series event at Southwold © Cath Fox

17 Phantoms for the Eastern Series event at Southwold © Cath Fox

Seventeen Phantoms including 4 from Shoreham made the trip to the Suffolk coast over the Whitsun bank holiday for round 4 of the Tempera Tech/JJ Boats sponsored Phantom Eastern Series.

Early arrivals on the Saturday were able to get a practice sail in ideal conditions with a SE F3 and glorious sunshine. John Wayling led an impromptu training session with the focus on upwind and downwind technique in waves. This was followed by a BBQ and drinks reception at the Sundance bar (sorry saloon)!

The weather gods were still smiling on Sunday and 4 races were held in a building Northeasterly breeze. Race officer Mike Pickles set an Olympic course just off Southwold providing the holidaymakers a great view of some close racing.

The first race of the Adnams sponsored event was won by Neil Fulcher, with John Wayling second and Tyler Harmsworth third.

By the start of the second race the tide had turned producing wind against tide conditions and a short chop, which made for hard work upwind and the chance to surf back downhill if you could pick the gaps in the waves. Fulcher added his second win of the day, with Nick Radley making it a Stone 1-2 and Harmsworth again in third.

In race 3 Harmsworth broke the Fulcher dominance taking the win ahead of Radley with Fulcher recovering from a poor start to take third gaining a number of places down the final 2 reaches.

With the race committee providing quick turnarounds between races there was enough time for a fourth race. Normal service was resumed with Fulcher taking the win ahead of Harmsworth and Simon Feilden in third.

On Sunday evening the sailors were treated to an excellent chilli meal at the club with the Adnams regatta flowing freely, although the fleet seemed more subdued than the previous evening after a tough day on the water.

Monday dawned slightly cloudier and following a tough sail out of the river against the flood tide and what appeared to be a light breeze, the fleet got to the startline to find an Easterly F3-4 and yet more waves! This time the course was set to the Walberswick side of the harbour giving slightly different conditions to the previous day. As Fulcher had headed back to Essex on Sunday evening the event was wide open, Harmsworth, Radley, Feilden and Wayling all in the mix.

The wind and waves continued to build through race 5 which was won by Harmsworth, with James Case taking second to jump up the leader board after a poor first day, Wayling took third. Behind these three there was plenty of action with breakages aplenty and the rescue crews were kept busy towing the casualties back to the harbour. Feildens challenge came to an abrupt end as his mast folded.

A depeleted fleet started race 6 and it was Harmsworth again who took the race win ahead of Wayling and Case.

By Race 7 the fleet had lost a few more as the conditions continued to take their toll on both boats and bodies, Harmsworth finished the day with another win with Matthew House sailing a great race to take 2nd ahead of James Case.

A fantastic weekend's sailing, with near perfect conditions and some great socials off the water. As one competitor commented “what all open meetings should be”

Overall Tyler Harmsworth won the event ahead of John Wayling and Nick Radley third.

At the prizegiving all competitors received an Adnams goody bag. Tyler Harmsworth thanked the club for hosting the event and praised the work of the rescue boat crews and race officer in providing quick race turnarounds and a full series of 7 races.

The TemperaTech/JJ Boats Phantom Eastern series now moves onto its next event at Brightlingsea SC on 13th/14th June.

Overall Results:

1st Tyler Harmsworth (Shoreham SC)
2nd John Wayling (Northampton SC)
3rd Nick Radley (Stone SC)
4th James Case (Wells SC)
5th Neil Fulcher (Stone SC)
6th Matthew House (Royal Harwich YC)
7th James Jarvey (Hickling Broad SC)
8th Robin Hobson (Shoreham SC)
9th Simon Feilden (Hickling Broad SC)
10th Jez Taylor (Southwold SC)
11th Ian Clarke (Alton Water SC)
12th Stephen Popple (Shoreham SC)
13th Alastair Glen (Shoreham SC)
14th Andy Large (Brightlingsea SC)
15th Ed Dixon (Hunts SC)
16th Ian Miller (Alton Water SC)
17th Dave Hawkins (Alton Water SC)