TYCO Healthcare Hamble Winter Series 2004 - Day 6
by Eddie Mays 22 Nov 2004 14:51 GMT
21 November 2004
Sponsored by Yachts and Yachting
The series is turning into a light wind affair. This week's racing took place in very overcast conditions with a wind that was initially E - ESE at about 7 kts with a weather going tide. The Black Group were started under Flag Zulu for the 2nd week running and this did keep everyone behind the start line.
In IRC 0 Chris Brown's DK-46 'Fidessa Fastwave' was joined for the first time by Nick Lutte's sister & identically rated 'Shockwave', By the windward mark 'Shockwave' had established a healthy lead. However over the following legs 'Fidessa' nibbled away at this lead until by the finish they had established a 50 sec lead over 'Shockwave'. Stewart Hawthorn's J-133 'Jump' has had the edge on handicap all series and this week with John Heyes from the sponsors on board they scored their 4th win.
By the time the X-332's started the line was becoming very biased and all the boats crowded the Committee boat end. Steve Maine's 'X-to-Sea' was forced between the IDM and the Committee Boat. A turn round the end of the line seemed to have buried them. However astute tactics (their words) up the beat and a major lift at the right time brought them back to the leaders. Ian Smith, 'Pittolo Bill', won with 'X-to-Sea' second and they have both narrowed their points difference with current class leader, Ian Dawson.
After this start there was a short postponement to allow the line to be reset before the Sigma 38s were released. By mid-day the wind was becoming very patchy, a large area of near calm appeared on the Island side and progress was painful at times. At the bottom mark the leaders of IRC 2 were overtaking the back markers from the IRC 1 class. Racing in IRC 2 was particularly close with six boats all contesting the lead. The failing wind caused the course to be shortened at very short notice and at present the results for this class are provisional. The 2nd race for the IRM class was also dogged by shorten course problems. On the final leg the run became a beat and an ambiguity in the correct approach line to the finishing boat enabled Nick Hartshorn on 'El Gringo' to beat Nick Haigh's 'Too Steamy' to the line.
On the White Group course the 1720s got away first time, it is becoming a habit, and Charlie Frize on 'Big L' gained a small lead by the top mark but he was closely followed by the other main contenders. After a very exciting, if slow, race Andy Smith sailing 'Twister' managed to gain a minute lead over the others. With three quarters of the races sailed Andy is tied on 33 points with Des Faherty, 'Key Yachting'. One point behind them and again on equal points are Ian Atkins, 'boats.com' and Charlie Frize. Both the Laser SB3s and the 707 class had a general recall.
Glenn Bourke, competing for only the third weekend, won the first SB3 race whilst in the 707s Josie Gibson has been helming the Royal Thames entry 'Cezanne'. She held off the challenge of others as the wind became very, very light to record her 2nd win of the series. By the time that all the classes had finished their first race many crews anticipated the Race Officers decision and were motoring home for an early lunch. With the wind swinging through 180 degs and no promise of stability returning the second set of races were not started.
Week 6 Provisional Results:
IRM - Race 1, Too Steamy, Farr 40, Nick & Anne Haigh
IRM - Race 2, El Gringo, Ker 11.3, Nick Hartshorn & Hannah Harwood
IRC 0, Fidessa Fastwave, DK-46, Peter Harding & Chris Brown
IRC 1, Exabyte 2, IMX-40, Jerry Otter
IRC 2, Equal 1st points
Quokka, Elan 37, Peter Rutter
Kimanchee Eve, Ker 32, Mark Franklin
Eric the Barbarian, Bavaria 35, Derek Blancke
IRC 3, Tangent Minus 1, MG 335, Paul & Julia Aisher
IRC 4, Purple Haze, ¼ Tonner, Tony Dodd
X 332, Pittolo Bill, Ian Smith
Bowsprit, Beth, J-109, Guy Knight
Sigma 38, Supernatural, Dominic Cahill
Sigma 33, Whippa Snappa, Richard Puddifoot
Mumm 30 – Race 1, Offbeat, Ian Gill
Mumm 30 – Race 2, Not sailed
Cork 1720 – Race 1, Twister, Andy Smith
Cork 1720 - Race 2, Not sailed
Laser SB3 – Race 1, Musto, Glenn Bourke
Laser SB3 – Race 2, Not sailed
Hunter 707 – Race 1, Cézanne, Josie Gibson
Hunter 707 – Race 2, Not sailed, Patrick Miles
Sportsboat Rules - Race 1, RYA 2, J-80, Ben Fields
Sportsboat Rules – Race 2, Not sailed
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