Firefly Random Pairs Team Racing at Spinnaker Club
by Tom Clay 24 Oct 2011 23:42 BST
22 October 2011
Twenty Fireflys gathered at Spinnaker on 22 Oct for the Twisted Tube Firefly Random Pairs Team Racing. This is a two boat team racing event where you are provided with a list of team mates and opposition randomly chosen for each separate race. The winner is the crew with the smallest number of losses in the day. Competitors ranged from Ben Ainsworth fresh from representing the UK at the team racing worlds and the Spinnaker Auspicious team to University crews from Plymouth, Southampton and Solent with far less experience. To add variety there were some very quick Firefly sailors in Stephen Greaves and Sophie Hulbert and Chris and Annie Guy who perhaps had done less team racing recently.
There were ideal team racing conditions with a gusty Force 3-4 which shifted constantly encouraging the leading team to cover carefully. The first race of the day showed the interesting combinations the computer can throw up with Sam Littlejohn of Spinnaker Auspicious racing with Stephen Greaves against his team mate Matt Findlay partnered by Ben Ainsworth. When Matt was penalised for failing to give room on a starboard boat, Stephen & Sam sailed away to an easy win.
After all competitors had sailed 10 races for a total of 50 races in the day Tom Mallindine and Peter Matthews were tied on 8 wins with Matt Findlay and M. On countback of race scores, Tom & Peter won the event with Tom commenting how enjoyable it had been and how interesting to sail against his team mates. It was a good day for Spinnaker Auspicious as they filled the top three places with Sam Littlejohn and Jo Findlay coming third.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Name | Sail no | Wins | Losses |
|---|
| 1 | Tom Mallindine & Peter Matthews | 3779 | 8 | 2 |
| 2 | Matt Findlay & M | Spin 5 | 8 | 2 |
| 3 | Sam Littlejohn & Jo Findlay | Spin4 | 7 | 3 |
| 4= | Ben Ainsworth & Kerry Capps | Soton 5 | 7 | 3 |
| 4= | Sam Maxfield & Ellie Assinder | Spin 2 | 7 | 3 |
| 6 | Stephen Tiernan & Lizzie Norton | Spin 3 | 6 | 4 |
| 7= | Piers Strong & Evee Allen | Can 6 | 5 | 5 |
| 7= | Daniel Wrey & Lyn Billows | Can 4 | 5 | 5 |
| 7= | Ed Males & Katie Restall | Spin2 | 5 | 5 |
| 7= | Steven Greaves & Sophie Hulbert | 1857 | 5 | 5 |
| 7= | James Hayward & Tommy Freeman | 18 | 5 | 5 |
| 7= | Ed Morris & Rasita Patel | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| 13= | Harry Stewart & Jack Holden | Spin 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 13= | Christopher & Rosie Sibthorp | Spin 6 | 4 | 6 |
| 13= | Beccy Welsall & Izzy Cramp | Can 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 16= | Chris & Annie Guy | 3095 | 3 | 7 |
| 16= | Emlyn Davies & Alex Steele | Can 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 16= | Ben Wallis & Beth Durley | Can 5 | 3 | 7 |
| 16= | David Thomas & Hayley Sheperd | Can 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 20 | Felix Newell-Smith & Emily Wheeler | 3154 | 1 | 9 |