Rowsell Sails Merlin Rocket Travellers at Tamesis Club - Week 3
by Chris Balmbro 23 Jan 2012 16:48 GMT
22 January 2012
With the forecast gusty Westerly actually turning up as scheduled there were plenty of grins all around as the third week of the Rowsell Sails Merlin Rocket Travellers Series drew to a close. Even those who'd taken a swim seemed to have enjoyed the testing but grin-inducing conditions.
Race 5
7 Merlins started proceedings by contesting the short-format race. Joe McLaughlin had dusted off his Smart Cookie and drafted in Charlie Morgan as a crew, but it was Mike Stephens and Joe Tosh who took the bullet.
Race 5 Results
1. Mike Stephens and Joe Tosh – Flinkidink (1097)
2. Joe McLaughlin and Charlie Morgan – Smart Cookie (3559)
3. Ken Duffell and Brian Corking – Harry (3599)
4. Matt Peregrine-Jones and Dana Church – Masquerade (995)
5. Chris Balmbro and Johannes Wagner – Bad Company (3062)
Race 6
Race Office Carolyne Vines chose to retain Course P with its dogleg for the second race of the day but moved the downstream mark further down river. With a short reach to the first mark and 13 boats on the water, a number of boats adopted a fairly cautious approach to the start, before screeching off downstream after negotiating the melee at the upstream mark. As the fleet moved downstream the river's bend turned the reach into a beat and for the return leg upstream most boats flew their spinnakers.
David Vines and Fran Gifford were dominant throughout and almost five minutes separated them crossing the finish line and second-placed Andy Harris and Caroline Croft.
Race 6 Results
1. David Vines and Fran Gifford – Elusive (3347)
2. Andy Harris and Caroline Croft – Shenandoah (3088)
3. Richard Harris and Harry Harris – Passing Cloud (1079)
4. Joe McLaughlin and Charlie Morgan – Smart Cookie (3559)
5. Mike Stephens and Joe Tosh – Flinkidink (1097)