Harken Miracle Nationals at Weymouth & Portland Sailing Academy - Day 2
by Sam Mettam 13 Aug 2013 09:32 BST
11-16 August 2013
Shifty north-westerly mixes up the results
Day 2 dawned with a forecast of 10-15 knots from the north west, more sunshine and a photographer. Hopefully a recipe for some good photos!
Race 1 started in around 10 knots of breeze. A big left hand wind shift just before the start gave a big advantage to the boats that started down the port end of the line, but it was followed by a big right hand shift that allowed sister team Tracy Amos and Karen Smailes, who had started at the starboard end and taken advantage of the tide flooding through the harbour entrance, to lead at the windward mark. Hot on their heals were Ally & Harry Jones and Sam Mettam & Geoff Phillips (Sam having had a short swim on the way up to the mark when his 2mm toestrap rope proved less wear resistant than planned). Unfortunately the Jones tried to squeeze through a gap that wasn’t there and ended up actually round the mark in 12th with Mettam & Phillips also caught up in the aftermath. In the meantime, Richard and Katy Byne sailed through into the lead which they held until the 3rd beat, when they were overhauled by Mettam & Phillips in an increasing breeze.
After a short postponement to move the race course, race 2 started in 15 knots of wind with Mettam & Phillips taking a narrow lead at the windward mark from series favourites Jeremy Davy & Ethan Plank. The lead 2 boats then extended their lead on the downwind legs. A little further back Dave & Ross Southwell were showing their recent return to form having some excellent racing with the Jones and Neil Gibson & Keith Macey. On the third lap a large right-hand shift and a wind drop caught out quite a few of the fleet. Mettam & Phillips held their nerve to take the bullet from Davy & Plank, who later found out they had been OCS, and therefore the Southwells took 2nd and Gibson & Macey 3rd.
The sailors retired for an evening video debrief sponsored by Gibson Sails. Photos of the day's racing are now online on the fotoboat website.
Results after Day 2: (top ten)
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | Total |
|---|
| 1 | 4051 | Sam Mettam | Geoff Phillips | Hayling Island | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 2 | 3805 | Nick Smith | Indigo Smith | Thornbury | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| 3 | 3678 | Richard Byne | Katy Byne | Draycote Water | 3 | 2 | 9 | 14 |
| 4 | 4010 | Dave Southwell | Ross Southwell | Leigh & Lowton | 9 | 5 | 2 | 16 |
| 5 | 4040 | Neil Gibson | Keith Macey | Redoubt | 8 | 8 | 3 | 19 |
| 6 | 4055 | Ally Jones | Harry Jones | Draycote Water | 5 | 10 | 4 | 19 |
| 7 | 3740 | David Raines | Michelle Raines | Leigh & Lowton | 7 | 6 | 7 | 20 |
| 8 | 4056 | Martin Huett | Abby Huett | Draycote Water | 6 | 11 | 8 | 25 |
| 9 | 4047 | Yvonne Mumford | Brian Mumford | Redoubt | 10 | 9 | 10 | 29 |
| 10 | 3508 | Jack Hopkins | Jake Beckford | Delph | 11 | 12 | 11 | 34 |