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Poole and Parkstone Yacht Club Commodores' Challenge

by Midge Watkins 18 Jan 2015 12:22 GMT 28 December 2014
Poole and Parkstone Yacht Club Commodores' Challenge © Mike Millard

The annual Commodores' Challenge took place on Sunday 28th December, hosted by Parkstone Yacht Club. Each year Poole and Parkstone Yacht Clubs go head to head in a match-racing event on Elan 333's. The whole team is Under 18 with 10 people on each boat (with max 2 reserves), the first team to win 3 races wins the Cup.

Having been blown off on the Saturday, the day began with fairly light winds of about 10knts gradually picking up throughout the day to gusts of about 15knts with freezing temperatures. Many spectator boats surrounded the course at the bottom of Poole Harbour and the racing began.

The first race started with Parkstone in the lead for the first two laps, however in the third and final beat they tacked off and as the two boats split Poole pulled ahead to win.

During the pre-start of the second race, Parkstone received a penalty for a Port/Starboard incident. Although at times throughout the race Parkstone were in the lead they still had to complete their penalty as well as overcoming difficulties with the spinnaker. Poole pulled ahead for their second win as Parkstone completed their penalty downwind.

For the third race Poole were aware that they needed to win just one more race to win the cup. Poole lead to the windward mark with Parkstone very close behind gaining an overlap at 2 boat-lengths to give them an inside advantage round the mark, holding their lead for the rest of the race.

With such a close score tension was high for the start of the fourth race. Parkstone took the lead on the first beat followed by a rather hectic mark rounding for both boats leaving them neck and neck. Poole pulled ahead as the teams hiked hard to gain as much speed as possible upwind and after a magnificent spinnaker hoist at the windward mark they crossed the line for their third and final win.

After a tiring day the teams headed for shore for the prize giving where Team Poole were awarded the Commodore's Cup! Following thank you speeches the teams enjoyed a welcome lunch provided by Parkstone.

This year was the 20th anniversary of the Commodore's Challenge, it is a fantastic event that will hopefully continue for many more years, providing a great opportunity for youth sailors to get into keelboat sailing and leading to many future opportunities.

Thank you to all those who helped organise the event, coached the teams and came out to support.

We hope to see everyone again next year.

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