Selden 70th Merlin Rocket Championships at Whitstable - Day 2
by Tim Fells 24 Aug 2015 18:58 BST
22-28 August 2015
Merlin Rocket competitors woke to rain with a forecast of more rain followed by lots of rain as a prelude to a full blown monsoon, thunder, lightning with a hint of Armageddon thrown in. For once the forecasters had it spot on. As far as the wind was concerned, it was going to play a minor role and could best be described as confused. During a 30 minute postponement wind readings of between 90deg and 150deg were registered, often within a few minutes of each other.
Following the first day's excitement, a black flag on the second start brought the fleet to order and they were away cleanly in a marginal hiking breeze. With the breeze swung left, the smart move was to start near the pin and get on to port early. Local legend Mark Barnes crewed by Philippa Daniels showed that there is life in ageing B14 sailors to hit hard right and round first ahead of his older B14 sparring partner Tim Fells (again ably directed by Oli Wells).
Tim and Oli soon took the lead and were chased by Matt Biggs and John Hackett, renowned for their ability in the light and sniddly. With the wind first swinging hard right on the second beat and then hard left on the third, Tim and Oli defended assiduously to keep their noses in front. However, it all came undone on the second triangle where, with the wind all but disappearing, they were unable to lay the gybe mark and were rolled by Matt and John and the chasing pack.
Matt and John escaped down tide and were able to take a comfortable win as the PRO shortened, probably because he had no idea where the wind would go next.
In a demonstration of young talent coming through the class, Olly Turner and Hamish Kilburn clawed their way through to take second ahead of Chris Gould and Sam Barker. Equally young guns Ben Saxton and George Yeoman, still apparently finding their feet in the Merlin, took fourth to take the overall lead and the yellow jersey from Chris and Pete who were prominently visible not having their best day.
Nick Craig and Alan Roberts recovered from their BFD to get their first counter of the week ahead of the slightly disconsolate Tim and Oli.
More Alex Cheshire photos can be found here.
Results after Day 2:
Pos | Sail No | Boat Name | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | Pts |
1 | 3742 | Speed Machine | Ben Saxton | George Yeoman | Grafham Water | 2 | 4 | 6 |
2 | 3743 | Pokin the Turtle | Matt Biggs | John Hackett | Blithfield | 8 | 1 | 9 |
3 | 3764 | Fancy Liquor | Tim Fells | Oli Wells | Salcombe | 3 | 6 | 9 |
4 | 3753 | Appetite for destruction | Simon Potts | Luke Shaw | Burghfield | 4 | 8 | 12 |
5 | 3759 | Red Mistress | Sam Pascoe | Megan Pascoe | Castlecoe | 5 | 10 | 15 |
6 | 3673 | | Chris Gould | Sam Barker | Midland | 13 | 3 | 16 |
7 | 3722 | Stealth | Roger Gilbert | James Stewart | Frensham Pond | 9 | 14 | 23 |
8 | 3766 | The Bear | Andy Dalby | Sally Townend | Hampton | 17 | 7 | 24 |
9 | 3739 | Dory | Ben McGrane | Roz McGrane | Netley | 6 | 20 | 26 |
10 | 3539 | Gangstar Paradise | Dan Alsop | Jennie King | Lyme Regis | 10 | 18 | 28 |
11 | 3707 | Monkey Business | Alex Jackson | Phil Dalby | Hampton | 12 | 16 | 28 |
12 | 3756 | Robert | William Warren | Mark Okey | Shoreham | 15 | 13 | 28 |
13 | 3770 | Shiny | David Hayes | Jonny Ratcliffe | Hayling Island | 14 | 15 | 29 |
14 | 3763 | Dancing Brave | Mark Barnes | Phillippa Daniels | WYC | 22 | 11 | 33 |
15 | 3676 | Hot Totty | Tim Harrison | Francis Gifford | Ranelagh | 25 | 9 | 34 |
16 | 3658 | Bernard | Chris Jennings | Pete Horn | Burghfield | 1 | 35 | 36 |
17 | 3774 | Panther | Jon Turner | Richard Parslow | Lyme Regis | 27 | 12 | 39 |
18 | 3768 | Boat name | Rob Cage | Hattie Cage | Thames | 19 | 22 | 41 |
19 | 3641 | Puff the magic dragon | Mark Waterhouse | Mat Currell | Parkstone | 24 | 19 | 43 |
20 | 3685 | The Black Pearl | Sophie Mackley | James Warren | Shoreham | 16 | 31 | 47 |
21 | 3746 | Point‑n‑Squirt | Dan Willett | Pete Nicholson | Brighlingsea | 23 | 26 | 49 |
22 | 3672 | Bola Bola | John Cooper | Hilary Bradshaw | WYC | 20 | 30 | 50 |
23 | 3752 | The Empire Strikes Back | Will Rainey | Andy Douglas | Shoreham | 28 | 24 | 52 |
24 | 3657 | Revolution | Caroline Croft | Rhos Hawes | RYA | 11 | 42 | 53 |
25 | 3645 | Blue Velvet | Steve Hall | Simon Haighton | Burnham | 32 | 25 | 57 |
26 | 3651 | Jupiter | Colin Brockbank | Charlotte Cotter | Wembley | 29 | 28 | 57 |
27 | 3675 | White Saucerer | Mike Fenwick | Penny Fenwick | Weymouth | 26 | 32 | 58 |
28 | 3547 | Moon Dance Assassin | Tim Male | Rebecca Male | Blithfield | 37 | 23 | 60 |
29 | 3740 | Why Ask | Pat Blake | Jilly Blake | Cookham Reach | 18 | 44 | 62 |
30 | 3692 | Nimo | Steve Mitchell | Julie Nuttall | WYC | 31 | 39 | 70 |
31 | 3653 | Artemis | Andy Chapman | Melissa Chapman | Netley | 39 | 33 | 72 |
32 | 3656 | Wild Card | Olly Turner | Hamish Kilburn | Salcombe | BFD | 2 | 73 |
33 | 3564 | Avalon Sunset | Rob Kennaugh | Abi Spurr | Midland | 30 | 43 | 73 |
34 | 3751 | Strings Attached | Mark Barwell | Louise Johnson | Lymington town | 34 | 40 | 74 |
35 | 3709 | Wild at Heart | Tom Lonsdale | Ben Hollis | Upper Thames | 21 | 54 | 75 |
36 | 3765 | Three Dee | Dickie Dee | Phil Scott | Midland | 46 | 29 | 75 |
37 | 3749 | Stanley | Nick Craig | Alan Roberts | Frensham & Burghfield | BFD | 5 | 76 |
38 | 3684 | Keyser Soze | Andy Davis | Alex Warren | Blithfield | 7 | RET | 78 |
39 | 3731 | Mayhem | Andy Jones | Maddie Jones | Burghfield | 42 | 36 | 78 |
40 | 3719 | Fluff n Stuff | Jeremy Deacon | Alex Pausey | Cookham Reach | 40 | 38 | 78 |
41 | 3773 | No 34 | Alan Warren | Bill Carroll | Shoreham | 35 | 45 | 80 |
42 | 3712 | Okey Dokey | Ian Sharps | Ally Martin | Burghfield | BFD | 17 | 88 |
43 | 3690 | General Lee | Tim Harridge | Daved Reid | Hampton | 33 | 55 | 88 |
44 | 3518 | Smoke Salmon | Julian Harms | Timothy Harms | Midland | 47 | 41 | 88 |
45 | 3683 | Bluebird | Ben Jones | Helen Hilditch | Shoreham | 41 | 47 | 88 |
46 | 3772 | Velella | Phil Emery | Karen Emery | WYC | 38 | 51 | 89 |
47 | 3758 | Bazinga | Jasper Barnham | Graham Sexton | Snettisham Beach | BFD | 21 | 92 |
48 | 3771 | Skip | Laurie Smart | Richard Pausey | Upper Thames | 43 | 50 | 93 |
49 | 3648 | Bang Tidy | Antonio Wright | Jamie Wright | Shoreham | 44 | 49 | 93 |
50 | 3706 | Monkey Puzzle | Charles Anderson | Ani Ridley | Hampton | 49 | 46 | 95 |
51 | 3730 | Blood Sweat and Beers | Paul Hollis | Liese Scott | Blythfield | 36 | 60 | 96 |
52 | 3734 | The Black Boat | Philip Ashworth | Alison Ashworth | Weymouth | 45 | 52 | 97 |
53 | 3735 | Clones Wars | Julian Parry | Bekka Jones | Hollingworth | BFD | 27 | 98 |
54 | 3697 | Too Dark‑n‑Stormy | Richard Page | Peter Page | Hampton | 48 | 56 | 104 |
55 | 3754 | Didley Pokey | Jon Gorringe | Nicola Bass | Parkstone | BFD | 34 | 105 |
56 | 3767 | One Love | Sam Thompson | Ben Archer | Parkstone | BFD | 37 | 108 |
57 | 3574 | Holy Grail | John Donoghue | David Collier | Sully | 52 | 59 | 111 |
58 | 3625 | Point Break | Richard Bramley | Leanne Hibberd | Shoreham | 51 | 62 | 113 |
59 | 3319 | Absolute Madness | Richard Ledger | Tom Bruton | WYC | 53 | 61 | 114 |
60 | 3644 | Marlene | Jonathan Bloice | Philippa Bloice | WYC | 54 | 63 | 117 |
61 | 3769 | Disciple | Graham Cranford‑Smith | Fiona Cranford‑Smith | Salcombe | BFD | 48 | 119 |
62 | 3555 | Light Fantastic | Ian Mackenzie | Luke Tucker | Blythfield | 55 | 64 | 119 |
63 | 3624 | Stab in the Dark | Phil Mason | Jamie Mason | Blythfield | 50 | RET | 121 |
64 | 3402 | Hot Goblin | Issie Bruton | Tom Bruton | WYC | 56 | 65 | 121 |
65 | 3744 | Mylo Xyloto | Chris Martin | Joe Tosh | Midland | BFD | 53 | 124 |
66 | 3463 | Smoke on the water | Abbey Zambinski | Donna Hender | WYC | BFD | 57 | 128 |
67 | 3424 | Purple Hayes | Mark Fagg | Ian Hender | WYC | 57 | RET | 128 |
68 | 3607 | The Fifth Element | Mark Bugler | Rimer Bugler | Weymouth | RET | 58 | 129 |
69= | 3351 | Gnome | John Boorman | Paul Fincham | WYC | RET | DNC | 142 |
69= | 3775 | Night Fury | Stuart Bithell | Tom Pygall | | BFD | DNC | 142 |
www.merlinrocket.co.uk/champs/index.html