Salcombe Yacht Club Autumn Series Race 6
by David Greening 12 Oct 2015 16:57 BST
11 October 2015
With a very shifty easterly breeze, Race Officer Simon Ballantine set a windward mark half way up Yalton Creek, until there was sufficient water to make the Yalton mark on the final lap of the race, controversially avoiding the Bag.
This unusual course setting made for some interesting tactical choices for the 38 helms, as to which was the best route in and out of the creek.
Ben Meek sailed well, bringing his RS Tera Sport home seconds behind the Topper of George Alexander, which was sufficient for him to take a comfortable corrected time victory.
Kate Brooks demonstrated the effectiveness of the smaller rigged RS Aero 5 to finish one second behind the larger and faster RS Aero 7 of Claire Booth, to take a comfortable Handicap win.
There was a healthy eight starters in the Fast Handicap race, and the Merlin Rocket of Peter Cook and Janet Exelby showed a clean pair of heels to the Phantom of Alistair Morley. Dan Bridger had his moments coming to grips with his new RS Aero 9, showing good downwind speed against a trio of National 12's, but a long sequence of capsizes put paid to his chances of a podium place.
Once again the Solo fleet was the most numerous with seventeen starters. A tough beat to Y saw Tim Law emerge with a clear break from Simon Gibbens and David Greening. When the leading trio becalmed in the lee of Fisherman's Cove the pursuing fleet closed up, leading to Law and Greening crossing to the Salcombe shore, Greening was the first of several high profile capsizers trying to find Nemo. Gibbens lost out by remaining on the Portlemouth shore, allowing Dobson and Jago through at Blackstone.
Third place was not the place to be, seeing Jago and Gibbens to make uncharacteristic capsizes leading to their early retirements.
Law was unruffled holding onto a comfortable lead; Simon Dobson emerged in second place in a race that saw more attrition than an Ireland Rugby International, followed by Julian Meek, gifted the place by Simon Yates, who was fearful of capsizing should he take third place!
Andrew Wood and John Couling took control of the Salcombe Yawl Race, though always in close proximity with David Jayne and Chris Spencer-Chapman and Jon and Clare Lewis, to take the winning gun (or hooter).
Race 6 Results:
Junior Handicap
1st RS Tera Sport 1881, Ben Meek
2nd Topper 46721, George Alexander
3rd RS Tera Pro 2146, Evie Booth
Medium Handicap
1st RS Aero 5 1717, Kate Brooks
2nd RS Aero 7 1517, Claire Booth
3rd RS Feva XL 1521, Elodie Grenan
Fast Handicap
1st Merlin Rocket 3616, Peter Cook and Janet Exelby
2nd Phantom 1357, Alistair Morley
3rd National 12 3526, Christian and Sophie Day
Solo
1st 5599, Tim Law
2nd 5313, Simon Dobson
3rd 5317, Julian Meek
Salcombe Yawl
1st 97, Andrew Wood and John Couling
2nd 28, David Jayne and Chris Spencer Chapman
3rd 150, Jon and Clare Lewis