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Selden Merlin Rocket National Championship at Penzance - Day 4

by Tim Fells 17 Aug 2016 19:50 BST 14-19 August 2016

Wednesday at the Selden Merlin Rocket Championships saw a big change in the weather with low cloud replacing the glorious sunshine we have enjoyed since arriving in Penzance last Saturday.

The wind was still stuck on 110 deg as it has been since Monday but, having blown strongly overnight, was dropping off quickly to leave a sloppy sea with everyone struggling to find power to drive through.

With Stu Bithell away for the day on RYA duty, the door was open for his opposition to grab their chance. Roger Gilbert and James Stewart do not need another invitation and navigated a very tight first beat expertly to just round ahead of Jon Turner and Richard Parslow, going very well again, and Chris Gould and Chris Kilsby featuring at the front end of the fleet for the first time.

Over the next four laps, although there were shifts of up to 10 degrees they often did not come with pressure, so not providing the expected gains. Consequently, there were very limited passing places.

Roger and James defended expertly to take a hard earned win and the overall lead in Stu's absence. The Chris(s), one of the pre-event favourites, crossed second to finally get their series underway while Chris Jennings and Pete Horn bounced back from the disappointment of gear failure on Tuesday to take third.

Ben and Roz McGrane took another strong result with fourth, moving them to second overall. Simon Potts and Ally Martin who have been around the leading pack all week, converted to fifth ahead of JT and Richard.

The forecast for tomorrow is now looking like a healthy WNW for the Champagne race but Friday is looking distinctly marginal.

Results after Day 4:

PosFleetSail numberHelmCrewClubR2R1R3R4Pts
1stGold3722Roger GilbertJames StewartFrensham Pond24219
2ndGold3739Ben McGraneRoz McGraneNetley338418
3rdGold3776Nick CraigAlan RobertsFrensham Pond4511828
4thGold3774Jon TurnerRichard ParslowLyme7215630
5thGold3658Chris JenningsPete HornBurghfield51014332
6thGold3777Simon PottsAlly MartinBurghfield10612533
7thGold3753Michael SimsRichard BrownCarsington91511237
8thGold3645Steve HallSimon HaightonBurnham612101038
9thGold3764Tim FellsOli WellsSalcombe13851743
10thGold3770David HayesJonny RatcliffeHayling Island8762243
11thGold3735Richard WhitworthPippa TaylorHollingworth2197744
12thGold3775Stuart BithellTom PygallHollingworth114DNC59
13thGold3778Chris GouldChris KilsbyBlithfield172617262
14thGold3730Pete BallantineBen HollisSalcombe / Blithfield1219131963
15thGold3754Jon GorringeToby LewisParkstone1414162064
16thGold3656Olly TurnerGraham SextonStarcross112092666
17thGold3673Caroline CroftBeka JonesBlithfield2013201467
18thGold3759Sam BarkerMegan PascoeCastle Cove2217191573
19thGold3691Mike CalvertSean AndersonAxe YC191828974
20thGold3746Dan WillettPete NicholsonBrightlingsea1629181679
21stSilver3641Mark WaterhouseMatt CurrelParkstone2724232599
22ndSilver3685Sophie MackleyJames WarrenShoreham30302124105
23rdSilver3539Dan AlsopFrances GiffordLyme/ PSUK38233213106
24thGold3733Dave WadeRachel RhodesNorthampton151622RET106
25thSilver3727Mark StockbridgeNeil DaviesRanelagh18342430106
26thSilver3690Tim HarridgeLucy BurnHampton25272731110
27thSilver3740Pat BlakeJilly BlakeCookham23223633114
28thSilver3779David LeeTim LawsStarcross28362629119
29thGold3684Andy DavisAlex WarrenBlithfieldOCS113DNC120
30thGold3756William WarrenChris DownhamShorehamDSQ212523122
31stSilver3744Chris MartinOliver MacleanMidland39254121126
32ndSilver3716Steve LeneyGill LeneyBlithfield42353318128
33rdBronze3683Ben JonesHelen HilditchShoreham32323036130
34thSilver3773Alan WarrenBill CarrollShoreham31393428132
35thSilver3769Graham Cranford‑SmithSteve PenfoldSalcombe24403832134
36thSilver3564Rob KennaughColin AndersonMidland2633RET27139
37thSilver3643Mark BarwellLouise JohnsonLymington Town36313743147
38thBronze3767Ben ArcherTheo HarrisParkstone41423135149
39thBronze3772Phil EmeryDavid HawkinsWhitstable37452939150
40thBronze3651Colin BrockbankMartin HughesWembley34373942152
41stGold3707David HallMari ShepherdBlackwater4028RET34155
42ndSilver3566James WellsLiz WellsStarcross2938DNC41161
43rdSilver3709Tom LonsdaleRhos HawesUpper Thames3341RET38165
44thBronze3628Robin CharlesDan NewmanStarcross44463546171
45thSilver3714Richard BurtonAlice MarkhamUpper Thames3547DNC40175
46thBronze3713Steve HarlingEleanor ThomasStarcross4344DNC37177
47thBronze3518Julian HarmsTimothy HarmsMidland46434247178
48thBronze3704Jemma HughesCharlotte CotterThames45484444181
49thBronze3734Phil AshworthAli AshworthWeymouthOCS504045188
50thBronze3511Andrew MillsEllie MillsHampton475143RET194
51stBronze3352John DonoghueCharles VernalTBC484945RET195
DNQGold75AAlex WarrenTom PygallShorehamDNCDNCDNC11170

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