Royal Western Yacht Club Win or Swim Cup - Day 1
by Andy Sinclair 6 Oct 2016 07:26 BST
1 October 2016
The Royal Western Yacht Club is better known for its oceanic races such as the Transatlantic Ostar race and the Double Handed Round Britain and Ireland race than its dinghy sailing, but times change and even Yacht Clubs move with the times! There was a growing buzz of dinghy sailors in Plymouth looking to keep racing through-out the winter in Plymouth Sound so the Win or Swim Cup was born, 12 weekends of racing, each it's own round of up 3 races a day on Saturday afternoons with the overall score from 8 out of the 12 weekends going towards the overall Win or Swim Cup.
The main objective was fast and fun racing and this Saturday provided that in a plentiful share. A gusty 15-25knot WNW wind greeted everyone in the Sound and race one kicked off in over 20 knots. The Buzz of Walter Douie and Jason Holtom took the name of the event in full swing and stormed around the windward mark in first, hoisted their kite and set off at max speed back across the sound only to find their winning turned into swimming as their rig came down! (Don't worry though as they assure us they will be back stronger and faster!) Alice Woodings in her Laser Radial stamped her mark on the boys finishing in amongst the Laser Standards to win the race.
Race 2 had the course changed to add a reach which saw the boats light up as the squalls came through, the Scorpion of Steve Mitchell picked up her skirts and did not hang around but still did not quite sneak away enough from that pesky Laser Radial of Alice Woodings as she cruised home to a second win!
Race 3 was another short sharp affair with a few extra swims across the course, the Scorpion needed to have a cool down swim on the start line at the gun and Ben Dodwell was still getting to grips with his feisty RS300 and pulled of the swim of the day with a fantastic Chinese gybe. The father and daughter team on the 3k were still finding their feet when they prematurely ended their race with a broken boom. With her competitors snapping at her heels Alice Woodings again cruised to a bullet wrapping up the day with a tidy score line.
In the Yacht Club afterwards Alice Woodings picked up a new snazzy cap for her winning ways and a few other fun spot prizes were given out for deeds deemed rewarding. Next week should be bigger and badder as more boats are planning to venture out and play.
Thanks to the Sponsors Technique Voile Sailmakers Plymouth, Highwater Ltd.
Day 1 Results: (top 3)
1st Alice Woodings, Laser Radial
2nd James Hyde, Laser
3rd Steve Mitchell, Scorpion
Full results and more information at rwyc.org/blog/2016/09/28/win-or-swim-cup-dinghy-series
Facebook www.facebook.com/rwycwinorswimcup