Comet Open at Attenborough Sailing Club

by Roger Day 14 May 2017 23:13 BST 13 May 2017

The fleet got away in a stiff breeze with just the one boat over the line at the gun. Chris Hatton was first to the windward mark and soon pulled out a strong lead from Eddie Pope and Bob Dodds. Chris held onto the lead but Bob passed Eddie before the end of the first lap. The first Attenborough boat didn't pass through the gate until Jill Reid, a junior sailing a borrowed boat, coming through in seventh place. The first two were never challenged but Eddie Pope lost a further place to John Coppenhall on lap two. However, Eddie fought back and regained third place on the fifth and last lap.

The wind increased a little for race two but the fleet got away to a clean start. This time Bob Dodds was first to complete the first lap with Chris Robinson second and Chris Hatton in third. Saul Tendler and Roger Chilvers both local sailors capsized at the end of the first run and there boats became entangled such that both sailors called it a day and sailed back to the clubhouse. By the end of the second lap Chris Hatton had gained the lead and stayed there to the end. Bob Dodds slipped to fifth place by the end of lap four but then gained two places to finish third. Chris Robinson finished second after a minor slip to third at the end of lap two which didn't last long until be was back into second place.

Race three saw just fourteen starters and once again they all behaved and got away to a first time start. By this time a pattern had emerged and the usual suspects were once again at the front of the fleet. Chris Hatton was in the lead and stayed that way although tactics came into play when approaching the leeward mark on the penultimate lap to get an inside position at the buoy from Bob Dodds. The attack was defended and they finished 1 and 2 respectively. Chris Robinson had been in a solid fifth place until the final lap when he passed Paul Jago and John Coppenhall to finish third.

Overall Results:

Pos	Helm	Sail No	Club	R1	R2	R3	Pts	Region
1	Chris Hatton	48	Seven SC	1	1	1	2
2	Bob Dodds	869	CMYC	2	3	2	4
3	Chris Robinson	867	Burghfield SC	5	2	3	5
4	Eddie Pope	804	Ogston SC	3	4	4	7
5	John Coppenhall	532	Hunts SC	4	7	5	9
6	Paul Jago	599	Attenborough SC	7	5	6	11
7	Tricia Peacock	885	Arden SC	6	6	9	12
8	Jill Reid	441	Attenborough SC	10	8	7	15
9	Rhiain Bevan	724	Cransley SC	8	9	8	16
10	Malcolm Davidson	856	Attenborough SC	9	11	10	19
11	Andrew Beaumont	556	Attenborough SC	14	10	12	22
12	Bob Ceurstemont	648	Attenborough SC	13	12	11	23
13	Paul Smith	627	Attenborough SC	11	13	DNF	24
14	Elizabeth Dauncey	607	Tamworth SC	12	DNC	13	25
15	Catherine Applegate	249	Attenborough SC	17	14	DNC	31
16	Roger Chilvers	488	Attenborough SC	15	DNF	DNC	33
17	Saul Tendler	807	Attenborough SC	16	DNF	DNC	34