PYRA Poole - Cowes - Poole Races

Blue Extasy during the PYRA Poole - Cowes - Poole Races © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.com

MS Amlin Firestarter during the PYRA Poole - Cowes - Poole Races © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.com

14 yachts from Poole Yacht Racing Association raced to and from Cowes over the Bank Holiday weekend to compete in the VPRS National Championship.

What was in essence a feeder race left Poole on Friday afternoon in a steadily increasing Easterly wind. Dave and Jackie Hale made the early running in their X412, Blue eXtasy from Poole Yacht Club and Alan and Lis Bennett in their J109 Blue Jay from Parkstone YC. But sailing boat for boat not so far behind were Mark Carey's Archimbault 31, Zorra 3 and Phil Nicholas' Maxi 1100, Destiny. Passing Hegistbury Head pressure increased from 20 knots to 25 knots and Destiny started to show their ability in heavier winds pulling slowly away from the Archimbault. Keeping the larger J109 and X412 well in sight Destiny went on to win Class One with gust up to 27 knots on the beat into Cowes.

Class Two saw Ian Wall's, Mojito an MG C 27 beating Mike Shrimpton & Rose Debenham in Maris Otter a larger Hunter Legend 35.5 in the stretching conditions. Likewise in Class Three the smaller Hunter Sonata Exposition raced by Joe Cross was able to win over PYRA Captain Roger Bond's, Beneteau 285, Fraid S'eau.

Following two days frenetic racing for the VPRS Nationals the fleet left Cowes on Bank Holiday Monday in virtually no wind with a trip back to Poole ahead. With a flooding tide, Phil Nicholas as Race officer on board Destiny, wisely motored the fleet West and out of the Solent for the far safer option of a start at North Head. In 7 knots SW all classes were underway, only to be met with thick visibility shrouding sea fog descending on the fleet and wind dropping down to 2 knots or less.

Destiny and Blue Jay during the PYRA Poole - Cowes - Poole Races - photo © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.com

Within an hour the pressure had started to increase and those that had worked south out to sea first to receive a steady 8 knot SSW providing a fetch to Poole's PYRA finishing line. Mark Titterington in his Elan 333, Elevation was able to hold onto the heels of Blue eXtasy and Rob & Kate Gibson's Humphreys 50 Hope and Glory, for a convincing win. Only Fraid S'eau had stuck out the dense fog and lack of wind in the smaller classes, to pick up a well-deserved win in Class Three.

Overall Results: