International 14 Perry Pot at Itchenor Sailing Club – Day 3

The VRSportTV team were on hand to capture the action, and this news had spread around the fleet like wildfire, precipitating a fine turnout of 13 boats despite some notable absences. Was this evidence of a fleet wide commitment to continuous improvement through rigorous self-analysis, or proof, were it needed, that international 14 sailors are raging narcissists? The incessant northerlies of previous weekends were still in place, this time at a dribbly 6 – 10 kts, with some respite provided by temperatures approaching double figures.

With hair and make-up in place, the boats made their way out to find short courses with 3 laps set by the expert producers Sibthorpe and MacLean, and not a casting couch in sight.

Oddly enough, short start lines and some boat end bias precipitated a general recall. On the second start, it was matinee idol father/son team of Partington/Partington who demonstrated versatility in escaping their windy weather typecasting to prevail. Afterwards, it transpired that a bit of John Wayne-esque mark hitting meant retirement. This gave the Usual Suspects Neale Jones / Ed Fitzgerald in ex Glen Truswell weapon "Scrumpet" the win. Light wind legends Katie Nurton / Nigel "Hollywood"Ash finished second, with a stellar performance by George Yeoman and stunt crew Andy Shaw for third.

Race two was hoped, in the manner of the second Godfather movie, to be (arguably) the more accomplished and compelling work. Alas it went the way of the majority of sequels, with some single and marginal twin wiring and lots of big holes and shifts. At the end, the big box office draws Nurton / Ash won from multiple Oscar winner Archie Massey and another stunt crew, Luke Boughton, who no doubt had to sign a disclaimer. Jones / Fitzgerald were ever consistent in third.

Come race three, everyone was hoping for something closer to "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" than "Hangover 3." They were only partially disappointed by more of the same.

Luckily the frequency of the VRSport TV drone's rotors was too high, and the Chichester Harbour environs too expansive and wintry to bring on a Hendrix scored Vietnam themed acid flashback. Nonetheless, many crews experienced the horror of the big holes and shifts. Once again showing their class, probably having been doing some Raging Bull era De Niro-esque method acting (also known as "practicing,") were Nurton / Ash from Jones / Fitzgerald. In third were Daniel Holman and Damian Ash mixing it with the leading men, despite their possessing character actor's faces. And bodies.

No stunt crews or wading birds were hurt in the racing. Similar turnouts and some wind from any other part of the compass rose are hoped for next weekend, the penultimate outing in the Perry Pot series, when Martin Scorcese and Francis Ford Coppola are down on the dutyman for race officer duty.

Results after Day 3: (three discards)