Salcombe Gin Merlin Rocket Week 2019 - Day 1

The long awaited 62nd episode of Salcombe Merlin Week kicked off under cloudy skies. After a beautiful Salcombe summer day on Saturday spent transferring boats across to Mill Bay in a building sea breeze, the conditions for race one looked distinctly problematic.

A very light north easterly was dying in the estuary while the cloud cover did not promise any thermal heating. PRO David Greening wisely put up a postponement flag, at which point the wind promptly switched 180 degrees and started to fill in from the SSW.

Red v Green flights. Course sailed 1,7,1,3

With the start of the ebb forming under them and the breeze filling in, the fleet lined up early and in the rush to the line five boats were black flagged, your correspondent amongst them, cursing my over-excitement.

Pushing out early towards Mill Bay, Richard Whitworth (who had only secured an entry two weeks earlier) and Jemima Scroggie from Parkstone tacked to cross the fleet and then held a nice lead into Blackstone. Also going very nicely were Alex Jackson and Mary Henderson while another front runner, Tim Saxton and Holly Scott in their shiny new JT special, were pulled on the Board of Doom.

Salcombe Gin Merlin Rocket Week 2019 day 1 - photo © Paul Gibbins / pgcphotography.pixieset.com

Richard knows his way around the harbour, having won the week previously, and was able to hold a very comfortable lead all the way until the final beat to the line. Alex and Mary came steaming up to challenge for the lead while the Chrises Gould and Kilsby also made a late run for the gun. Richard held on by a couple of boat lengths to take the first cannon of the week from Alex/Mary and the Chrises overlapped on the line.

Taxi and Pippa Kilsby, who had been in the teens around Blackstone, chipped away to come through in fourth ahead of Simon and Ally Potts with Jenn and Chris Dodds closing out the top six narrowly ahead of Dave Winder and Liv Bell.

Salcombe Gin Merlin Rocket Week 2019 day 1 - photo © Malcolm Mackley

Blue v Black flights. Course sailed 1,7,1,3,2,3

For the afternoon race the wind remained in the SW giving a true beat to Blackstone and had enough puff to have both helm and crew hiking hard at times. With the ebb tide now in full flow, the fleet hit the line early with a large number of boats looking over. John Turner and Richard Parslow were the most prominent and while they led to Blackstone their glory was short lived. It was a lengthy Board of Doom and counted Christian Birrell and Sam Brearey, pre-event favourites, amongst its number.

On the run back up harbour, local hero Will Henderson sailing with son Arthur was first from the leading pack to cross at the Ferry and with his expert knowledge of the estuary was able to extend a healthy lead on the trip to Gerston and back. For a long time it looked like it could be a home club 1-2 with Pete Ballentine and Rob Allen going very nicely. Dan Willet and Pete Nicholson from Brightlingsea were also have a stellar race and took second place for a while.

Salcombe Gin Merlin Rocket Week 2019 day 1 - photo © Paul Gibbins / pgcphotography.pixieset.com

The chasing bunch was very tight and on the final run to Crossways, Roger and Jane Gilbert had got their noses through into second. However, Mike and Jane Calvert were on the charge and on the final tack to the line just got their bow forward of Roger and Jane to take second.

William Warren, another previous winner of the week, sailing with Alice Rook had kept close to the leading group all the way round and slipped through into fourth on the line with Anthony and Jo Gifford also finishing strongly in fifth. Dan and Pete rounded out the top six.

Pat and Jilly Blake taken by surprise by the descent of their jib on day 1 of Salcombe Gin Merlin Rocket Week 2019 - photo © Paul Gibbins / pgcphotography.pixieset.com

There was a disappointing result for defending champions Si Blake and Phil Dalby down in 13th, however Si has just stepped off a plane from his home in Australia so should improve with some sleep!

The forecast for the week ahead is for a continuation of the light breezes from the easterly quadrant though with more sunshine there is a chance of some sea breeze action.

Results after Day 1:

Salcombe Gin Merlin Rocket Week 2019 day 1 - photo © Paul Gibbins / pgcphotography.pixieset.com