Magic Marine Solo Nation's Cup at Yacht Club de Carnac - Day 2
by Will Loy 14 Jul 2019 21:31 BST
13-16 July 2019
Magic Marine Solo Nation's Cup in Carnac day 2 © Will Loy
It was a relief to awake this morning; the revelry in Carnac town, culminating in a firework display which must have blown a large hole in the council budget, had kept me from sleeping for some hours. I heaved my well-proportioned torso from the adequately-sized king size double, legs still aching from "RIBersize" (a brand new form of core conditioning of which I am the founder) and prepared for the day ahead.
Two coffees later - and I must stress that the beans here are out of this world - and I was ready. The journey to the club took me past boulangeries filled with customers, on a Sunday and queuing out of the door. Had I been born in Paris I would be a millionaire by now.
Sailors readied themselves for the 10am start and three back-to-back races with a rumour of a fourth of the weather played ball.
Race 3
With the wind from 060 and at about 10 knots there was every reason to be cheerful and the fleet set off after one general recall with Blake Latta's drone leading the fleet to the top mark. Charlie Cumbley, fully hydrated after another night in town, led into mark 1 with Chris Brown, Oli Davenport and Tim Law chasing hard. James Boyce, Andy Tunnicliffe and Pete Mitchell were next as the breeze built to 12-14 knots and the fleet spread across the course.
Cumbley, Law and Davenport extended but there was disaster for Boyce whose rudder assembly popped off at the leeward mark, scuppering his chances of a counter. Further down the fleet Marc Deiben tested the water and Patrick Burns was also seen sitting atop his new Winder. Davenport overtook Law up the second beat which meant that at the gun the top five would be Cumbley, Davenport, Law, Lovering and Alex Butler.
Race 4
A clean start saw the 80 Solos fully loaded and bashing or threading their way upwind as the breeze held at 12-14 knots and 25 degrees. Salcombe sailor Mike Hicks powered his North Sails Winder to the top mark, finding the laymen in from the left with Law and pin end winner Tunnicliffe just behind. Lovering, Honnor, Roel Den Herder and Nick Jackson completed a refreshing top seven with Cumbley and Butler with work to do. The breeze was stronger on the left side down the run and Law took the advantage from Hicks and Lovering as those on the right lost ground.
Tunnicliffe found some more pressure and a lift on the right which took him into a lead which he would not relinquish. Lovering and Butler took the other podium places with Steve Denison and Honnor completing the fabulous five.
Race 5
With the breeze dropping to 6 knots this would probably be the last race of the day. Away first time with Rodriques owning the committee end and Ted Bakker punching his bow out a third of the way down the line. The beat was long and mentally draining as sailors battled the balance of height and speed in the awkward chop and I fought my rucksack for the box of Tic Tacs I knew I had packed earlier that day. At the top mark it was Davenport who had played the right of the course from Honnor, Bakker and Cumbley. John Reeke had a blinder in fifth from Boyce and Butler which would be a great brand name for tailored suits.
The run was a bit of a disaster for those that chose the right of the course and it was Butler who took the lead, feeding on the building pressure like a piglet on its mothers nipple. Davenport had gone left too and rounded second from Law while Cumbley and Boyce were locked in battle at the left hand gate. Butler showed a level of maturity which I have not seen in some of my oldest friends to hang on to victory at the shortened top mark with Law a relieved second. Ted Bakker was a well deserved third with Boyce sneaking in ahead of Cumbley for fourth.
The fleet headed in to shore and the bar where cold beer and a barbecue would ease their pain.
Overnight the leader would be Charlie Cumbley with Alex Butler second and day 1 leader James Boyce third. Tim Law and Martin Honnor complete the top five but there really is all to play for on day 3 of the Magic Marine Nation's Cup.
Results at www.yccarnac.com/national-solo.html