Scorpion Open at Bexhill Sailing Club

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Scorpion Open at Bexhill Sailing Club

by Rob Smith 21 Jun 2006 08:09 BST 17-18 June 2006

Everyone was willing the sea breeze to arrive at Bexhill as they travelled to the Kent coast - only to find it was suncream and silence needed as race 1 started in ‘down to leeward’ weather. Dave Elston and Gavin Poullion sorted the tide versus pressure thing and led handsomely to mark 1. The gap to John Mursell & Nick Keast, then Barry & Linda Wolfenden all looked comfortable until Mark 3. In what became the last leg, Adrian and Rob Smith who had been creeping up, won out by catching the last zephyr to cross first, with the Wolfendens, Mursell/Keast and locals Rob and Lily Harrison all denying unlucky Elston/Poullion who needed a Maradonna style ‘hand off’ for their first trip past the finish buoy!

Sunday’s haze masked more of the same. After creeping off the line, a tense beat later the Smiths led and held this through a game of patience, momentum and tide angles to the finish. Elston & Poullion were always in sight until Mursell & Keast came back from a slow start to take second. Nigel & Dominic Silman gave everyone a scare for a while with great speed.

In race 3 the Wolfendens showed they have the light wind potential in No. 2002 but couldn’t quite hold off Mursell & Keast from taking a last leg win. The Smith’s dropped to a close third, but overall victory as the dying breeze heralded end of play.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Boat Name	Helm	Crew	Club	Pts
1st	1939	Ice on Fire	Adrian Smith	Rob Smith	Hythe & Saltwood	2
2nd	1936	Bottyburp the Barbarian	John Mursell	Nick Keast	Castle Cove	3
3rd	2002	Silver Balls	Barry Wolfenden	Linda Wolfenden	Chipstead	4
4th	1981	Highway Star	Dave Elston	Gavin Poullion		7
5th	1878		Rob Harrison	Lily Harrison	Bexhill	10

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