420 blasts off to win the GJW Direct Bloody Mary
by Tony Bishop & Mark Jardine 11 Jan 19:08 GMT
11 January 2020
It blew the boots off spectators and competitors at this year's GJW Direct Bloody Mary, held at Queen Mary Sailing Club, the 5th leg of the 2019-20 Selden Sailjuice Winter Series.
This year attracted 288 entries, representing 59 classes from 120 clubs, with 95 junior helms and 23 Grand Masters.
Topper sailor Henry Koe from Southbank SC led from the first mark, closely followed by Topper 47954 Ollie Freemantle, Poole YC. It was 20 racing marks later at the end of the second lap when the 420 team of Dylan Mc Pherson and Jack Lewis took over the lead. In the high winds, topping 30 knotts, this pair excelled and extended a commanding lead over the chasing pack. In the hunt were Simon Horsefield and Katie Burridge in their 2000 and hot on their heels were the Fireball team of Dj Edwards and Vyv Townend,... but to no avail, the junior 420 pairing conquered the day and secured their first win of the Bloody Mary.
The Winners on coming ashore were interviewed by Yachts and Yachting.com editor Mark Jardine:
Mark Jardine: I'm here with Dylan McPherson and Jack Lewis who have just won the 2020 GJW Direct Bloody Mary. With these big winds it was a 420 day, so you must have been revelling in it at the beginning, and hoping it was going to be your day?
Dylan McPherson: Yes, it was great fun. The start was really good, plenty of wind, planing upwind, it was great.
MJ: Jack, these are the conditions where you need the crew work nailed. Did you do it, every corner?
Jack Lewis: I think so; sign me up for the Olympics! But no, it was really hard work. Some of the gusts were just... mythical. Towards the end the wind began to drop off and we were properly worried that the 29ers were going to come through. Luckily it turned out alright.
MJ: There are some big names on the winners board for the Bloody Mary. What does it mean to have your names down on there too?
Dylan McPherson: Pretty cool! I can't really think about it!
MJ: Well, congratulations on a fantastic win in a fantastic race, it was great to see.
Well done to all who took to the water today.
Overall Results: (top ten)
1st 420 (54487) Dylan MCPHERSON and Jack LEWIS, RYA
2nd 2000 (22334) Simon HORSFIELD and Katie BURRIDGE, ASA
3rd Fireball (15144) Dj EDWARDS and Vyv TOWNEND, Bough Beech SC
4th 420 (53332) Callum DAVIDSON-GUILD and Szymon MATYJASZCZUK, Trearddur Bay SC
5th 29er (2700) Leo WILKINSON and Sam JONES, Maidenhead SC
6th 505 (9196) Paul BROTHERTON and Russ CLARK, Glossop SC
7th 505 (9215) Roger GILBERT and Ben MCGRANE, Netley SC
8th 29er (2806) Oliver EVANS and Ben WILLET, Gurnard SC
9th 2000 (22607) Paul CULLEN Verity and HOPKINS, Weir Wood SC
10th Laser (37) Ben FLOWER, Hayling Island SC
- First Lady Helm: 420 (56383) Megan FARRER, Emsworth SC
- First Queen Mary Helm: Laser Chris Ellyatt, QMSC
- Grand Master: Contender (2706) Stuart JONES, Datchet Water SC
- First Junior Helm: 420 (54487) Dylan MCPHERSON and Jack LEWIS, RYA
- First Sailability: Megan Pascoe, Frensham Ponds
Class prizes were also awarded to:
- RS Aero 5 (2325) Ned Stattersfield, Wells-Next-The-Sea SC
- RS Aero 7 (2439) Tim Hire, Lymington Town SC
- RS 200 (1657) Geoff CARVETH and Emma HIVEY, Warsash SC
- RS 400 (1488) Michael SIMS and Mark LUNN, Carsington SC
- Topper (47902) Henry KOE, South Bank SC
- Laser Radial (213563) Joe SCURRAH, Carsington SC
- Laser (214415) Christopher ELLYATT, Queen Mary SC
- 420 (54487) Dylan MCPHERSON and Jack LEWIS, RYA
The overall winners thanked the race committee and all at the club for running the race and so many competitors for turning up to make it such a special day.
Provisional Results at:
www.queenmary.org.uk/racing/results-2/results-2020/the-bloody-mary-2020
Link to GPS tracking:
selden.sailracer.org/eventsites/live-screen-tracking.asp?eventid=215241&labels=S
Jez Entwistle from event title sponsor GJW Direct commented: "It was great to see such close racing out on the water today. The mild conditions felt almost Spring like yet here we are on the 2nd weekend of January. I was pleased to see so many youth sailors competing today, (and holding their own against the adults!) which is a great testament to the RYA youth program and the UK dinghy sailing scene as a whole. The Bloody Mary really is a truly unique bucket list event which GJW Direct are delighted to continue to support."
Queen Mary would like to thank our title sponsors GJW Direct. Thank you to the Selden Sailjuice Winter Series and thank you to our team of volunteers both on and off the water whose assistance was greatly valued and much needed to run the event.