Merlin Rocket River Championship at the Bourne End Week Regatta
by Tim Williams 8 Sep 17:28 BST
28-30 August 2021
The 2021 Merlin Rocket River Championships were hosted at Upper Thames Sailing Club over the August bank holiday weekend.
Incorporated into the club's annual Bourne End week regatta it had as so many events this year been shifted. Normally held over the late May bank holiday. Considering this, a good turnout of eighteen Merlin Rockets attended.
The fleet were greeted a light to moderate North to North-easterly which continued throughout the event.
The shifty gusts were very much the name of the game and the crews that capitalised on these were able to get away and take the bullets. However, some very close racing was had, and no position was ever a guarantee until the sailors were safely over the line.
The silverware was pretty much all to play for in the final race.
All in all, a great event with Upper Thames providing some great socials and a well-organised race box team.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Boat Name | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | Queen Philippa | 1996 | Chris Kilsby | Pippa Kilsby | Thames | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | (OCS) | 2 | 11 |
| 2nd | Katy Lou | 1493 | Mark Barwell | Louise Johnson | Lymington Town SC | ‑7 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| 3rd | Quiver | 774 | Martin Hunter | Tim Williams | UTSC | 3 | 4 | 1 | ‑6 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
| 4th | Flinkidink | 1097 | Stuart Jenkins | Nicola Scaddan | UTSC | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | ‑6 | 4 | 15 |
| 5th | Hullabaloo | 1692 | Rob Cage | Sel Shah | Thames | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | ‑13 | 17 |
| 6th | Andromeda | 3259 | Charlie Morgan | Amanda Batten | Tamesis | 8 | 7 | ‑9 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 29 |
| 7th | Masquerade | 995 | Matthew Jones | Arthur Jones | Tamesis | 6 | ‑9 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 33 |
| 8th | Seven Eye | 3520 | Tim Metcalf | Flora Laidlow | Tamesis | ‑12 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 36 |
| 9th | Luka | 3560 | Oliver Houseman | Egle Tumosa | Tamesis | 5 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 11 | ‑12 | 40 |
| 10th | Exequisite | 2266 | Chris Rathbone | Sonia Rathbone | UTSC | 9 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 10 | ‑11 | 45 |
| 11th | Lady Hyperion | 2037 | Richard Burton | Mariella Burton | | 10 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 12 | (DNC) | 57 |
| 12th | Pooh | 1189 | Carl Mayhew | Mayra Vivo‑Torres | | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | (DNC) | 14 | 59 |
| 13th | Wild Waters | 1700 | Peter Walker | Debbie Walker | UTSC | (DNC) | DNC | 12 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 61 |
| 14th | Firestarter | 3405 | Harry Kearns | Aaron Hart | | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | (DNC) | 16 | 71 |
| 15th | Pandemonium | 3152 | Mike Steele | Debs Steele | SESCA | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 9 | 10 | 76 |
| 16th | Dypsomaniac | 2152 | Pat Blake | Jilly Blake | CRSC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 9 | 85 |
| 17th | Lady Luck | 1477 | Bob Yates | Selina Yates | UTSC | (DNC) | DNC | 15 | 13 | DNC | DNC | 85 |
| 18th | Lady Wot | 2235 | Jonty Freeman | Chloe Marsh | NSSC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 15 | 91 |