Medway RC Laser Club Winter Series at Barton's Point Coastal Park - Day 11
by Jamie Blair 22 Mar 21:50 GMT
19 March 2023
Medway RC Laser Club Winter Series day 11 © Fiona Blair
Today we welcomed nine sailors to race in the 11th session in our Winter Series. Another wind direction for the RO to set the normal triangle/sausage with the start/finish a third way up the beat. The WNW wind at 11 knots allowed a longish course with the wing mark set some way down the course.
All racers took to the water with B rigs. The start line had some port bias and only a few on the ball for the first race. Jamie Blair (51) led from the port end to the first windward mark and continued to reap the benefits of being away from the crowd. Charles Pegram kept his boat clear of others with a start at the pin end and sailed in with a 4th place.
Jamie not so lucky in Race 2 with a call of "51 over the line". Tim Townsend who had been held up in roadworks and a rushed start in race 1 took the initiative of tacking on to port at the starboard end of the line, leading at the windward mark, continuing ahead to the finish. Tony Alexander (04) and Roger Gibb (32) keeping ahead of the rest of the fleet to finish 2nd and 3rd.
Race 3 was a race to forget for Tim with a number of penalty turns. Consistency showed from Roger, another 2nd place and Mark Penny (03) back on the podium for the third spot. His mantra of keeping clear of others clearly paying off.
With the wind shifting between 5 and 10 degrees, both left and right it was often difficult to get into the shift pattern. For some sometimes a gain and other times a loss. As the morning ticked on most were able o keep better to the shifts.
The first discard came in at Race 4 and brought Tim and Jamie closer on points with racing together as a bit of an old style match race, even up the last short beat to the finish. Tim keeping his cool and taking the win.
Race 5 and 6 was again Tim's success. Jamie again OCS in race 6 and a fight to climb through the fleet. Roger and Tony filled the rest of the podium. Bob Woolford (76) in a best race so far registered a 4th place.
Race 7 was the last before the break and with a continuously shifting wind it was vital to tack the shifts, particularly on the long beat; Jamie Tim and Roger consistently in the mix all round the race track with Jamie taking the win followed by Tim and Roger. A welcome 4th again by Charles. Tim led the standings with Roger and Jamie three points adrift.
Roger and Mark had to leave so numbers were reduced to seven for the rest of the morning. In Race 8 Jamie used the port bias on the line to cross the fleet after the start along with Charles. Both sailed ahead of the fleet to take 1st and 2nd.
Races 9, 10 and 11 posed the same problem of the need for a good start, tacking when the shifts looked good and some luck, patience in the approach to the windward mark for the repeating lift on the starboard lay line for those tacking early trying to close the gap with the boats in front. Tim maintained his 3 point lead and looked on to win the day but the stories kept on coming.
In Race 13 Jon Moon (84) led the fleet for most of this race but Tim and Jamie overtaking up the beat with Jamie taking the win by a short bow. Charles again reinforced his consistency with another 4th place.
Race 14 brought an unexpected leader but one who had shown great persistence. Bob took the advantage of the other crowding together and despite the pack snapping at his heals took the win.
After Race 14 Tim led Jamie by just one point so the final race was super critical. Jamie took to the left of the beat and Tim to the right from the start. A lift on starboard for Jamie allowed a slight lead over Tim when they came back. It was again cat and mouse around the track with a close finish with Jamie ahead of Tim.
So on equal points, equal 1st places but on the 2nd places Jamie won the day. Tony Alexander (04) took 3rd after posting good consistent results throughout the morning.
Our next set of races will be on Sunday 26th March 2023.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | R13 | R14 | R15 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 51 | Jamie Blair | 1 | ‑5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ‑5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 23 |
| 2nd | 45 | Tim Townsend | ‑5 | 1 | ‑9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 23 |
| 3rd | 4 | Tony Alexander | 3 | 2 | 4 | ‑5 | 3 | 3 | ‑6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 46 |
| 4th | 84 | Jon Moon | ‑6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | ‑6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 54 |
| 5th | 72 | Charles Pegram | 4 | 7 | ‑8 | 7 | 6 | ‑9 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 68 |
| 6th | 76 | Bob Woolford | 8 | 8 | 7 | ‑9 | 7 | 4 | ‑9 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 75 |
| 7th | 32 | Roger Gibb | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | (DNC) | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 80 |
| 8th | 62 | Spencer Pope | ‑9 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 5 | (DNF) | 7 | 6 | 7 | 89 |
| 9th | 3 | Mark Penny | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 8 | (DNC) | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 103 |