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ContractCars.com Anglesey Offshore Dinghy Race 2023

by Paul Halliwell 22 Aug 2023 15:51 BST 13 August 2023
ContractCars.com Anglesey Offshore Dinghy Race 2023 © Paul Hargreaves Photography

After four years of Covid initiated absence the Anglesey Offshore Dinghy Race returned with windy day of a high speed action on the 13th August.

Given the forecast of gusts of over 30 knots in the open Red Wharf Bay, the Race Officer Jeremy Entwistle, delayed the decision to run the full course until 90 minutes before the start. The briefing, kindly hosted as usual by the Royal Anglesey Yacht Club, was focused on the very different nature of the AODR from your usual round the buoys outing.

Despite the points available for the Allen Endurance series none of the qualifying cats or high speed monohulls could be induced on to the water at Beaumaris leaving the three Fireballs as the fastest boats to launch.

A few entrants took the opportunity to practice their righting routines in the pre-start but bang on time those still vertical set off on the run down the Menai Straits. The long leg down to Puffin Island meant that there were tactical options; keeping in stronger tide on the shortest route or pushing out towards the mainland to catch the really (really) big gusts coming off the mountains. it was the second option that paid with the new 420 pairing of Fflur & Rayner already showing their speed.

The rounding of the Puffin Lighthouse was a flat water affair this year meaning that the crowd watching from the rocks didn't get the spectacular "can we get our entire hull airborne?" exhibition that is sometimes a fan favourite.

The leg to the Quarry was a beat into what was now an offshore wind with the chop diminishing as the fleet got closer into beach. Most boats stayed in high mode close into shore but the planning Fireballs and 420 really stretched out the fleet as they sailed low into the big breeze out in the centre of the bay.

The close fetch into the beach mark at Benllech didn't offer too many passing opportunities but the final screaming broad reach in the flat water before Moelfre again gave options for looping out in the biggest winds or sailing directly toward the RNLI slipway landmark.

One short reach back to finish at Treath Buchan and it was time for some very tired sailors to head back to the RWBSWC for lunch and prize-giving. Dan Johnson & Ben Latham's Fireball led the way, followed closely by the 420 pairing of Arwen Fflur & Matthew Rayner, who secured the overall victory on handicap. Freddie MacLaverty's speed upwind through the waves got him the third spot on the podium as well as being the first RWBSWC boat. Steve Ward was the first GP14.

Many thanks to the rescue crews who kept the racers safe, the shore crew who fed and watered everyone and to ContractCars.com for their financial support without which we wouldn't have been able to run the race.

Read more on the race and course: www.redwharfbaysc.co.uk/anglesey-offshore-dinghy-catamaran-race

Overall Results:

PositionSail noClassTeamClubSecondsPY
156954420Arwen Fflur & Matthew RaynerPwllheli SC / WKSC64181100
215130FIREBALLDan Johnson & Ben LathamWeston / Errwood6215952
3221583LASER RADIALFreddie MacLavertyRWBSWC78911150
424982000Phil HowarthECPSC76891114
515132FIREBALLKeith McDonaldSmall Heath YC6815952
614870FIREBALLAlan BennettEtherow6901952
73042RS AERO 7Paul HalliwellRWBSWC77631063
813146GP14Steve WardBartley87671133
922901ENTERPRISEPaul YoungMidlands Sailing Club90721126
10757RS 200Tom EllisRWBSWC87501046
11209133LASER RADIALTim CannamRWBSWC97511150
123AragoAndy ClayShotwick93401095
1313868GP14Oliver DumbeltonNantwich and Border Counties99101133
14202DEVOTI D‑ZERODavid StockerRWBSWC90151029
1510479Topper ArgoMike RobertsTBC98321095
DNF1249RS 400Peter FaulstrohSutton SCDNF940
DNF1285RS 400Michael LathamErrwood SCDNF940
DNF9213LASER IIAlexander WatsonLlyn BrenigDNF1085
DNF427SOLUTIONMartin AndersonNorth Staffs SCDNF1096
DNF217542LASERPeter HallittPennine Sailing ClubDNF1101
DNF47052000Neil HoulihanRWBSWCDNF1114