ContractCars.com Anglesey Offshore Dinghy Race 2023

by Paul Halliwell 22 Aug 2023 15:51 BST 13 August 2023

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:

Position	Sail no	Class	Team	Club	Seconds	PY
1	56954	420	Arwen Fflur & Matthew Rayner	Pwllheli SC / WKSC	6418	1100
2	15130	FIREBALL	Dan Johnson & Ben Latham	Weston / Errwood	6215	952
3	221583	LASER RADIAL	Freddie MacLaverty	RWBSWC	7891	1150
4	2498	2000	Phil Howarth	ECPSC	7689	1114
5	15132	FIREBALL	Keith McDonald	Small Heath YC	6815	952
6	14870	FIREBALL	Alan Bennett	Etherow	6901	952
7	3042	RS AERO 7	Paul Halliwell	RWBSWC	7763	1063
8	13146	GP14	Steve Ward	Bartley	8767	1133
9	22901	ENTERPRISE	Paul Young	Midlands Sailing Club	9072	1126
10	757	RS 200	Tom Ellis	RWBSWC	8750	1046
11	209133	LASER RADIAL	Tim Cannam	RWBSWC	9751	1150
12	3	Arago	Andy Clay	Shotwick	9340	1095
13	13868	GP14	Oliver Dumbelton	Nantwich and Border Counties	9910	1133
14	202	DEVOTI D‑ZERO	David Stocker	RWBSWC	9015	1029
15	10479	Topper Argo	Mike Roberts	TBC	9832	1095
DNF	1249	RS 400	Peter Faulstroh	Sutton SC	DNF	940
DNF	1285	RS 400	Michael Latham	Errwood SC	DNF	940
DNF	9213	LASER II	Alexander Watson	Llyn Brenig	DNF	1085
DNF	427	SOLUTION	Martin Anderson	North Staffs SC	DNF	1096
DNF	217542	LASER	Peter Hallitt	Pennine Sailing Club	DNF	1101
DNF	4705	2000	Neil Houlihan	RWBSWC	DNF	1114