Please select your home edition
Edition
Barton Marine Pipe Glands

2.4mR Open at Frensham Pond Sailing Club

by Megan Pascoe 10 Jun 2024 10:07 BST 8-9 June 2024

Eric Twiname once described sailing racing as like 'Going up the down escalator', by which he meant that the boat that made the fewest mistakes got to the finish line first.

Frensham Pond is well known for its shifting and variable strength wind. This weekend even the locals were commenting on how easy it was to find a hole and misread the shift pattern, that is there wasn't one. It was far too easy to trip up and descend the order.

The International 2.4mR is probably one of the best classes to sail in these conditions so this was perfect for their open meeting.

There were two races scheduled on Saturday to follow the club afternoon pursuit race. Several local and visiting 2.4s joined in the pursuit race with 35 others and this made a good practice/warm up event.

Frensham's GP14 fleet were the race team led by a solo sailor Tim Deacon. The 2.4 had their standard windward leeward course which with vicious shifts, gusts and holes was rather a misnomer, but I don't think anyone actually had to tack on the downwind leg so the race team fulfilled their objective.

The pattern for the weekend was set in the first race with the top three boats being the top three at the end of the event. The conditions ensured there were lots of place changes and some very tight finishes. Megan Pascoe has won this event numerous times and started as she clearly intended to finish. Bruce Hill similarly has come second several times, but in the first race finished third to Kate Hedley with Kate Whyatt showing great local knowledge to finish fourth. Two of the visitors and past National Champions George Barker and Martin Pascoe were neck and neck for 5th and 6th.

The second race had ILCA sailor Matt Hill in the lead at the first windward mark, but the final finishing order was similar to the first race, which was a pattern for the weekend. The order at the first mark was really no guide to the final winner. Matt progressed through the fleet scoring 9,8,7,6,5 as he came to grips with the intricacies of this technical boat. There are at least 12 controls on the 2.4, as against 6 or so on the ILCA.

The race team ensured the second race finished in time for the fleet to head to a local Nepalese Curry House to discuss all the ups and downs of the afternoon.

Sunday offered more of the same with a stronger wind for the morning two races, which offered opportunities for the heavier sailors with Simon Meehan scoring a pair of thirds. The Notice of Race had been carefully worded so that even if you were unable to sail the Saturday you could discard both races and still gain a result from Sunday's racing alone. Ian Cambell and Lisa Skirrow took advantage of this.

Frensham has great catering so after a stop for lunch ashore it was out for the final two races. The final race 6 had the first three boats in the same order as in race 1, but the conditions and close racing ensured that the result was still in doubt up the final beat.

As expected the club keeps up the tradition of an Open Meeting Tea with cakes and sandwiches which even without the racing makes the event worthwhile. Why not find a 2.4 and join them next year?

Related Articles

Kieler Woche Day 10
Seven nations celebrate victories at the finale On the final sailing day of Kieler Woche 2025, there were beaming faces all around the Olympic Centre in Schilksee. Eleven decisions were made on Sunday and alongside Germany, Denmark, France, GB, Malta, Sweden, & Hungary were able to celebrate victories. Posted on 29 Jun
SGS Gold at Kieler Woche goes to France and GB
The best German team, Theresa Löffler and Christopher Hoerr, finished fifth With a victory in the final medal race of the Kieler Woche, the British team of Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris secured gold in the 470 class on Sunday (June 29). Posted on 29 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 9
Hosts without Sailing Grand Slam medals, but leading in five classes The final six medals in the mixed classes of the Olympic Sailing Grand Slam (SGS) at Kieler Woche will be awarded on Sunday (June 29) without any German contenders. Posted on 29 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 8
Mourniac & Retornaz take the lead in the Nacra 17 class A dream day ahead of the second weekend at the Kieler Woche regatta off Schilksee: Moderate to fresh westerly winds with strong gusts, alternating sun and clouds, provided ideal sailing conditions for all participants on Friday. Posted on 27 Jun
Sail Canada introduces Canadian Sailing Team
21 athletes were selected based on the Canadian Sailing Team Sport Canada Carding Criteria Sail Canada is pleased to announce the list of sailors who will be part of the 2025-2026 Canadian Sailing Team. Posted on 26 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 7
British mixed dominance in dinghy and catamaran After the second day of the Sailing Grand Slam in the Olympic mixed classes, Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris are leading the 470 class even more dominantly than John Gimson and Anna Burnet in the Nacra 17 on Thursday (June 26). Posted on 26 Jun
C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic & Regatta
23rd edition of the event is in the books The 23rd C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta wrapped up in Newport, Rhode Island on June 22nd for the 30 sailors with disabilities, after three days of competitive racing and camaraderie along with a two-day coaching clinic. Posted on 25 Jun
2.4mR Toulon Regatta
Glorious racing in the Cote D'Azur Now a contender for the premier event in this year's 2.4mR calendar, this has got to be the highlight of the year! Posted on 5 Jun
2.4mR open meeting at Frensham
Fleet of 11 greeted by a decent wind from a good direction, and sun It is quite a privilege to be greeted by a decent wind from a good direction, including sun, at Frensham Pond SC. A small but quality fleet of eleven 2.4mRs had just that for their open meeting held over 31st May and 1st June. Posted on 3 Jun
Where to purchase adaptive sailing equipment
Seats, hoists, etc for sailors with a disability Several organisations have contributed their knowledge regarding where to purchase adaptive sailing equipment such as seats for dinghies and hoists for wheelchair users to get into boats. Posted on 1 Jun