Merlin Rocket National Championship sponsored by Aspire at Tenby Sailing Club - Day 2
by Fishers Green and Wembley Sailing 12 Aug 20:04 BST
11-16 August 2024
What a difference a day makes: Tenby delivers in epic fashion champagne conditions for Day two of the Merlin Rocket National Championships sponsored by Aspire Financial advisors; a view from the bronze fleet battleground.
A broken night's sleep due a passing thunderstorm got team Fishers Green dashing out in the middle of the night to retrieve sailing kit from the garden. Sailors woke to an overcast grey sky, with the Crew's Union safely navigated brilliantly hosted by Freya and Jonty, it was time once again to take on the country's finest merlin sailors. The grey skies soon cleared and beautiful steady force 4 arrived, a special thank to Ben Saxton/Matt Rainback giving up their time to give an enlightening chat to the fleet before racing, a real eye opener to this bronze fleet sailor to how much effort goes into getting to the front. The fleet launched for the glorious mile long broad 3 sailer to the start line, the sail out was worth the entry fee alone.
2 races scheduled for the day with the tide pushing the fleet over the line would have put the ever eager merlin fleet to repeat the black lag carnage of day one, amazingly both races got away cleanly possibly a 1st for the merlin fleet.
I will apologise for lack of detail and facts on what happened at the sharp end, from where your reporter is in the fleet it's hard to see the front, but I can imagine it's a place full of lifting tacks, manageable chop, beautiful sunshine and unicorns.
Race 1: those who chose the pin end and the left side came up trumps, Arran Holman/Hayden Sewell 3809 rounded 1st and held the lead to the finish, for the 3rd different winner of the week. 2nd Stu Bithell/Tom Pygall, 3rd Christian Birrell/Sam Brearey 3788.
Even in the bronze fleet you need to be on your game, as a missed shift or a missed timed wave costs you places, highlighting the immense standard and depth throughout the merlin fleet. Those adorning fleet leader bibs now had targets on their backs for bronze fleet to claim some scalps.
A quick turn around and the fleet set about race 2.
Leading the charge for race 4 top honour Stu Bithell/Tom Pygall 3826, closely chased by Andy Davis/Ollie Meadocroft 3824, this appeared to be a two horse race, from where I was watching, that is until I got home and checked the updated results to see Christian Birrell/Sam Brearey 3788 came through to take the victory.
Christian Birrell/Sam Brearey lead the nationals putting together an impressive scorecard not yet finishing outside the top 3.
Keeping hold of the gold jerseys for tomorrow gold fleet leaders Alex Warren/Jonty Freeman 3696 being chased by Maddie Anderson/Tom Ballantine 3683. A change at the top of the sliver fleet is Phil Emery/Phoebe Paine 3816 followed by yesterday's leaders Andy and Maddie Jones. While the bronze fleet is being led by Jon Steward/Christian Hill 3770, while waiting in the wings for any slip ups, is Howard Eeles/Josh Oates 3742.
All in all, a great day all round, basking in the south Wales sunshine while flying around the Tenby harbour, what is there not to love. Great race management finishing the fleet at the windward mark to give us a pleasant sail much closer to home after a magnificent day. Teams helping each other up beach, tales of heroics or mishaps while getting suitably refreshed on Tenby finest ale.
A Huge thank you to our sponsors Aspire Financial Advisers, Allspars, Becky Bettesworth, CF by L and L, In The Welsh Wind and GK Engineering.
Bring on the rest of the week.
Results after Day 2:
Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | Founders | Beechers | Clyde Quaich | West Country | Pts |
1st | 3788 | Christian Birrell | Sam Brearey | Parkstone YC | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
2nd | 3826 | Stuart Bithell | Tom Pygall | Parkstone YC | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 11 |
3rd | 3824 | Andy Davis | Ollie Meadowcroft | South Staffs SC | 3 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 15 |
4th | 3809 | Arran Holman | Hayden Sewell | Hollowell | 5 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 23 |
5th | 3719 | Ian Martin | Chris Martin | Burghfield SC | 6 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 25 |
6th | 3807 | Tim Saxton | Holly McArthur | Itchenor SC | 10 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 32 |
7th | 3791 | Jon Gorringe | Matt Currell | Parkstone YC | 4 | 11 | 14 | 6 | 35 |
8th | 3691 | Mike Calvert | Jane Calvert | Axe YC | 8 | 7 | 13 | 11 | 39 |
9th | 3775 | Chris Jennings | Pete Nicholson | Brightlingsea SC | 9 | 21 | 9 | 8 | 47 |
10th | 3782 | Ed Chapman | Faye Chatterton | Lymington Town SC | 14 | 9 | 6 | 22 | 51 |
11th | 3802 | Simon Potts | Emma Clarke | Burghfield SC | 12 | 8 | 19 | 14 | 53 |
12th | 3812 | Thomas Stewart | Rob Allen | Waldringfield SC | 7 | 19 | 23 | 7 | 56 |
13th | 3696 | Alexander Warren | Jonty Freeman | Shoreham SC | 17 | 16 | 20 | 13 | 66 |
14th | 3787 | Chris Martin | John Tailby | Bartley SC | 25 | 17 | 11 | 16 | 69 |
15th | 3666 | John Meadowcroft | Rory Gifford | Upper Thames SC | 16 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 71 |
16th | 3801 | Matthew Biggs | Beka Jones | Bartley SC | 13 | 10 | 25 | 28 | 76 |
17th | 3804 | Ben Saxton | Matt Rainback | RYA | BFD | 3 | 4 | 4 | 77 |
18th | 3793 | James Goodfellow | Rick Cornes | Netley SC | 11 | 38 | 10 | 23 | 82 |
19th | 3746 | James Wells | Anna Aylward | RYA | 15 | 25 | 15 | 27 | 82 |
20th | 3724 | Ed Bradburn | Samuel Bailey | South Staffs SC | 21 | 26 | 17 | 18 | 82 |
21st | 3683 | Maddy Anderson | Tom Ballantine | Brightlingsea SC | 20 | 31 | 22 | 12 | 85 |
22nd | 3751 | Rupert Henderson‑White | Mary Henderson‑White | Brightlingsea SC | 18 | 22 | 16 | 29 | 85 |
23rd | 3645 | Steve Hall | Alison Hall | Royal Corinthian YC | 22 | 24 | 21 | 26 | 93 |
24th | 3710 | Jon Ibbotson | Robert Stewart | Burghfield SC | 27 | 18 | 30 | 25 | 100 |
25th | 3757 | Tim Parsons | Andy Service | Lyme Regis SC | BFD | 15 | 12 | 21 | 114 |
26th | 3733 | Jamie Morgan | Oliver Davenport | Northampton SC | 19 | 45 | 26 | 30 | 120 |
27th | 3816 | Phil Emery | Phoebe Paine | Whitstable YC | 35 | 33 | 33 | 19 | 120 |
28th | 3815 | Mark Barwell | Louise Johnson | Lymington Town SC | 23 | 41 | 27 | 34 | 125 |
29th | 3756 | Sophie Mackley | George Bender | Shoreham SC | 28 | 30 | 32 | 37 | 127 |
30th | 3658 | Matthew Shorrock | Ben Shorrock | Frensham Pond SC | RET | 14 | 28 | 20 | 128 |
31st | 3731 | Andy Jones | Maddie Jones | Burghfield SC | 30 | 29 | 34 | 35 | 128 |
32nd | 3779 | David Lee | Angela Bridges | Starcross YC | 31 | 35 | 36 | 33 | 135 |
33rd | 3727 | Mark Stockbridge | James Gifford | Upper Thames SC | 24 | 23 | RET | 24 | 137 |
34th | 3770 | Jon Steward | Christian Hill | Fishers Green SC | 32 | 52 | 29 | 36 | 149 |
35th | 3796 | William Warren | Charlotte Fildes | Shoreham SC | BFD | 13 | 31 | 42 | 152 |
36th | 3711 | Sam Thompson | Leanne Thompson | RNSA | 34 | 27 | 51 | 46 | 158 |
37th | 3747 | Clive Eplett | Megan Pascoe | Frensham Pond SC | BFD | 28 | 35 | 31 | 160 |
38th | 3806 | Ben Jones | Helen Hilditch | Shoreham SC | 33 | 32 | 53 | 48 | 166 |
39th | 3781 | David Hall | Emilie Hood | Blackwater SC | 42 | 34 | 46 | 44 | 166 |
40th | 3749 | Colin Anderson | Sean Anderson | Bartley SC | 36 | 53 | 40 | 41 | 170 |
41st | 3814 | James Goss | Chris White | South Staffs SC | RET | RET | 24 | 15 | 171 |
42nd | 3766 | Andrew Dalby | Aimee Dalby | Burghfield SC | 38 | 44 | 45 | 45 | 172 |
43rd | 3794 | Julian Harms | Timothy Harms | Midland SC | 40 | 46 | 38 | 49 | 173 |
44th | 3742 | Howard Eeles | Josh Oates | Bartley SC | 44 | 47 | 52 | 32 | 175 |
45th | 3817 | Geoff Kimber | Helen Kimber | Stone SC | 29 | 51 | 42 | 54 | 176 |
46th | 3547 | Tim Male | Rebecca Male | RYA | 43 | 55 | 41 | 39 | 178 |
47th | 3662 | Nigel Hudson | Freya Hudson | Bartley SC | 39 | 50 | 39 | 53 | 181 |
48th | 3813 | Steve Harling | Eleanor Thomas | Starcross YC | 41 | 36 | 54 | 51 | 182 |
49th | 3720 | David Chisholm | Andy Prince | Royal Burnham YC | BFD | 37 | 37 | 43 | 183 |
50th | 3790 | Colin Brockbank | Sue brough | Wembley SC | 37 | 43 | 55 | 52 | 187 |
51st | 3821 | Gavin Willis | Bettine Harris | Bristol Corinthian YC | BFD | 39 | 47 | 38 | 190 |
52nd | 3776 | Nick Craig | Kate Craig | Burghfield SC | 26 | 40 | DNC | DNC | 198 |
53rd | 3695 | Peter Slack | Immy Brown | Trent Valley SC | 48 | 42 | PI5 | 55 | 198 |
54th | 3825 | Storm Nuttall | Isobel Stewart | Salcombe YC | BFD | 49 | 43 | 50 | 208 |
55th | 3767 | Ben Archer | Olivia Bellini | Parkstone YC | BFD | 48 | 50 | 47 | 211 |
56th | 3707 | Stuart Jenkins | Hannah Burt | Hampton Sailing Club | 46 | 54 | 56 | 57 | 213 |
57th | 3740 | Pat Blake | Jilly Blake | Lymington Town SC | DNC | DNC | 44 | 40 | 216 |
58th | 3567 | Martin Smith | Karen Beston | Redditch SC | 47 | 58 | 58 | 60 | 223 |
59th | 3690 | Guy Browne | Greg Martin | Trent Valley SC | 45 | 57 | RET | 59 | 227 |
60th | 3663 | Nicholas Yannakoyorgos | Matteo Mancini | Fishers Green SC | BFD | 56 | 49 | 56 | 227 |
61st | 3582 | Florence Nicholls | Harvey Godel | Aldeburgh YC | BFD | 59 | 57 | 58 | 240 |
62nd | 3449 | Carl Whitehill | Sam Whitehill | RYA | 49 | 60 | DNC | DNC | 241 |
63rd | 3528 | Richard Owens Taff | Stu Southan | Pembrokeshire Powerboating and Sailing A | RET | DNC | DNC | DNC | 264 |
63rd | 3786 | Phil Hardisty | Teddy Dunn | Isle of Man YC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 264 |
63rd | 3800 | Richard Bramley | Tony Cheal | Shoreham SC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 264 |