Merlin Rocket Craftinsure Silver Tiller Series at Queen Mary Sailing Club
by Matt Shorrock 17 Jun 2025 05:35 BST
14 June 2025
Ali and Cat Wallace enjoing a three sail reach during the Merlin Rocket Craftinsure Silver Tiller at Queen Mary Sailing Club © Aaron Evan (QM Lead Instructor)
A keen fleet of Merlin Rocket crews descended upon the Queen Mary reservoir on Saturday 14th June for another episode of the exciting event in the ever hotly contested Craftinsure Silver Tiller series. Welcomed by sunshine and a 15 knot plus breeze it looked like a great day to come. Fortunately, it seems that there are no cases of vertigo amongst fearless Merlin Rocket sailors as all crews managed the double black diamond descent down to the water.
The beautiful conditions and exciting (terrifying) launching had obviously been quite overstimulating for some and in typical Merlin fashion the first start was recalled. After a short wait to allow the Phantoms to get started the new sequence began under a U flag and the fleet got away clear. With a pin biased line and some big left shifts being the common theme for the first leg those that got out the pin end and into the breeze took lead up the first leg.
Matt and Ben Shorrock led round the first windward closely followed by Clive Eplett and Megan Pascoe (FRENSHAM POND 1,2!!!). The down winds proved extremely exciting with those who could get into the big puffs making substantial gains. Charging through from mid fleet however came the platinum crews of Chris Jennings and Pete Nicholson and Simon and Ally Pots (for non Merlin sailors platinum fleet sailors are really really fast!). The two teams quickly dispatched off the two Frensham boats and had a close battle between themselves to finish the race Chris and Pete in first closely followed by team Potts. Matt and Ben held on to 3rd with Clive and Megan 4th.
For race two sensibly the race officer went straight in for the U flag in a successful effort to get the fleet to behave and stay behind the line. A similar story to race one with the teams who got out the line quickly and on to one of the large left shifts making early gains. Despite Chris's recent time out the boat with a knee injury Chris and Pete showed epic speed and took the lead leaving the rest of the fleet in their dust. Lots of close battles and place changing in the pack ensued, with a very exciting top reach (hold on to your hats). The race finished again with speed maestros Chris and Pete in 1st Team Potts in 2nd, James Wells and Anna Aylward came through to take 3rd.
The final race of the day kicked off, again with some pin bias. Matt and Ben led out the pin with Mark Stockbridge and Charlie Potter chasing close behind. Chris and Pete had a great start out the middle of the line and the three boats flicked on to port for a drag race up the beat. Unsurprisingly, the rocket ship of Chris and Pete led at the windward with Matt and Ben in hot pursuit. A very fast run saw Matt and Ben gybe inside Chris and Pete to steal the lead closely followed by team Potts in 3rd.
A very close battle between the three boats up the next beat saw team Potts make the best of the big shifts and jump up to 1st with Chris and Pete second and Matt and Ben 3rd. The front two managed to extend away and had a close battle for the 3rd lap. The final lap of the day saw a huge left shift come in and racing became less strategic Silverstone F1 and more drag race Daytona 500, team Potts put their right foots to the floor to charge across the finish line to take the final bullet of the day closely followed by Chris and Pete with Matt and Ben taking 3rd.
After three races of close battles, fast reaches and hairy gybes the fleet headed in for the toughest challenge of the day... Ascending back up the mountain locally referred to as 'the slip way'.
A great day was had by all with some fantastic conditions and great racing rounded off with a quick beer at the prize-giving. A big shout out to team Frensham who swept the Bronze, Silver and Gold fleet prizes (I'm not biased I promise). Chris and Pete took the overall win with team Potts in 2nd and Matt and Ben 3rd.
A big thank you to Queen Mary Sailing club for putting on a great day of sailing. A special mention to those helping tired sailors pull the boats back up the mountain sorry *slip way* at the end of the day.
The next Craftinsure Silver Tiller is at Hampton Sailing Club on Sunday 15th June.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 3775 | Chris Jennings | Pete Nicholson | Brightlingsea Sailing Club | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 2nd | 3809 | Simon Potts | Ally Potts | Burghfield Sailing Club | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 3rd | 3658 | Matthew Shorrock | Ben Shorrock | Frensham Pond Sailing Club | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
| 4th | 3747 | Clive Eplett | Megan Pascoe | Frensham Pond Sailing Club | 4 | 8 | 4 | 16 |
| 5th | 3691 | Rebecca Videlo | Alex Pausey | Frensham Pond Sailing Club | 6 | 7 | 5 | 18 |
| 6th | 3727 | Mark Stockbridge | Charlie Cotter | Upper Thames SC/ Welsh Harp SC | 8 | 10 | 6 | 24 |
| 7th | 3697 | Philip Dalby | James Warren | Hampton Sailing Club | 7 | 9 | 8 | 24 |
| 8th | 3684 | Tom Low | Paul Nebel | Parkstone Yacht Club | 11 | 6 | 10 | 27 |
| 9th | 3793 | James Goodfellow | George Major | Ardleigh Sailing Club | 5 | 5 | DNS | 28 |
| 10th | 3702 | Duncan Salmon | Harriet Saslmon | Wembley Sailing Club | 10 | 11 | 7 | 28 |
| 11th | 3746 | James Wells | Anna Alyward | RYA | 9 | 3 | DNS | 30 |
| 12th | 3627 | Ali Wallace | Catriona Wallace | South Cerney Sailing Club | 13 | 12 | 11 | 36 |
| 13th | 3745 | Paul Dean | Hannah Burt | Broadwater Sailing Club | RET | 13 | 9 | 40 |
| 14th | 3817 | Geoff Kimber | Helen Kimber | Stone Sailing Club | 14 | 14 | 12 | 40 |
| 15th | 3821 | Gavin Willis | Tre Jacob | Bristol Corinthian Sailing Club | 12 | DNS | DNS | 48 |
| 16th | 3652 | John Bell | Martin Evans | Hampton Sailing Club | DNS | RET | DNS | 54 |
| 16th | 3547 | Peter Male | Tim Male | RYA | DNS | DNS | DNS | 54 |
