Scorpion National Championship at Penzance Sailing Club - Day 4
by Georgina Povall & Ellie Cumpsty 7 Aug 06:52 BST
2-8 August 2025
Sunshine, disruptors, and Scorpions vs. Rowers
Day four of the 2025 Magic Marine Scorpion Nationals started not with the sound of the start horn, but with 2 hour postponement. The postponement kept the fleet ashore while the race team waited for the breeze to arrive. Eventually, intermittent sunshine and a gentle 5-10 knot breeze filled Mount's Bay, and the call was made to launch.
Getting out to the racecourse, however, was not without drama. A rogue rowing boat decided the best time for a leisurely paddle was right in the middle of fifty Scorpions heading for the start. In the ensuing shuffle one dinghy even found itself momentarily sideways, with their mast sadly missing the rowing boat, much to the amusement (and mild frustration) of the fleet.
Race 6
The opening race of the day tested patience and precision in the light airs. Pressure was patchy, but the right-hand side of the beat seemed to have the best pressure, and we found ourselves locked in a good-natured battle with Arwen and Hatty for much of the race.
At the top end, Chris Draper and Alex Hayman sailed a tidy race to take the win, followed by Ollie Meadowcroft and Rob Gardner in second, and Alice Davis with Oliver Rayner in Saline Drip in third.
Race 7
Our 10th place in that one meant we were pathfinder for Race 7 - Ellie's first ever go, and George's first time since sailing with her sister Rosie at the last Penzance Nationals four years ago. Fortunately, the pressure still seemed better out to the right, which suits the pathfinder lane perfectly.
Arwen and Hatty absolutely nailed the start, leading all the way to the windward mark - a fantastic sight - but inevitably Tom and Rach found a way through, taking yet another bullet. Arwen and Hatty held on for a brilliant second, Chris and Alex snuck into third, and we converted our pathfinder run into a very satisfying fifth.
With one day to go, Tom and Rach are still looking untouchable, but the racing through the fleet is as tight as ever. Back ashore, the talk in the dinghy park was evenly split between various crews bruised legs and positive disruption to the fleet from new scorpion pairings. Tonight? Bingo, some lasagne, and resting up for the final push tomorrow back in the breeze!
Results after Day 4:
| Pos | Sail No | Boat Name | Helm | Crew | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 2057 | Essence of Wetness | Thomas Gillard | Rach Gray | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -5 | 1 | 6 |
| 2nd | 2021 | Halcyon Days | Chris Draper | Alex Hayman | 3 | 3 | -8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 16 |
| 3rd | 2053 | | Ollie Meadowcroft | Rob Gardner | 2 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | -11 | 18 |
| 4th | 2030 | Saline Drip | Alice Davis | Oliver Rayner | 7 | 4 | 7 | -9 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 30 |
| 5th | 2058 | Just The Tip | Peter Gray | Matthew Rayner | 4 | 5 | 9 | 4 | -21 | 8 | 8 | 38 |
| 6th | 2061 | Silver Mullet | Dave Wade | Ben Rayner | 6 | 8 | 4 | 8 | -10 | 6 | 6 | 38 |
| 7th | 2040 | Ambush | Joe Warwicker | Andy Service | 9 | 2 | 2 | -12 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 40 |
| 8th | 2051 | Mrs Bears Boat | Imogen Wade | Simon Forbes | 5 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 11 | -15 | 7 | 50 |
| 9th | 2042 | | Angus Hemmings | Fraser Hemmings | 10 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 12 | 7 | -18 | 55 |
| 10th | 2014 | Intoxicated | AJ Eaton | Chris Eaton | 8 | -20 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 15 | 64 |
| 11th | 2043 | Rockin Roller | Barry Wolfenden | Adam Aziz | 13 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 20 | -21 | 73 |
| 12th | 1903 | Syruptitious | Tim Evans | Millie Irish | 23 | -27 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 76 |
| 13th | 1921 | Necromancer | Chris Bateman | Lucy Loughton | 12 | 16 | 14 | 6 | 9 | 19 | (RET) | 76 |
| 14th | 2060 | A Date with Destiny | Russell Wheeler | Kev Hope | 14 | 13 | 13 | -18 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 78 |
| 15th | 2044 | Tallulah | Georgina Povall | Ellie Cumpsty | -19 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 84 |
| 16th | 2005 | Drama Queen | Janet Ritchie | Alan Ritchie | 16 | 11 | 16 | 16 | 17 | -25 | 17 | 93 |
| 17th | 1929 | L'Espirit de Turnip | Arwen Fflur | Hatty Connolly | 28 | 18 | 23 | 23 | -36 | 9 | 2 | 103 |
| 18th | 1923 | Orinoco | Alistair Clarke | Chloe Clarke | 22 | 9 | 24 | -25 | 16 | 21 | 12 | 104 |
| 19th | 1951 | Sidewinder | Fiona Taylor | Gordon Taylor | 18 | 10 | 18 | 20 | -27 | 26 | 13 | 105 |
| 20th | 1937 | The Bee's Knees | Myles Jackson | Bill Jackson | 21 | 12 | 21 | 13 | 19 | -29 | 20 | 106 |
| 21st | 1995 | Silverlode | Peter Rose | John Rose | 17 | 25 | 20 | 15 | 13 | 16 | -32 | 106 |
| 22nd | 2018 | | Nigel Potter | Jerry Hannabuss | 11 | 21 | 12 | 21 | 23 | -34 | 19 | 107 |
| 23rd | 1880 | Shockwave | Steven Walker | Lucy Street | 25 | 23 | 22 | -27 | 20 | 17 | 24 | 131 |
| 24th | 2026 | Sneaky Ninja | Chris Martin | Josh Oates | 15 | 38 | 15 | 19 | 14 | (DSQ) | 33 | 134 |
| 25th | 2024 | Big Bad Wolf | Sandra Smith | Jeni Richards | 24 | 29 | -31 | 26 | 22 | 14 | 31 | 146 |
| 26th | 2001 | Zephyr | Malcolm James | Francesca Neale | 29 | 19 | 28 | 28 | 26 | -32 | 26 | 156 |
| 27th | 1850 | | Sarah Jarman | Rosie Povall | 31 | 31 | 25 | 22 | 28 | 27 | -34 | 164 |
| 28th | 1949 | Extravagance | Martin Worth | Cheryl Jessop | 27 | 32 | 29 | 32 | 24 | 28 | -43 | 172 |
| 29th | 1935 | Bet Noir | Chris Clapp | Mark Collett | 32 | 30 | 26 | 24 | 25 | -41 | 37 | 174 |
| 30th | 1972 | Red Rooster | Christopher John Hampshire | James Alexander | 34 | 37 | 30 | 34 | (DNS) | 23 | 22 | 180 |
| 31st | 2045 | Fifty shades of Gray | Steve Hanby | Stuart Burnett | 33 | 28 | 35 | 29 | 29 | -37 | 27 | 181 |
| 32nd | 1932 | | Phil White | Isabella Barnes | 36 | 33 | -46 | 39 | 31 | 24 | 23 | 186 |
| 33rd | 1912 | Pigs on the wing | William Winter | LJ Winter | 37 | 24 | 34 | 30 | 30 | 35 | -44 | 190 |
| 34th | 2009 | Perdita | Sam Mettam | Evelyn Tinker | 30 | 26 | (RET) | DNS | DNC | 12 | 16 | 194 |
| 35th | 2048 | Liquid Spirit | Chris Yates | Dave Barker | 20 | (DNF) | 27 | 31 | 33 | 48 | 39 | 198 |
| 36th | 1943 | Blue Moon | Nicola Richards | Isabelle Bramah | 38 | 35 | 39 | 38 | -40 | 22 | 28 | 200 |
| 37th | 2055 | There's no F in bags | Neil Spacagna | Paul McHenry | 42 | 34 | 33 | (RET) | 38 | 30 | 30 | 207 |
| 38th | 1985 | Another Wombat | Rob Morsley | Mandy Morsley | 35 | 40 | 32 | 33 | 35 | -43 | 41 | 216 |
| 39th | 1959 | Princess Tiger Lily and the Lardy Buoys | Stephen Jordan | Zach Aziz | 26 | 39 | 41 | -42 | 37 | 40 | 35 | 218 |
| 40th | 1919 | Polycrooz | Richard Gatehouse | Lauren Wills | 41 | 36 | -49 | 41 | 32 | 33 | 45 | 228 |
| 41st | 1991 | It's me or the boat | David Bennett | Martyn Tuohy-Smith | 44 | 43 | 38 | 36 | 34 | -47 | 38 | 233 |
| 42nd | 2027 | A La Carte | Richard Haines | Zoe Grant | 40 | 42 | 40 | 35 | 48 | -49 | 29 | 234 |
| 43rd | 1925 | Predator | Martyn Denchfield | Claire Geoghegan | 43 | 41 | 36 | 37 | -44 | 36 | 42 | 235 |
| 44th | 205 | Red Herring | Maria Jose Poncell | José Antonio Alvarez Calderón | 45 | 44 | 37 | -48 | 39 | 39 | 36 | 240 |
| 45th | 1931 | The Business | John Mursell | Kevin Gosling | (DNS) | 22 | DNC | DNC | DNC | 31 | 25 | 243 |
| 46th | 1891 | Fire in the Sky | Jeremy Lovell | Robert York | 39 | -48 | 44 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 46 | 252 |
| 47th | 1980 | | James Beckram | Keiran Clarke | -52 | 46 | 43 | 47 | 43 | 46 | 40 | 265 |
| 48th | 2065 | Bluebird | Mark Whiteman | Sophie Lona Oneill | 50 | 45 | (RET) | 46 | 47 | 38 | 48 | 274 |
| 49th | 1990 | Blue Breeze | Jonny Rudd | Monty Lovell | 48 | 47 | 45 | 44 | 42 | 50 | -51 | 276 |
| 50th | 1868 | Lady in Red | Ben Walker | Matthew Walker | 46 | 49 | 42 | 45 | 46 | -51 | 50 | 278 |
| 51st | 2034 | Tough Screw | John Cooper | Anesta Cooper | 51 | (DNS) | 48 | 43 | 45 | 45 | 47 | 279 |
| 52nd | 1916 | | Caitlin Bramah | Madeline Bramah | 49 | (DNF) | 50 | RET | DNS | 44 | 49 | 302 |
| 53rd | 1936 | Bottyburp The Barbarian | Simon Holden | Wilson To | 47 | (DNS) | 47 | RET | DNS | 52 | 52 | 308 |
| 54th | 2050 | | James Gardner | Anne gardner | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 330 |
