MDL Cadet Nationals at Royal Torbay Yacht Club - Day 1

The Royal Torbay Yacht Club hosted this year’s MDL sponsored event. One hundred and twenty two boats registered, sixty-six in the A fleet, thirty-six in the B fleet and nineteen in the C fleet. The A and B fleet race as a combined fleet with the C fleet sailing a separate course racing after two days training.

Race 1

The first race saw the fleet start first time, sailing in a southerly force 2-3. The right side of the course paid and ‘Who Dares Wins’ Sam/Sophie Pearson were first at the windward mark, just in front of ‘Flirting with Danger’ Richard/Christopher Moss. Then followed ‘Pan Galactic G Blaster’ Oliver Gray/ Ed Thomas, ‘Legend’ Louise Fitzsimmons/ Paul Flemming, ‘Just add Water’ William Hearn/David Cumming and ‘Nasty Tern’ James/Nicholas Howard. By the leeward mark the wind had veered forty degrees and the race officer had laid a new windward mark. Sam Pearson still led, closely followed by Oliver Gray and James Howard. Richard Moss was fourth with William Hearn fifth. At the second windward mark Oliver Gray was just in front of Sam Pearson, with ‘Bad Influence’ Thomas Makey/James Harley coming round third, having picked up from the mid teens. James Howard was fourth. At the end of the first sausage, Oliver still led Sam with James and Thomas swapping positions. Oliver Gray took the gun at the line with Sam Pearson second, Thomas Makey third and James Howard fourth.

Race 2

The wind had dropped for the second race to a force 1-2. Again they were away first time and most boats went up the right hand side of the course, having seen the wind veer right in the first race. First to the windward mark was ‘Forty Two’ Stephen Videlo/Oliver Pollard, closely followed by a group of six boats, ‘Touch Wood’ Adam Richards/Sam Muskett, Oliver Gray, ‘Art Attack’ Robert Graves/Charlie Hatfield, ‘Great White’ Elliot Parsons/Michael Fisher, ‘Gnat’ Ben/Hamish Stone and ‘Shadow’ Sam Brearey/Dan Harries. By the leeward mark Adam Richards just rounded inside of Oliver Gray, followed by Stephen Videlo. These three were well clear of Sam Pearson and Ben Stone, heading a large bunch calling for water. Again the race officer had to re-lay the windward mark as the wind had shifted back left. The new mark was almost the original wing mark. With the wind dropping further the course was shortened and the leaders overtook some of the tail enders, beating to the wing mark! Oliver Gray was first with Stephen Videlo second. Adam Richards third and James Howard fourth.

Race 3

Dinghy racers dream of the perfect race... Pin end flyer on port tack, lead the fleet at the fist mark and gradually pull away to win by a large margin having lapped half the fleet. Problem for the rest of the fleet, this wasn’t a dream. Oliver Gray led by 90 seconds at the first mark, 2 minutes 5 seconds at the leeward mark, 2 minutes 35 seconds at the second windward, and crossed the shortened course finishing line 3 minutes 20 seconds ahead of the second boat, to mark his third straight win of the day. This was the situation for the rest of the fleet : up the first beat you had to start at the pin end and most of the lead boats tacked onto port as soon as possible. Second at the windward mark was ‘Pontoon’ Chris D’Arcy/Edward Impey, followed by James Howard, ‘Tantrum’ Jodie Green/Daniel Stone, ‘Northern Exposure’ Oren Richards/Mark Treviss-Bell, Elliot Parsons, and ‘Lethal Menace’ Guy Brearey/Chris Proffitt. At the leeward mark James Howard was clear of a gaggle of boats, any one of which could have been third depending on where you were viewing from. At the second windward mark James was still second, pursued by Oren Richards, Guy Brearey and ‘The Business’ Peter Johnson/Adam Hopwood, who had stormed up the fleet. Again the course was shortened and Oren Richards just caught and overtook James Howard on the line for second place. Fourth was Peter Johnson.