Salcombe Yacht Club
Another glorious sailing day greeted the participants in day seven of the summer series, with a blue sky and a warm, force one to three wind blowing down the estuary.
Race officer Andy Savill gave the juniors a short course, while other classes headed for Blackstone and then off on a long run and reach to Gerston buoy, followed by a full on reach and windward leg back to Blackstone, all at the bottom of the tide.
The summer holiday period has now really arrived at Salcombe estuary and so maximum attention was necessary to avoid swimmers, canoes, paddleboards, inflatables, moored yachts, motor boats and of course other sailing competitors.
With many of the regular juniors absent, the start was less fierce than usual, allowing Evie Booth to get away into clean air quickly and win the race. She was followed closely by the boats of James Alexander and his younger brother Edward.
Well done to Isabel Howling and Hannah Couling, who despite numerous capsizes worked hard together and crossed the finish line in good spirits.
The Medium Handicap fleet had only four competitors, and two ‘visionaries’ sailing an RS Vision were the winners. Regular victors Peter Cook and Janet Exelby won the Fast Handicap in their Merlin Rocket from Alistair Morley
in his Phantom, who on this occasion, as on numerous past occasions, gave himself a handicap by arriving minutes late to the starting line.
The 20-competitor Solo fleet start was as usual very competitive and the race box had difficulty in identifying those who were over the line at the start.
Phil King and Ed Stephens were early race leaders; however, the long run and reach to Gerston provided plenty of opportunities for many, and it was Simon Dobson and Billy Jago who emerged in front.
Phil King saved his best to last and used all his renown skill to recover to third place, having slipped down the pack in the middle section of the race.
Geoff Gilson and Chris Spencer Chapman built up a healthy lead in the Yawl fleet; however, it was not enough, with the B fleet yawl of Anthony and Alison Lofts beating them on overall handicap.
Away from Salcombe, the Solo National Championships took place at Pwllheli Sailing Academy in Wales, and two of Salcombe’s most talented helms, Tim Law and Peter Ballentine, took fifth and sixth position overall in a fleet of 84 highly competitive boats.
Tim won two championship individual races and the overall Grand Master category, whilst Peter won the overall Junior sailor award.
Results
Juniors: 1. RS Terra 2146, Evie Booth; 2. RS Terra 881, James Alexander; 3. RS Quba 4, Kirsten and Edward Alexander.
Medium Handicap: 1. RS Vision 52, two visionaries; 2. Laser Radial 174918, Elode Grenen; 3. Laser Radial 173025, Nicky Dobson.
Fast Handicap: 1. Merlin Rocket 3616, Peter Cook and Janet Exelby; 2. Phantom 1357, Alistair Morley; 3. Merlin Rocket 3769, Graham and Fiona Cranford Smith.
Solos: 1. 5676, Simon Dobson; 2. 5598, Billy Jago; 3. 5568, Phil King.
Yawls: 1. 132, Anthony and Alison Lofts; 2. 170, Geoff Gilson and Chris Spencer Chapman; 3. 189, Charles Thompson and another.
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