76th Aspire Merlin Rocket National Championships at Mount's Bay Sailing Club - Day 3
by Chris Jennings 3 Aug 2022 09:43 NZST
31 July - 4 August 2022
Day 3 of the Aspire Merlin Rocket National Championships arrived with competitors waking to the sound of some wind in the trees. Day one's shifty conditions had some teams dazed and confused, while the light winds of Monday proved a heartbreaker for several of the heavier pairings. Would day three see something new? How many more times would it pay to go right?
As we arrived in the dinghy park conditions looked positive with an apparently nice moderate breeze on the race course. One top crew was heard reporting of white caps out to sea, however these turned out to be the headgear of the race team. It seems there was more wind in the dinghy park than in the bay. Nevertheless, the fleet launched on time and headed out for another two-race day.
Race four started under a black flag with a light breeze and awkward chop. In the final two minutes of the start sequence the line appeared to be port biased, with Stu Bithell and Tom Pygall winning the pin. However, usual service resumed with the right hand side of the first beat being favoured.
Tim Saxton and Mary Henderson led at the first mark and seemed in an awful hurry leading from start to finish, they were never really challenged. Behind them saw a tight tussle, with Ian and Chris Martin taking second. Mike and Jane Calvert finishing third ahead of Christian Birrell and Sam Brearey.
The race officer opted to postpone the start of race five, perhaps hoping for the rumoured 20 knots to kick in.Unfortunately, conditions were pretty similar to race four, only less stable. For once it was the left that paid on the first beat. Andy 'Taxi' Davis and Jack Holden showed no quarter by rounding first ahead of a chasing pack.
The race turned into a game of snakes and ladders with Merlin Rockets with lots of holes in the pressure. After a highly stressful race it was Dave and Vicky Lenz who took the bullet. Second went to Sarah Richards and Nigel Wakefield, making it a celebration day for Lymington Sailing Club. Third were the ever-consistent Mike and Jane Calvert.
The fleet returned to shore for counselling.
This evening's social involves one of the many highlights of a championship week at Mount's Bay: a visit to St. Michael's Mount. Thank you to Lord and Lady St Levan for hosting us.
Wednesday's forecast is a moderate wind from the west, however let's just ignore that and wait to see what happens. What we do know is that the plan is for two championship races followed by the most anticipated race of the week, the Crew's Race.
The overall championship remains wide open and only time will tell which team will bring it on home.
Thank you to our sponsors Aspire Financial Advisers, HD Sails, Mounts Bay Distillery, Fernhurst Books, West Systems, Triggernaut Sports Glasses, Robline/DinghyTec and GK Engineering.
Videos courtesty of Lee Whitehead are on Youtube.
Results after day 3:
Pos | Fleet | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
1st | Platinum | 3759 | Thomas Gillard | Rachel Gray | Staunton Harold | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 11 |
2nd | Platinum | 3691 | Mike Calvert | Jane Calvert | Axe | 5 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
3rd | Platinum | 3788 | Christian Birrell | Sam Brearey | Parkstone | 6 | 1 | 15 | 4 | 6 | 17 |
4th | Platinum | 3719 | Ian Martin | Chris Martin | Burghfield | UFD | 6 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 17 |
5th | Platinum | 3802 | Simon Potts | Charlotte Fildes | Burghfield | 10 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 19 | 22 |
6th | Platinum | 3764 | Tim Fells | Frances Gifford | Salcombe | 4 | 4 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 27 |
7th | Platinum | 3807 | Tim Saxton | Mary Henderson | Itchenor | 20 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 28 |
8th | Platinum | 3778 | David Lenz | Vicky Lenz | Lymington Town | 12 | 25 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 31 |
9th | Platinum | 3803 | Caroline Croft | Faye Chatterton | Lymington Town | 9 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 9 | 34 |
10th | Platinum | 2137 | James Goss | Chris White | South Staffs | 13 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 29 | 37 |
11th | Platinum | 3735 | Andy Davis | Jack Holden | South Staffs | 8 | 24 | 17 | 10 | 5 | 40 |
12th | Gold | 3782 | Ed Chapman | Chris Kilsby | Lymington Town | 3 | 13 | 19 | 33 | 21 | 56 |
13th | Gold | 3780 | Sarah Richards | Nigel Wakefield | Lymington Town | 17 | 11 | 36 | 27 | 2 | 57 |
14th | Platinum | 3801 | Matthew Biggs | Beka Jones | Bartley | 28 | 15 | 25 | 7 | 15 | 62 |
15th | Platinum | 3758 | David Hayes | Jonny Ratcliffe | Lymington Town | 14 | 14 | 32 | 24 | 11 | 63 |
16th | Platinum | 3676 | Antony Gifford | Jo Gifford | Royal Tay | 21 | 17 | 12 | 22 | 17 | 67 |
17th | Platinum | 3791 | Jon Gorringe | Pete Grey | Parkstone | 2 | 31 | 13 | 34 | 23 | 69 |
18th | Gold | 3746 | James Wells | Anna Aylward | RYA | 16 | 23 | 11 | 23 | 20 | 70 |
19th | Gold | 3796 | William Warren | Megan Pascoe | Shoreham | 18 | 16 | 21 | 25 | 16 | 71 |
20th | Platinum | 3775 | Chris Jennings | Pete Nicholson | Burghfield | 19 | 30 | 31 | 14 | 13 | 76 |
21st | Platinum | 3809 | John Turner | Richard Parslow | Lyme Regis | 31 | 8 | 22 | 17 | DNF | 78 |
22nd | Platinum | 3726 | Will Henderson | Rupert White | Salcombe | 30 | 12 | 28 | 16 | 25 | 81 |
23rd | Platinum | 3811 | Stu Bithell | Tom Pygall | Parkstone | DNS | DNS | 4 | 6 | 7 | 83 |
24th | Gold | 3757 | Tim Parsons | Andrew Service | Lyme Regis | 24 | 29 | 10 | 21 | 33 | 84 |
25th | Gold | 3716 | Steven Leney | Gill Leney | Blithfield | 26 | 21 | 18 | 20 | DNF | 85 |
26th | Gold | 3696 | Alexander Warren | Jonty Freemansh | Shoreham | 22 | 28 | 14 | 26 | 34 | 90 |
27th | Gold | 3683 | Arthur Handerson | Livvy Bell | Salcombe | 15 | 33 | 20 | 29 | 27 | 91 |
28th | Silver | 3806 | Ben Jones | Helen Hilditch | Shoreham | 47 | 19 | 26 | 19 | 28 | 92 |
29th | Silver | 3815 | Mark Barwell | Louise Johnson | Lymington Town | 37 | 18 | 23 | 46 | 18 | 96 |
30th | Gold | 3787 | Chris Martin | John Tailby | Midland | 7 | 40 | 35 | 18 | 39 | 99 |
31st | Silver | 3727 | Mark Stockbridge | James Gifford | Upper Thames | 61 | 32 | 24 | 31 | 12 | 99 |
32nd | Silver | 3816 | Phil Emery | Phoebe Paine | Whitstable | 25 | 43 | 27 | 13 | 37 | 102 |
33rd | Gold | 3799 | Paul Rayson | Christian Hill | Fishers Green | 11 | 20 | 33 | 39 | 41 | 103 |
34th | Platinum | 3666 | John Meadowcroft | Dan Meadowcroft | Upper Thames | 33 | 22 | 39 | 28 | 35 | 118 |
35th | Gold | 3756 | Sophie Mackley | James Ward | Shoreham | 35 | 34 | 29 | 35 | 22 | 120 |
36th | Gold | 3740 | Pat Blake | Jilly Blake | Lymington Town | 34 | 26 | 30 | 32 | 44 | 122 |
37th | Silver | 3772 | Dan Heaton | Tom Gurney | Mountbatten | 41 | 39 | 41 | 43 | 26 | 147 |
38th | Silver | 3690 | Tim Harridge | Rory Gifford | Hampton | 32 | 27 | 57 | 38 | 50 | 147 |
39th | Platinum | 3793 | James Goodfellow | Rick Cornes | Burghfield | 27 | 45 | 34 | 42 | BFD | 148 |
40th | Silver | 3790 | Colin Brockbank | Sue Brough | Wembley | 39 | 47 | 44 | 30 | 36 | 149 |
41st | Silver | 3732 | Ben Hollis | George Bender | Blithfield | 40 | 36 | 42 | 41 | 32 | 149 |
42nd | Gold | 3656 | Charlotte Gough | Dave Gough | Starcross | 36 | 42 | 46 | 40 | 38 | 156 |
43rd | Silver | 3779 | David Lee | Kirsten Glen | Starcross | 46 | 44 | 38 | DNS | 30 | 158 |
44th | Gold | 3766 | Andy Dalby | Aimee Dalby | Burghfield | 50 | 46 | 37 | 37 | 42 | 162 |
45th | Silver | 3684 | Tom Low | Hannah Burt | Queen Mary | 29 | 41 | 45 | 48 | 48 | 163 |
46th | Bronze | 3813 | Steve Harling | Eleanor Thomas | Starcross | 48 | 37 | 43 | 36 | 49 | 164 |
47th | Silver | 3749 | Colin Anderson | Sean Anderson | Blithfield | 23 | 38 | 40 | DNC | DNC | 167 |
48th | Bronze | 3770 | Jon Steward | Annabel Steward | Fishers Green | 52 | 54 | 51 | 45 | 24 | 172 |
49th | Bronze | 3817 | Geoff Kimber | Helen Kimber | Stone | 42 | 48 | 52 | 44 | 40 | 174 |
50th | Silver | 3767 | Ben Archer | Olivia Bellini | Parkstone | 44 | 53 | 47 | DNF | 31 | 175 |
51st | Bronze | 3695 | Peter Slack | Immy Brown | RYA | 43 | 35 | 50 | 50 | 47 | 175 |
52nd | Bronze | 3794 | Julian Harms | Timothy Harms | Midlands | 38 | 50 | 48 | 54 | 43 | 179 |
53rd | Silver | 3682 | Ross Borne | John Burn | Salcombe | 45 | 52 | 49 | 53 | 46 | 192 |
54th | Bronze | 3785 | Robin Charles | Oscar Simmons | Starcross | 51 | 51 | 53 | 49 | 45 | 196 |
55th | Bronze | 3662 | Nigel Hudson | Freya Hudson | Bartley | 49 | 49 | 54 | 52 | DNF | 204 |
56th | Bronze | 3561 | Joe Shaw | Julie Cronshaw | Wembley | 57 | 58 | 58 | 47 | 51 | 213 |
57th | Bronze | 3742 | Howard Eeles | Bradley Eeles | Bartley | 53 | 57 | DNF | 51 | 52 | 213 |
58th | Bronze | 3619 | Guy Browne | Andy Hunter | Trent Valley | 54 | 56 | 60 | 56 | 53 | 219 |
59th | Bronze | 3800 | Richard Bramley | Calum Tait | Shoreham | 56 | 55 | 63 | 57 | 55 | 223 |
60th | Bronze | 3567 | Martin Smith | Karen Beston | Blithfield | 55 | DNS | 62 | 55 | 54 | 226 |
61st | Bronze | 3574 | Marc Candelas | John Donoghue | Upper Thames | 59 | 61 | 64 | 58 | 56 | 234 |
62nd | Silver | 3750 | Neal Lillywhite | Freya Lillywhite | Burghfield | 58 | 62 | 55 | DNC | DNC | 241 |
63rd | Bronze | 3586 | Kieron Mason | Belinda Mason | Blithfield | 60 | 60 | 59 | DNC | DNC | 245 |
64th | Bronze | 3449 | Carl Whitehill | Dani Whitehill | RYA | DNS | 59 | 56 | DNC | DNC | 247 |
65th | Bronze | 3792 | Alistair McDonald | Lydia Bourne | Berwick | DNS | DNS | 61 | DNC | DNC | 259 |