Comet Open at Pingewood Kennet Valley Sailing Club

9 visiting boats travelled to PKVSC for the latest round of the Southern Aphelion Trophy. Conditions brought bright sunshine with the occasional short burst of rain as the day wore on, and an autumnal feel in the winds of F3 from the West. PKVSC have lake marked by severall large tree covered islands making for some challenging tactical conditions.

Race 1 saw a clean start with I. Coppenhall leading from H. Jaggers and J. Coppenhalll at the windward mark. The close racing led to a collision between Coleman and Ballam but this did not stop I. Coppenhall starting what was to become a domination of the days three races, leading at the 2nd mark and pulling away from the pack. However he was caught and overtaken, albeit briefly, by Jaggers before pulling away at the front by the start of the 3rd lap. By this stage there was a chasing pack of Chapman, J. Coppenhall and Jaggers with the remainder of the fleet some way back. By the end of the 1st race I. Coppenhall had a significant lead over J. Coppenhall, 2nd, and H. Jaggers, 3rd.

Race 2 also saw a clean start with I. Coppenhall and Chapman taking different sides of the course towards the windward mark. John Windibank was the first to the windward mark with I. Coppenhall and J. Coppenhall following him round. I. Coppenhall took a different line around the island close to Mark 2 which paid major dividends has he rounded the 2nd mark with a 2 boat length lead over Windibank. At the start of lap 2 I. Coppenhall lead Windibank round the windward mark with Ballam taking the line taken by I. Coppenhall on the 1st lap towards Mark 2 and being rewarded with a gain of two boat places. I. Copppenhall pulled away from the rest of the fleet with a number of the following pack taking Coppenhalls initial alternative line to Mark 2, most failing to gain any advantage and some losing places. The race ended with I. Coppenhall a long way ahead of J. Coppenhall and Windibank, with J. Coppenhall eventually taking 2nd and J. Windibank 3rd.

Race 3 saw greying and overcast skies and building cloud, and a windshift towards the northwest and occasional gusts close to F4. Coleman had a good start but an unfortunate tack on a large windshift saw him lose the early advantage. In the building wind there was plenty of tacking to get to the windward mark, first round being I. Coppenhall followed by Windibank, Chapman and Jaggers. Several boats trying the alternative line to Mark 2 lost places when the wind shifted but this did not stop I. Coppenhall stretching out his lead. There was close racing for the second spot between Jaggers, J. Coppenhall, Chapman and Coleman, with Sturgeon having his best race so far. The remaining 3 laps saw I. Coppenhall stretching his lead and the rest of the fleet begining to spread out with good planing conditions on the downwind legs in the gusts. Most avoided the alternative line to Mark 2, lessons being learnt on the risk in the shifting wind. The race finished with I. Coppenhall leading by a good margin over Windibank (2nd) and J Coppenhall (3rd). Close racing for 4th spot between Jaggers, Robinson and Chapman saw Jaggers squeeze through to take 4th, Robinson, 5th and Chapman 6th.

Overall Results:

1st I. Coppenhall (Hunts)
2nd J. Coppenhall (Hunts)
3rd J. Windibank (Chipstead)
4th H. Jaggers (Beer)
5th C. Chapman (Littleton)
6th C. Robinson (Burghfield)
7th D. Coleman (Coney)
8th R. Ballam (Crawley Mariners)
9th J. Sturgeon (Hawley Lake)