National 12 Open at Salcombe Yacht Club
by Frances Gifford 11 Oct 2007 08:57 BST
6-7 October 2007
The most glorious sunshine and a force 3 greeted the nine national twelves for the Salcombe October open meeting.
Race one involved a course that looked more like an international telephone number but allowed us to explore the estuary fully. Frances Gifford and Sophie Mackley were leading through “the bag” before a gust from an entirely unexpected direction, had them gasping for breath in some really very cold water. Jon Ibbotson and Katy Meadowcroft after a tussle with Chris Winzar and Nicola Bass and Kerri and India Harris sailed into an unassailable lead to take the first race.
Sunday dawned equally perfect and race two saw Ibbotson and Meadowcroft take an early lead only to be overtaken downwind by Kerri and now Theo Harris (who if you look closely enough is actually there). Gifford and Mackley got into the mix before a tactical split saw the Harris’s and Gifford/Mackley run down the Salcombe side of the estuary and Ibbotson/Meadowcroft headed off to the beaches. A touch of the rudder in the sand ended the nervous tension of who was going to get to Blackstone first as this resulted in rudder problems for Ibbotson and Meadowcroft. Kerri and Theo held their lead to leave the third race to decide the open meeting.
After a short break for pasties, Gifford and Mackley established an early lead in race three. The downwind speed of Kerri and Theo Harris got them ahead following a long run from Yawlton to Blackstone, but were to be overtaken again upwind. Gifford and Mackley managed to establish a lead on the beat that was just large enough to stay ahead for a slightly shorter downwind leg and hold on to the finish to win the open.
Overall Results:
1st 3431, Frances Gifford and Sophie Mackley (Aldeburgh Yacht Club)
2nd 3501, Kerri Harris and India/Theo Harris (Salcombe Yacht Club)
3rd 3473, Jon Ibbotson and Katy Meadowcroft (Royal Harwich YC)
4th 3474, Chris Winzar and Nicola Bass (Salcombe Yacht Club)