Penguin Trophy the at Royal Lymington Yacht Club
by Ann Brunskill 5 Jan 2012 10:36 GMT
28 December 2011
A traffic jam at the windward mark during the Penguin Trophy © Ann Brunskill
The forecast was for strong winds for last Wednesday's Royal Lymington Yacht Club's Penguin Trophy but the wind in the river was light and fluky. Race Officer Chris Baldwick set a course starting on the Walhampton side of the river and a windward mark between the Club and Harbour pontoons. The latter provided excellent close viewing of competitors' tactics at the windward mark with suitable comments from the other competitors and onlookers on the pontoon.
Two of the parent/child crews in the Scows found the festive spirit disappearing very quickly and either retired or continued with gritted teeth. In spite of a 40 degree change of wind direction which necessitated a change of course halfway through the event and some major position changes in one race, the heats were quickly completed and the finals began.
The pontoon party became noisier as the racing got faster and more furious. Hannah Snellgrove, fresh from her excellent 14th place in the Laser Radials at the World Championships in Perth, Australia, was delighted to beat her coach, Ben Paton but unable to overcome the dynamic team of Rory and Alex Paton, who took the Penguin Trophy home again.
Chris Baldwick was assisted on the water by Robin Marks with Bob Burney, Vince Sutherland and Jack Smith in the mark laying RIBs. Ado Jardine, Jane Clegg, Jane Corden and Ann Brunskill were on the pontoon for the finish, with Gill Baldwick in charge of registration.
Cherie Dodd dispensed hot coffee and mulled wine with mince pies and produced a magnificent ‘Penguin Trophy' Christmas cake complete with an iceberg, yacht and several penguins which was enjoyed by everyone. Gill Baldwick presented the trophy to Rory and Alex Paton.
Overall Results:
1st Rory and Alex Paton
2nd Hannah Snellgrove and Tom Dudley
3rd Ben Paton and Sophie Heritage
4th Charlotte Lawrence and Robyn Stock
5th Connie Stock and Nick Cherry
6th Nick and James Eales