Dell Quay Sailing Club Regatta
by Liz Sagues 25 Jun 2012 12:55 BST
24 June 2012
With three hours to the start of Dell Quay SC's 2012 Regatta, the wind in Chichester Harbour was gusting to near gale force – impossible for racing. But as the first starting signal was fired, conditions had calmed to a brisk force 4 to 5 and the sun was shining over the course area, perfect for exhilarating competition.
Though there were capsizes and retirements, most of the 35 dinghies racing completed the long single race, which kept them on the water for close to two hours, or even more for the slower boats.
Way speediest of the fast handicap boats was the Merlin Rocket of David and Fiona Sayce (Hayling Island SC), whose corrected time margin over the next boat home, the RS400 of Simon Townsend and Henrietta Walker (Emsworth SC), was more than 12 minutes.
Next class to start, the Laser 2000s, saw a similarly commanding performance from Pete and Suzie Harrison (Chichester YC), with runners-up Warwick Hoddy and John Denyer (DQSC) holding off a third-lap challenge from clubmates Graham Dalton and David Ellis.
In the combined Laser and Laser Radial fleet, it looked that DQSC's Ben Chrystall would have further cause to celebrate, after carrying off the Chichester District Youth Sport Achievement Award the previous evening. But though he finished first, the neat tactics of Jake Jefferis (Radial, Bosham SC) in avoiding the adverse tide saw him finish close enough behind to win by a comfortable near three-minute margin.
Closest finish of all was in the medium handicap, where Richard Wilde and David Wakefield (Wayfarer, DQSC), pipped Roger Francis and Ranjit Verghese (Graduate, DQSC) by just 18 seconds on corrected time after very nearly two hours on the water. Both initially missed the finish line, and Francis vowed next time to ensure he brought his reading glasses to check the sailing instructions and avoid a similar error.
Mark Harper (CYC) had DQSC's Bill Dawber hard on his transom for a good part of the race, but escaped for a clear win in the Solo fleet, while in the junior handicap Delanie Rutter and Eve Townsend (RS Feva, Emsworth SC) delighted spectators with spectacular planing on the gennaker reaches to win clearly from Matthew Smaller (Laser 4.7, DQSC).
But initially Rutter and Townsend were challenged strongly by Martin Jones and son Edward (Feva, CYC), whose fellow competitors in the slow handicap fell victim to the conditions so they raced with the juniors. Seven-year-old Edward, competing in only his second race, was by far the youngest competitor, manfully surviving the exhausting race with a smile on his face which broadened hugely as he was handed his prize.
Though a dozen of Itchenor SC's classic keelboats entered the regatta, conditions through the crowded Itchenor Reach remained too windy for safe racing and their course was shortened on their own club line. Given how rough it was at the southern end of the dinghy course, by Longmore mark, that was understandable. But Sunbeam 33, helmed by Anthony Robinson with Mark and Nicola Harvey, sailed to Dell Quay to add to the spectacle and earn well-deserved sandwiches and home-made cake – the famous DQSC regatta tea.
Generous prizes from the Crown & Anchor pub at Dell Quay added to the winners' pleasure, after an afternoon of memorable sailing.
Overall Results:
Fast handicap
1. Merlin Rocket 3718, David & Fiona Sayce (Hayling Island SC)
2. RS400 973, Simon Townsend & Henrietta Walker (Emsworth SC)
3. RS400 1019, Rob Corfield & Ben Cummings (Dell Quay SC)
Laser 2000
1. Pete & Suzie Harrison (Chichester YC)
2. Warwick Hoddy & John Denyer (DQSC)
3. Graham Dalton & David Ellis (DQSC)
Laser/Laser Radial
1. Jake Jefferis (Bosham SC)
2. Ben Chrystall (DQSC)
3. Ian Payne (CYC)
Medium Handicap
1. Wayfarer 176, Richard Wilde & David Wakefield (DQSC)
2. Graduate 2977, Roger Francis & Ranjit Verghese (DQSC)
3. Leader 1137, Giles Hall & Dave Maltby (DQSC)
Solo
1. Mark Harper (CYC)
2. Bill Dawber (DQSC)
3. Malcolm Buchanan (DQSC)
Slow handicap
1. Feva 576, Martin & Edward Jones (CYC)
Junior handicap
1. Feva 4717, Delanie Rutter & Eve Townsend (ESC)
2. Laser 4.7, Matthew Smaller (DQSC)
2. Topper 30796, Phoebe Noble (DQSC)