Flying Fifteen Open Meeting at Royal Motor Yacht Club
by Stephen Crosbie 12 Jul 2012 09:16 BST
7-8 July 2012
Flying Fifteens at Poole © Stephen Crosbi
The first day of the RMYC Poole Flying Fifteen Open Meeting greeted the eighteen entrants with driving rain and 20+ knot winds. The fleet, made up of modern flying fifteens and a high proportions of classics over 25 years old, launched unfazed by the wild conditions.
The race officer wisely elected to keep the fleet inside the harbour and set an exciting course from the RMYC start line. A fast two-sail reach was followed by a long spinnaker leg down the harbour towards Poole Quay. With gusts over 27 knots, some of the fleet were at near take-off speeds! A shifty and gusty beat back up the harbour saw several competitors seeking the flatter water at the sides of the course. Unfortunately the high winds resulted in a number of retirements and the race officer decided to postpone the afternoon's racing to Sunday, when lighter winds were expected.
At the end of day one, the modern flying fifteens were led by Chris Gorringe and Nadia Hosie from Parkstone, closely followed by Richard Hope and Mike Stenson from Draycote with David Pipe and Rob Jarratt in third. The classics were led by Tim Moorhouse and Tim Martin, closely followed by the husband and wife teams of David and Carole Duke, chased by Stephen and Helen Crosbie.
Day two saw competitors treated to bright sunshine and lighter winds ranging between five and seventeen knots. The race officer, Brian Drake, was able to send the fleet out of the harbour onto the 2010 National championship course area. Three races were sailed back to back. Chris Gorringe and Nadia Hosie sailing 3625, Tempus Ffugit, won races two and three, allowing them to discard a second in race four, which was won by Richard Hope and Mike Stenson sailing 3902, Deffiant of DWSC. In the classics, there was considerable place changing, making three exciting races for the closely-matched fleet, before last year's winners, David and Carole Duke emerged on top.
Results
Modern:
1st Chris Gorringe & Nadia Hosie (Parkstone) 3pts
2nd Richard Hope & Mike Stenson (Draycote) 5pts
3rd Davie Pipe & Rob Jarratt (Parkstone) 8 pts
Classics:
1st Davie & Carole Duke (RMYC) 4pts
2nd Tim Moorhouse & Tim Martin (RMYC) 7pts
3rd Nick Cornish & Karine Litton (RMYC) 8pts