Pyefleet Week at Brightlingsea Sailing Club - Day 5
by Fiona Brown 15 Aug 2014 09:23 BST
10-16 August 2014
Day five of Pyefleet Week 2014 was without doubt what the football pundits would call a game of two halves. The morning session took place in sun and light breezes, whilst the afternoon featured heavy rain, thunderstorms and some very gusty winds. But despite the vagaries of the weather all classes were able to race including the Cadets and the classic Wivenhoe and Brightlingsea One Designs.
In the morning session it was the turn of the Cat Handicap, Fireball, Mirror, Slow Handicap and BOD fleets, who were racing their second race of the week. Racing was scheduled to start at 10.30, but this week's extreme spring tides meant that the Committee Boat was found unexpectedly aground when the Race Committee went to board it. Fortunately Brightlingsea is a very versatile venue offering a number of start line options and so the Colne Yacht Club's Bateman's Tower line, which stretches the full width of the River Colne between Brightlingsea and East Mersea, was brought into use and after a short delay the boats were under starters orders.
In a north westerly of sub ten knots the Cat Handicap was the first fleet away. Henry White and Ed Redfearn's F18 beat Paul Mines and Stuart Smith's Torando, with fellow Tornado sailors R Arnison and N Chandos in third. With two races still to sail Henry White and Nick Barns both count seven points to jointly lead the class from Paul Mines.
Once again Pete and Tom Kyne put in an outstanding performance to win the Fireball race from Richard Mansfield and Dawn Jasper, with Jonathon Cooper and Cheryl Jessop third. In the overall standings Pete Kyne not leads the Class from Richard Mansfield, with Richard Etherington and Joy Adams, who finished sixth today, in third.
Melissa Heppell and Amelia Hiscocks took their second win of the week and now lead the Mirror Class from Tim and Katie Bees who finished second today.
In the Slow Handicap Simon and Fiona Gillow's Scorpion is leading overall thanks to a pair of second places. Andy and Rebecca Bines won the race in their Merlin Rocket and sit in second overall with five points, a single ahead of third placed Chris and Gill Jordan in their Laser 2000.
The 22 strong Brightlingsea One Design (BOD) fleet enjoyed perhaps the most cut and thrust race of the entire morning session. After the first lap Malcolm Goodwin sailing C4 Cormorant looked to have the race sewn up, but on the second short lap they misjudged the final part of the upwind leg allowing both Chris Matthews sailing C27 Rebel and Jeremy Newman in C32 Avocet through. On the finish line victory went to Jeremy Newman with Chris Matthews second and Malcolm Goodwin third. In the overall standings Jeremy Newman leads the class with a pair of bullets. Malcolm Goodwin and Phil Rust, sailing C16 Dulcet who was fourth today, both count six points overall and are two points ahead of fourth placed Chris Matthews.
Just as the fleet was going afloat to prepare for the afternoon session the weather began to change and the first of a series of thunderstorms began to roll around either side of the race area. Fortunately none were directly overhead, but they nonetheless brought heavy rain, strong gusty winds and dark skies lit up from time to time by lightning. The Race Committee wisely postponed and held the boats ashore to allow the worst of the storms to pass before running a second race for the Cadets, Teras and Wivenhoe One Designs, and the third race for the Fast Handicap, Lasers and Laser Radials.
The conditions proved very popular with Tom and James King who sailed their SL16 to victory in the Fast Handicap fleet. Chris Bannister's Contender finished second and he now leads the fleet overall with four points. Having finished fifth and fourth respectively today, the Merlin Rockets of Andy and Sarah Bines and Piers Lambert and Tim Bees now both count ten points overall and share second place with Tom and James King in fourth.
The Laser fleet had its fair share of controversy when the race leaders Chris Rust and Ollie Newman both failed to notice that a shorten course signal being displayed on the start line was not for their class. They both initially crossed the finish line rather than rounding the turning mark. When neither got guns they turned back to see their rivals rounding the mark and setting off out to sea again without them. Both boats immediately turned back and rejoined the race but they were now mid fleet and forced to play catch up. The race was won by Richard Herbert with Stephen Williams second. Ollie Newman managed to work is way back up into third with Tim Ashworth fourth and Chris Rust fifth. In the overall standings Chris Rust and Ollie Newman jointly lead the class with seven points, one point ahead of Stephen Williams.
Eddie Bridle claimed his first Laser Radial victory of the week and now leads the class overall by three points. Behind him Gary Pilgrim, who took second today, Oliver King, who was fifth and Peter Williams who finished third, are now all counting nine points and tied for second place.
Ben Eeles and his Laser Radial proved that consistency pays in the Cadet Handicap where a second second place put him into the overall lead from Alex Lightly who won today's race in his Topper. The Cadets sailed with impressive confidence in the challenging conditions and Alex Button sailing a Laser Pico Race took third with Tyler Stonebridge fourth in a Laser Radial, Sam Fisher fifth in a Topaz, Charlotte Kingston sixth in an RS Feva and Brandon Hastings seventh in a Topper. In the overall standings Ben Eeles and Alex Lightly are separated by just half a point with Brandon Hastings third and Tyler Stonebridge fourth.
The Tera fleet's race finish positions today mirror their overall standings tonight with Matt Smith first, Max King second, Blake Tudor third and Henry Gillett fourth.
The Wivenhoe One Designs had their work cut out coping with the squally conditions but despite this they enjoyed a fantastic romp on a sheltered course in the River Colne. George Brown and Ben Sharp took a second victory and now lead the regatta on two points. Second in the race and also now second overall, three points behind the leader, are Nic Blower and Dan Twyman. Chris Osborn-Jones and Keiran Smith finished the race in third, just ahead of Nigel and Peter Cook, but in the overall standings the Cooks have a three point advantage for third place.
Once ashore and dried out the competitors enjoyed the Laser Fleet's legendary annual curry night, which this year featured Thai green curry, followed by an evening of traditional pub games.
Friday's forecast is for and overcast day and more northwesterly winds of force three to four with occasional gusts up to force five. The regatta concludes on Saturday.