Salcombe Gin Merlin Rocket Week 2019 - Overall

The final day brought further wall-to-wall sunshine with a North-Westerly force 2-3. The morning race included title contenders Mike and Jane Calvert and Alex Jackson and Mary Henderson, plus front runners Andy 'Taxi' Davis and Pippa Kilsby and Roger and Jane Gilbert.

Red v Black flights. Course sailed: 7,3,7,1

With the flood tide starting to flow to windward the fleet lined up early and there was a big general recall. A lot of boats were seen heading for an early shower including title contenders Mike and Jane Calvert, a hugely disappointing way to end to their challenge.

On the second clean start, Roger and Jane Gilbert made a ballsy early tack onto port to just cross the fleet and were away into pressure up the harbour. The other leading contenders were also away in good positions and when the leaders re-emerged to round Crossways, Roger and Jane were leading from Alex and Mary with Taxi and Pippa in third.

Over the next loop to Gerston, Taxi and Pippa worked up into second, but the race had only just started as there was a tricky loop down to Blackstone to complete. As the leaders ran down they started to fall out of pressure with the chasers coming up behind. This resulted in the leading eight boats running line abreast into the mark. Alex and Mary were inside boat and were first around but then were unable to tack immediately across to the main current.

Roger and Jane were first across and were able to hook into a good right-hander up the town side to come home for a third cannon of the week. Taxi and Pippa took second ahead of Chris Jennings and John Hackett. Alex and Mary were fourth ahead of Tim Saxton and Holly Scott with Caroline Croft and Tom Lonsdale sixth.

These results put Roger and Jane and Alex and Mary on 11 points, one behind the Calverts and Richard Whitworth and Jemima Scroggie. On countback, Richard and Jemima's three bullets makes them champions without having to sail the last race.

Salcombe Gin Merlin Rocket Week 2019 day 6 morning race - photo © Malcolm Mackley

Blue v Green flights. Course sailed: 6,7,5,7,2,X,2

The sun remained shining and the wind remained F3-4 NW but with the town area of the course around the start finish line a bomb site of vertical gusts. With the top five places sorted, the afternoon race was to sort out the remainder of the top ten.

The start was chaotic with those who got onto port towards the Portlemouth side getting a good gust away down the harbour but were then becalmed off Snapes. The Chrises (Gould and Kilsby), Tim Fells and Fran Gifford together with William Warren and Alice Happle took a high line to squeeze around Snapes inside the leading pack and hook into the solid breeze coming down the Bag. These places remained unchanged on the tour of Frogmore, Gerston, Saltstone, Gerston with the fleet enjoying some great sailing conditions.

Everything was to become totally chaotic on the return to the harbour. The loop up and down between Mill Bay and mark X near Crossways was as random as you can get with nine boats swapping positions on every gust and huge shifts. It is impossible to report on what actually happened other than to say that the Chrises showed remarkable poise to keep their lead and take their first canon of the week, elevating them to sixth overall.

George Yeoman and Sophie Ormsby, in their first Salcombe Merlin Week, kept their nerve to come through in an excellent second (the start of things to come?). Defending champions Si Blake and Phil Dalby battled through to third ahead of Richard Whitworth and Jemima Scroggie, grateful that they did not need to fight for a result in such challenging conditions. Nick Charles and Christian Humphries had their best result of the week in fifth ahead of Tim and Fran.

Overall this has been another high calibre event with the fleet showing extraordinary strength in depth. Richard and Jemima put on a special performance both with their immaculate starting and their calm progress through the fleet when they were not leading. The closeness of the racing is evidenced by the top five places being covered by only two points.

A big thank you to all the volunteers and staff of Salcombe Yacht Club who give so much to make this huge week such a success. Also, many thanks to our main sponsors Salcombe Gin for their great support for the week.

Salcombe Gin Merlin Rocket Week 2019 day 6 afternoon race - photo © Malcolm Mackley

Overall Results:

Salcombe Gin Merlin Rocket Week 2019 day 6 afternoon race - photo © Malcolm Mackley