2.4mR Open at Frensham Pond Sailing Club

2.4mR Open at Frensham © Karen Ferguson

The Saturday and Sunday of the late May bank holiday saw thirteen 2.4s hit Frensham waters for the first class open since 2019. Rescheduled from early May due to Covid, our class captain Kate Hedley did a great job of finding volunteers, organising sailing instructions and most importantly ordering the Saturday night curry.

The weather turned on with a nice 10 knot easterly both days and sunshine. The fleet also turned on the style with amazing close racing for the 19th edition of the open. Three races on Saturday afternoon thanks to the handicap fleet giving up their Saturday racing for us saw everyone having the chance at the top. The fleet knew they were in for a long weekend with nobody able to relax with Megan Pascoe showing that one bad shift can send you from 1st to 5th. Bruce Hill took first blood with Paul Schroeder in second. Past National champion Martin Whitingham Jones from West Kirby was back out with a second in the second race after rebuilding a shroud.

2.4mR Open at Frensham - photo © Karen Ferguson

The third race on Saturday and the first race on Sunday saw a match race between Megan and Bruce for the top spot that was incredibly close, you think you got away and then you get reeled in on a Frensham special. They both took one race each leaving it tight into the last 2 races. Kate H had two top 3 finishes on Sunday after too many turns on Saturday to make her speed count. Megan taking the 5th race from Martin and Bruce meant the open would come down to the last race with it tight for all top 3 positions.

Starting on the club line as the ILCA's and Enterprises had joined us on the water Bruce took the early lead with the pack close behind. Two quick wind shifts downwind allowed Megan to get just clear ahead at the leeward mark. The pack mixed around for the next lap with a nice 5 abreast leeward mark rounding next time around. Paul S managed to convert this to his advantage with a left hand shift and a second place behind Megan. This resulted in Paul getting third overall on last race finish over Martin and Megan taking the open just ahead of Bruce. It was great to see Liberty sailor Paul Phillips back in a 2.4 and Lionel East and Bruce Padfield back racing. We also saw Brian Harding from Cowes Corinthian in his Super 3, a British built 2.4. Thanks to Dan Shaw and all the volunteers for laying on a great weekends racing.

The next race will be a new one for the 2.4 class at Plymouth Keelboat regatta. I'm slightly biased but the 2.4 class circuit was back with a bang this weekend.

Overall Results: (top three)

1st Megan Pascoe (Frensham Pond SC)
2nd Bruce Hill (Frensham Pond SC)
3rd Paul Schroeder (Queen Mary SC)