XOD racing at Poole Week 2024
by Steve Dover 4 Sep 08:03 BST
25-30 August 2024
It's life Jim, but not as we know it
Four Itchenor XOD boats boldly beamed themselves over to Parkstone where they encountered a far flung galaxy of XOD sailors. Some things were exactly the same, but others oddly different.
The XODs were moored alongside in pontoon berths, you simply stepped onboard - no fearful scrambling off a club rib. The locals had an unusual dawn ritual - they swam down and scrubbed their keels, every day. There were two races starting at a civilised 2pm, followed by free beer afterwards, but mysteriously only two beer tokens per boat - who would/should lose out?
They ambitiously scheduled 'round the island races' but no one ever made it round. Races were started off a fixed platform and you had to cross through the finishing line after every lap. Strange tidal channels threaded their way through the ever so shallow harbour - with confusing double high waters - do they have two moons? The sailing club was indeed vaguely reminiscent of the Starship Enterprise. However the natives were exceedingly friendly.
The bold Itchenorites were not to be outgunned and scored a laudable 1st, 3rd, 5th and 22nd overall. Winds varied from rollicking 20 knots to gentle 5 knot zephyrs. X91 Astralita (John Tremlett, Fraser Graham, and Tim Copsey) - with X91 impressively sailed solo non-stop from Chichester harbour by Tim Copsey - dominated with three firsts and four seconds in the 9 race series, to repeat their success of last year.
X58 Madelaine (Penny Fulford, Nigel Buckley and Jonathon Clark) won the last race in fine style to score 21 points and secure third overall, just ahead of local legend Willie McNeill sailing X123 Lara, and behind 2nd placed Nik Froud in X72 Venus from Lymington.
X187 Zoe (lent to Roger Yeoman and Chris Darling, and crewed variously by Paul Ward, Nick Andrews, Miles DB-M and John Hodgart) presented a new variant of XOD complexity, but our heroes made it through various trials and tribulations to secure 5th place. X152 Beaver (Chris Blevins reunited with his twin brother Tim and Anthony) were consistently in the teens and had intermittent appearances up at the near front. They did organise a dry delivery and found the facilities for craning in etc. to be excellent - maybe of interest for those thinking of travelling from other distant clubs next year.
In truth the week had a friendly vibe, and was a very pleasant counterpoint from the intensity of Cowes Week.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew 1 | Crew 2 | Club | Boat Name | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 91 | John Tremlett | Fraser Graham | Tim Copsey | Itchenor SC | Astralita | 1 | ‑2 | ‑6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| 2nd | 72 | Nik Froud | Max Moyles | | Royal Lymington YC | Venus | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | ‑5 | ‑13 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 21 |
| 3rd | X58 | Penny Fulford | Nigel Buckley | | ISC | Madeleine | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | ‑15 | 5 | 2 | ‑8 | 1 | 24 |
| 4th | 123 | William McNeill | Andrew Tredrea | | Royal Motor YC | Lara | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 1 | ‑11 | ‑16 | 4 | 25 |
| 5th | 187 | Chris Darling | Roger Yeoman | | Itchenor SC | Zoe | (RET) | 4 | 9 | ‑11 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 42 |
| 6th | 165 | Barry Dunning | Jonathan Clark | Carol Dunning | Royal Lymington Yacht Club | Tortoise | 4 | 9 | ‑15 | 4 | 1 | ‑16 | 9 | 12 | 7 | 46 |
| 7th | 119 | Paul Woodman | Oliver James | Phil Lawrence | Royal Lymington YC | Lone Star | 7 | 6 | (DSQ) | 6 | ‑17 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 47 |
| 8th | 34 | Eric Williams | Tim Blackwell | | Royal Lymington YC | Mersa | 11 | 8 | 11 | 5 | 13 | (OCS) | 4 | ‑15 | 6 | 58 |
| 9th | 40 | David Law | Jane Arnold | Jane Law | Parkstone YC | Kyperini | 6 | ‑15 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 10 | ‑18 | 12 | 59 |
| 10th | 25 | Jeremy Harford‑Tapp | Simon Verner | | Parkstone YC | Morven | ‑16 | 10 | 8 | ‑15 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 5 | 15 | 64 |
| 11th | 193 | Nick Fullagar | Pete Vince | George Stead | Parkstone YC | Sawdust | 9 | 11 | 10 | ‑19 | 8 | 12 | ‑18 | 3 | 13 | 66 |
| 12th | X 29 | Tim Martin | John Gale | | Parkstone YC | Corisande | 10 | 13 | 4 | 14 | ‑22 | 14 | ‑16 | 4 | 8 | 67 |
| 13th | X173 | Gillian Ellis | Rupert Anderson | Amy Clark | Royal Lymington Yacht Club | Heyday | 12 | 7 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 6 | 8 | ‑14 | (DNC) | 69 |
| 14th | X 143 | John Edmonds | Nigel Wrigley | Christine Law | Parkstone YC | Skiffle | (DSQ) | 12 | 12 | 10 | 4 | ‑15 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 77 |
| 15th | X61 | Richard Batchelor | Chris Edwards | Derrick Gill | Parkstone YC | Silver Wind | 8 | ‑18 | ‑18 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 16 | 81 |
| 16th | 13 | Andrew Hill | Andy Hough | Julie Hill | Parkstone YC | Mischief | 14 | (OCS) | 7 | 9 | 6 | 18 | ‑23 | 17 | 21 | 92 |
| 17th | 37 | Crispin Tombs | Brian Hitchcock | | Parkstone YC | Ariel | 13 | 14 | ‑22 | 12 | ‑26 | 19 | 7 | 11 | 19 | 95 |
| 18th | X74 | Don Hardy | tba | | Parkstone YC | Fiona | 17 | 16 | 17 | 20 | ‑23 | (OCS) | 17 | 9 | 18 | 114 |
| 19th | 12 | Mark Woodhouse | Tessa Woodhouse | John Chilvers | Parkstone YC | Dawn | ‑21 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 9 | 21 | ‑23 | 17 | 118 |
| 20th | X43 | Tim Mellery‑Pratt | Tony Mellery‑Pratt | Jim Adams | Parkstone YC | Moonfleet | 15 | 17 | (DNC) | (DNC) | 16 | 4 | 14 | DNC | DNC | 122 |
| 21st | 196 | John Wilson | Ian Davidson | Chris Smerdon | Parkstone YC | Saranna | 19 | ‑21 | 14 | 18 | 21 | (DNC) | 19 | 21 | 10 | 122 |
| 22nd | X152 | Chris Blevins | Tim Blevins | Anthony Hargrave | Itchenor SC | Beaver | 18 | 19 | 21 | ‑23 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 20 | ‑22 | 133 |
| 23rd | X120 | Peter Thomas | Paul Rivers Latham | John Shepherd | Parkstone YC | Xig Xag | ‑23 | ‑24 | 19 | 21 | 14 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 137 |
| 24th | X85 | Mike Drake | John Walker | | Parkstone YC | Harlequin | 20 | 22 | 20 | ‑24 | ‑24 | 21 | 24 | 22 | 14 | 143 |
| 25th | 160 | Simon Blackaller | James Willis | | Parkstone YC | Merlin | 22 | 23 | (DNC) | ‑25 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 165 |
| 26th | 89 | Jonthan Newton | Bex Granger | Ed Fuller | Parkstone YC | Jinx | (DNC) | (DNC) | 23 | 22 | 20 | 20 | DNC | DNC | DNC | 169 |
| 27th | X194 | Nick Cornish | Viv Evans | | Parkstone YC | Alvine | (RET) | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 196 |
