DF95 TT at East Kent Radio Sailing Club
by Peter Jackson 12 Nov 2024 19:32 GMT
7 November 2024
DF95 TT at Barton's Point © Jim La Roche
Sixteen boats competed in the last 2024 M&S District DF95 Open Travellers event on East Kent's tree free venue on the south side of the Thames/Medway confluence. The consistent 6-8 knot easterly had only just enough shifts to keep things interesting.
Four more DF95 racers gave up their racing to officiate, including Jim La Roche, Robert Owens, Ralph Wilkinson and Stuart Ord-Hume, running a tight ship with a number of U flags and up to 5 Black Flag disqualifications of over eager starters. The course was rapidly adjusted by Stuart to maintain a good start line, beat and run.
On-form local skipper Dave Adams, also leading the travellers championship, started as he meant to go on, with 3 wins and a 2nd. There was a hard fight for podium places. Local Adrian Tomlinson claimed the other win and two 2nds, Datchet RS Dorian Crease scoring 3,2,3 and local Mike Brand two 3rds.
Dave had a tricky patch after race 4 but recovered with wins in races 7, 9 and 10. Adrian hit consistent form at race six with 2,2,1,4,2, but then sailed all his discards which included a black flag DSQ! Dorian was more consistent with the first of three wins in race 6 and nothing below fourth place to score.
Adrian was now struggling to hold off Mike Brand who came onto form from race 10 of the 16, including a third, two seconds and two wins. The other race win was by Phil Holliday of Datchet, who also finished strongly with two seconds after a black flag in race 14.
Honours for consistence should go to Chipstead's Colin Honour, also with one second, Paul Woodward, a constant in the top half of the fleet, and Guildford's Martin Crysell who hit the podium with three third places. Micheal Barnes of Hampton Court managed a third in race 14, but most INconsistent of the day was Peter Jackson, with two second places but all else down the pan with Dyneema issues.
Dave Adams was made to work to stay in front but work he did. His finish of 1, 1,4,1,4,5 being comfortably enough to take the event by 12 places from visitor Dorian Crease. Mike secured his lift back to Broadstairs by letting Adrian just hold him off for third by a single point.
With 68 competitors in all the 2024 District Series and handsome new Dragon; trophy was also won by East Kent RSC's Dave Adams with three event wins, from Mike Brand second and Guidford's Martin Crysell in third ahead of Chipstead's Colin Honour.
Results:
1. 358 Dave Adams - East Kent RSC
2. 683 Dorian Crease - Datchet RS
3. 30 Adrian Tomlinson - East Kent RSC
4. 875 Mike Brand - East Kent RSC
5. 66 Phil Holiday - Datchet RS
6. 52 Martin Crysell - Guildford MYC
7. 20 Paul Woodward - East Kent RSC
8. 62 Colin Honour - Chipstead SC RC
9. 380 Alan Hounsell - East Kent RSC
10. 44 Alan Viney - Guildford MYC
11. 211 Peter Jackson - East Kent RSC
12. 518 Robin Aldcroft - Chipstead SC RC
13. 585 Michael Barnes - Hampton Court MYC
14. 32 Spencer Pope East - Kent RSC
15. 613 Andrew Nicholls - East Kent RSC
16. 026 Peter Glover - East Kent RSC