Girls on Film – Head turning on ladies day 4 of Lendy Cowes Week

by Louay Habib on 1 Aug 2017 Peter Morton's British CF40+ Girls on Film, is the new leader of the FAST40+ Class racing at Lendy Cowes Week, appropriately on Ladies Day.

After winning race four, and in doing so the Royal Southern Yacht Club's Felma Challenge Cup, Girls on Film stormed into an early lead, and never looked like giving up their grip on the race. Scoring their third win in a row, Girls on Film lead the regatta by virtue of countback, tied on points with Sir Keith Mills' British Ker40+ Invictus, which was second today. Bas de Voogd's Dutch Carkeek MkIII Hitchhiker struggled, placing eighth, but still retains third for the regatta. Tony Dickin's Farr designed Jubilee was third, raising the British team to fourth for Lendy Cowes Week.

“I don't think the time we won by was due to having a faster boat.” commented Peter Morton. “It was a Conservative part Race- the rich got richer. We lined up with Hitchhiker before the start and there was no difference in our speed. We did get a good start, but so did Zephyr, but we have a good high mode and kept away from them to get the first shift. After that, we got a couple of shifts that the rest of the fleet didn't, and the crew nailed every manoeuvre, it was just one of those days.”

“Just superb racing; really tight and competitive on probably the best race course we have had all week.” commented Owner Driver of Jubilee, Tony Dickin. “ We joined the class to get a challenge, and we certainly got one today. The boats are thrilling to sail, and with the fleet so close, it is just the best racing.”

“Morty's boat is really quick.” commented Invictus Main Sheet trimmer, Ruairidh Scott. “However, we had a fantastic battle with the rest of the fleet, with just about every boat reaching the top of the pack at some stage of the race.”

“We were second at the last top mark.” commented Zephyr's tactician Andy Budgen. “We decided to go for the A2, and we had to commit, as the last leg was only five minutes. About half the fleet chose the same downwind sail but the boats that went with the Code Zero made the big gain.”

Olympic Silver Medalist Luke Patience, also racing on Steve Cowie's Zephyr, commented. “With a course in both the western and eastern Solent, geographically it was a very shifty race, and with the tide turning half way through the race, it was complex.

Racing for the FAST40+ Class is scheduled to continue tomorrow, Wednesday 2nd August. However Gale Warnings have been issued in the Western Approaches, which may course a significant increase in wind strength by tomorrow.