Firefly UK Nationals - Day 5

by Chris Guy and Jo Mason on 20 Aug 2010 Craftinsure 64th Firefly National Championships - Jenny and Ben Vines and Rob and Mel Sherrington are tied in points with just one race to go in Tenby. The overall result will depend on Friday’s final race, but with strong winds forecast a cancellation of the final day would leave the Vines team on top overall, having won both races today.

Rob and Mel Sherrington came a close second in both races leaving both boats with 19 points. The fleet was racing for the Avon Bailer trophy and the Tomato boats trophy, two very attractive wooden trophies custom made for the Firefly Championships. The wind had finally set in from the south-west at force 3-4, a welcome relief from the shifty offshore breezes that have been dominant all week.

With two gate starts and shorter trapezoid courses the beats were key, generally favouring the right hand side of the course which, although closer to the shore, seemed to generate smaller seas making it easier to tease these small maneuverable dinghies upwind.

'One tack in the beat, pull your main in and get your crew to hike,' said Ben after the racing. Rob Sherrington admitted that he had trouble getting through the dirty air of the Vines boat, but the pair pulled away from the fleet in both races. Further back in the fleet, congestion at the downwind marks was the order of the day with many places to be gained by playing the surf while keeping clear air.

The second race was a similar affair; with the breeze building and the rain setting in the race committee elected to finish after two and a half laps giving the fleet a chance to recover before what could be a windy finale tomorrow. Mark ‘Honest John’ Tait was seen to be driving his crew Sally Wakefield dizzy with another set of turns at the gybe mark, though he did well to recover by sailing fast down the reaches. He was unable to match his second place in the first race though and had to settle for 16th. University boats were going well today, with 2 top 20 results from Ned McNulty and Hannah Ratten, sailing the Castaways alumni boat ‘Footsie’. Solent Uni duo Alan Roberts and Rob Henderson did well with a seventh place in the second race.

Matt Shepherd was wearing the Duckhams dress for today’s racing. This was the result of a pair of broken rudders, some horseplay on the harbour slipway, and an after-hours t'te a t'te with a fellow sailor on the beach after crews union on Tuesday evening. A close contender was nominated for some lewd behaviour in the committee room upstairs at the club, uncovered when the barman went to collect some more pint glasses.

The Buddies prize was won by John Greenland and Ruth Verrier-Jones & Henry Arnold and Georgie Sutcliffe. Georgie’s sister Jo is battling with Amy Morris and Tash Armstrong for the Deben Ladies trophy. Top club is currently West Kirby with four top-placed sailors. Restronguet are chasing the Wirral sailors for the ‘Tolly Cobbold’ club trophy.

The fleet will celebrate a great day’s sailing with a fancy dress ‘Pimms’ party with the cryptic theme of ‘W(h)ales’ tonight. Check back tomorrow for more news on the racing - both sitting16 points clear of the nearest boat, either the Sherringtons or the Vines are likely to be crowned 2010 National Champions. Neither have won before.

http://www.fireflysailing.org.uk/