Burnham Week 2018 - Day 2
by Sally Harbott 26 Aug 2018 12:36 PDT
25 August - 1 September 2018
With the forecast showing strong winds coming in for the afternoon, the race committee brought the races forward an hour in order to ensure all competitors enjoyed good racing. Despite the grey skies and threatening rain, most competitors made their way down to the start line at Pile House.
Five multihulls started and again the fleet split with two starting under the Committee Vessel on the North End and the remaining three on the South. A good southerly saw them white sail start and roar off down river. They had super conditions downriver and were really flying. On corrected time, Nick Wood in Origami was 10 minutes ahead of second placed Persuasion.
In Class One IRC again five boats started, and today all 5 started under white sail at the North side of the river and headed under the North Shore. Ant Law's Tifano again went right under the shore out of the flood tide. Mantra, Phillip Harbott's Aphrodite 101, Double Trouble, Duncan and Beccy Haley's Corby 29 and Lucy Lee, the Dehler 34 all enjoyed a close tussle with Lucy Lee leading and Double Trouble getting through Mantra some way after the start. Glorious Fools took the win on corrected time, with Mantra second. The overall standings after the weekend are very close with Glorious Fools leading Mantra on countback, both on 4 points. Ant Law in Tifano is currently lying third.
Class 5 also had a good number of starters with the 707s again leading the fleet down river, with Clive Cherry and Daryl Mylroie's Eclipse and Richard Moore in Spring Chicken close behind. Stephen Gosling and Andrew Courts' SJ27 Grace and Danger were right on the pace at the back of this pack. The Maxi 1000 Eclipse enjoyed the heavier weather and had a great white sail reach down to the first mark.
Class Six again had three starters with David Hill in his Contessa 32 Spangle, John Saunders in Jeannie and a Nauticat 42 owned by Malcolm Duncan. As they headed down river, Jeannie led the fleet with Seraphina, the 42 footer further out in the tide sailing quickly. The course took this fleet down to Outer Crouch 4 and Outer Crouch 1 twice before heading up river to finish. Jeannie beat in the larger Nauticat on the water to take the bullet, winning on corrected time.
The RS Elites were very keenly awaiting their start and all got away cleanly heading quickly up to the Burnham side of the river. Paul Risk helming Legs Eleven took the win after a challenging race with some rough conditions on the white sail reach and beat.
The Dragons had all bar two start on the Northernmost end of the line and the majority started white sail. Two dragons, 822, Danish Blue and 825 Anarchy started towards the pin end and hoisted spinnakers enjoying a shy reach before bearing off a little to head more towards the North Shore. They headed to Greenward before enjoying a very close beat up the Roach, having a very wet leg to the buoy before enjoying a fast spinnaker run out of the Roach. Danish Blue belonging to Poul Hoj Jensen won, with Chip Cole in Anarchy second.
There were slightly fewer Squibs out today, but the start was very exciting. Most of the fleet set spinnakers and it was a hairy reach down river for many of them with several squibs broaching. Two squibs including Outlaw headed under the North Shore and had a more comfortable leg down to Greenward before a choppy beat up the Roach. Malcolm Hutchins had a successful spinnaker leg out to Greenward, quickly taking a clear lead. He went on to win the race from Robert Coyle's Humphrey.
The RCOD fleet all opted to reef their mains and enjoyed a slightly more comfortable beat up the Roach with close racing. Corsair, number 8 and Number 16 the pink Corpo Santo of John Waples crossing tacks. Corinna, Chris Waples' RCOD led and took the bullet to win today.
The RBOD fleet were a little depleted in the inclement weather but out of those who were out, many set spinnakers before rounding Greenward to turn up the Roach. Will and Barty Dallimore in their distinctive orange RBOD Mandarin won, with the Herring's Red Jacket second.
It was a fantastic day on the river with competitors delighted to be able to get a race in today.
Full results and further pictures can be found on www.burnhamweek.com