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Aspire Merlin Rocket National Championship at Looe Sailing Club - Day 2

by Tim Fells 20 Aug 2019 04:58 AEST 17-23 August 2019
Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals at Looe day 2 © Neil Richardson

Looe turned on the style for the second day of the Aspire Merlin Rocket Championships. A force 3-5 from 240 deg with sunshine and waves meant that everyone in the fleet could enjoy a superb day on the water.

It was a two race day and PRO Nigel Denchfield again chose the Sausage - Triangle - Sausage format for both races, keeping the fleet close and opening more tactical options on the runs. Racing was of the highest calibre with everyone able to drive their boats to the max and play the 5-10 degree shifts and find the pressure lanes downwind.

In the first race of the day for the Beecher's Cup, Nick Craig and Toby Lewis (recovered from his first day sickness) extricated themselves from an average start and headed into the right hand corner to lead around the top mark. Defending champions and race one winners Christian Birrell and Sam Brearey were soon giving chase and engaged in a race long battle with Nick and Toby. Going onto the last sausage Christian and Sam had just gained the upper hand but Nick and Toby were able to gybe into pressure to retake the lead at the leeward gate and take their first bullet.

Ben and Roz McGrane, who had been travelling very fast on day one until they dismounted near the bottom gate, were back on form to take a strong third ahead of the Chrises Gould and Kilsby who had replaced their broken mast and were none the slower for it. Taxi and Pippa rounded out the top five for the second time.

For the second race for the Clyde Quaich Trophy, the breeze was switching around a bit as some rain clouds passed the course. Christian and Sam went right initially but them crossed back in the leading bunch to pick up a leftie at the top and lead around. Those who gybed at the spacer prospered in more pressure and it was Jon Gorringe and Pete Gray who rounded the gate in second.

Roger Gilbert and James Stewart were going well after a challenging first day when they lost their tiller extension and briefly got the better of Jon and Pete. Meanwhile, the Chrises were again steadily moving forward and on the final beat had eased past Roger and James to take third behind Jon and Pete and the flying Christian and Sam who took their second bullet. Simon and Ally Potts came home in fifth after your correspondent binned it on the last run.

Stars of the silver fleet were Andy Dalby and Pete Horn who were flying around at the front of the fleet and secured two top 15 results to move up into 13th overall.

In the Bronze fleet. John Cooper and Becci Wigley were going very nicely towards the sharp end of the fleet in the first race and ended the day in 38th overall.

Results after Day 2:

PosBoat NameSail NoFleetHelmCrewFounders CupBeechers CupClyde QuaichPts
1stBlue My Mind3788GoldChristian BirrellSam Brearey1214
2ndMessy Monty3776GoldNick CraigTobytastic Lewis31610
3rdDidley Squat3791GoldJon GorringePete Gray210214
4thKeyser Soze3684GoldAndy DavisPippa Kilsby55717
5thStealth3722GoldRoger GilbertJames Stewart136423
6thKhaleesi3802GoldSimon PottsAlly Potts613524
7thOkey Dokey3712GoldIan SharpsAlex Warren7111028
8thDory3739GoldBen McGraneRoz McGrane1431229
9thFancy Liquor3764GoldTim FellsFran Gifford1116835
10thMetachrosis3736GoldRoger PhillipsWill Crocker9141942
11thBernard3658GoldChris JenningsChris Martin8241547
12thArwen3726GoldWill HendersonArthur Henderson4202448
13thThe Bear3766SilverAndy DalbyPete Horn20151348
14thThe Oldie3673GoldCaroline CroftTom Lonsdale16221755
15thGoon3795GoldAlex JacksonMary Henderson15192357
16thRoberta3796GoldWilliam WarrenRachel Rhodes2292758
17thSpeed Machine3742GoldPete BallantineRob AllenL05251858
18thRed Mistress3759GoldSam BarkerMegan Pascoe31121659
19thPanther3774GoldJon TurnerRichard Parslow26172265
20thMockingjay3777SilverGeorge YeomanSophie Yeoman24212671
21stWild at Heart3709SilverRob HendersonJames Ellis21232872
22ndSomething3803GoldChris GouldChris KilsbyDNF4373
23rdPokey3801GoldMatt BiggsBeka Jones18263579
24thThe Force Awakens3781GoldDavid WinderLiv Bell17343081
25thSylvia3711SilverSam ThompsonLeanne Thompson32292182
26thStrung Along3784SilverMark BarwellLouise Johnson33361483
27thDoris3786GoldDavid WadeBen Rayner128RET86
28thNight Fury3775GoldDan WillettPete Nicholson23382586
29thQuicksilver3787SilverChris MartinSamuel Bailey19303887
30thRobert3756SilverSophie MackleyJames Ward2951989
31stBaloo3807GoldTim SaxtonJodie SaxtonRET72093
32ndNever Been to Salcombe3582SilverBen PickeringNathan King343531100
33rdGeneral Lee3690SilverTim HarridgeClaire Mills274034101
34thPeer Pressure3778GoldDavid LenzVicky LenzRET2811105
35thStanley3749SilverBen HollisColin Anderson284137106
36thEnchanted Evening3666SilverJohn MeadowcroftOliver Meadowcroft443132107
37thQuick Fix3691GoldMike CalvertJane Calvert2518RET109
38thNKS3732BronzeJohn CooperBecci Wigley422741110
39thRockatross3804SilverAndrea BrewsterCharlotte Fildes453729111
40thWhy Ask3740SilverPatrick BlakeJilly Blake363936111
41stPuff the Magic Dragon3641SilverMark WaterhouseMat Currell303349112
42ndDisciple3769SilverGraham Cranford SmithRob Langley384839125
43rdOutnumbered3745SilverPaul DeanRussell Hall374744128
44thThe Clone Wars3735GoldDave HallPaul ConstableRET3233131
45thPointer3790SilverColin BrockbankSuzy Brough404645131
46thIchthys3794BronzeJulian HarmsTimothy Harms415442137
47thVelella3772SilverPhil EmeryPhoebe Paine494447140
48thFluffy3719BronzeRob MartinJan Martin3543RET144
49thDES3723BronzeGeoff KimberHelen Kimber434954146
50thBrambles3800BronzeRichard BramleyLiam Weighill475251150
51stOne Love3767BronzeBen ArcherOlivia Bellini485055153
52ndArmed Forces3442BronzeMatt SmithJared LewisDNC4246154
53rdNostra Dormouse3577BronzeJoe ToshWill LoweUFD4543154
54thFactory Maid3704BronzeJemma HorwoodSel Shah515548154
55thHeaven Sent3511BronzeAndrew MillsEllie Mills505952161
56thMonkey Puzzle3706BronzeLawrence ToshJack ToshRET5640162
57thLight Fantastic3555BronzeEmma RobertsonCarl Weighill536150164
58thUrban Warrior3668BronzeMark SmythJulie Cronshaw4653DNC165
59thCarbonator3639BronzeDan HeatonRory Hunter39RETDNS171
60thWizard in Blue3449BronzeCarl WhitehillSamuel WhitehillDNC5753176
61stHeavy Particle3482BronzeRichard BurtonPatrick Burton5558DNC179
62ndDark `n` Stormy3619BronzeGuy BrowneGreg Martin52DNFDNC184
63rdShiny Happy People3695BronzePete SlackConnor Langan54DNFRET186
64thSnorting3561BronzeJoe ShawHannah BurtRET60RET192
65thNarnia3751BronzeHuw ReynoldsPhil ScottRETRETRET198

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