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Merlin Rocket River Championship at the Bourne End Week Regatta

by Tim Williams 9 Sep 2021 02:28 AEST 28-30 August 2021

The 2021 Merlin Rocket River Championships were hosted at Upper Thames Sailing Club over the August bank holiday weekend.

Incorporated into the club's annual Bourne End week regatta it had as so many events this year been shifted. Normally held over the late May bank holiday. Considering this, a good turnout of eighteen Merlin Rockets attended.

The fleet were greeted a light to moderate North to North-easterly which continued throughout the event.

The shifty gusts were very much the name of the game and the crews that capitalised on these were able to get away and take the bullets. However, some very close racing was had, and no position was ever a guarantee until the sailors were safely over the line.

The silverware was pretty much all to play for in the final race.

All in all, a great event with Upper Thames providing some great socials and a well-organised race box team.

Overall Results:

PosBoat NameSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5R6Pts
1stQueen Philippa1996Chris KilsbyPippa KilsbyThames1341(OCS)211
2ndKaty Lou1493Mark BarwellLouise JohnsonLymington Town SC‑71523112
3rdQuiver774Martin HunterTim WilliamsUTSC341‑62313
4thFlinkidink1097Stuart JenkinsNicola ScaddanUTSC2225‑6415
5thHullabaloo1692Rob CageSel ShahThames45341‑1317
6thAndromeda3259Charlie MorganAmanda BattenTamesis87‑935629
7thMasquerade995Matthew JonesArthur JonesTamesis6‑9794733
8thSeven Eye3520Tim MetcalfFlora LaidlowTamesis‑128887536
9thLuka3560Oliver HousemanEgle TumosaTamesis5116711‑1240
10thExequisite2266Chris RathboneSonia RathboneUTSC96101010‑1145
11thLady Hyperion2037Richard BurtonMariella Burton 1010131212(DNC)57
12thPooh1189Carl MayhewMayra Vivo‑Torres 11121111(DNC)1459
13thWild Waters1700Peter WalkerDebbie WalkerUTSC(DNC)DNC12148861
14thFirestarter3405Harry KearnsAaron Hart 13131415(DNC)1671
15thPandemonium3152Mike SteeleDebs SteeleSESCA(DNC)DNCDNCDNC91076
16thDypsomaniac2152Pat BlakeJilly BlakeCRSC(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNC985
17thLady Luck1477Bob YatesSelina YatesUTSC(DNC)DNC1513DNCDNC85
18thLady Wot2235Jonty FreemanChloe MarshNSSC(DNC)DNCDNCDNCDNC1591

Chris and Pippa Kilsby win the Merlin Rocket River Championship at the Bourne End Week Regatta - photo © Tony Ketley
Chris and Pippa Kilsby win the Merlin Rocket River Championship at the Bourne End Week Regatta - photo © Tony Ketley

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