Allen Enterprise National Championship at Tenby Sailing Club - Day 4

Fernhurst Books sponsored day 4 of the Allen Enterprise Nationals

The D flag was raised early on Thursday allowing the fleet to get launched in good time to complete the long Journey out the start line. Nigel Denchfield and his combined safety team, from Tenby and Looe Sailing Clubs, wanted to get us well clear of the land to provide a clean North Westerly breeze for us to race in.

Today could see Darren and Hayley Roach place both hands on the title if they could continue the vein of form, they had shown on the first three days.

The course was set and Alice Allen with crew James Hobson were near the start mark ready to go, after years of gate starts Alice was looking forward to her first run as pathfinder.

At this point I think it is important to remind you that the socials have been pretty full on all week, and we all know that this can add to the fatigue of racing to bring on premature senior moments. This moment arrived in some form of disorientation. We think that this is the first ever gate start where the Pathfinder was on starboard along with the rest of the fleet. No need to guess who won today's Ging-ger prize.

On to the racing, with an oscillating breeze Darren and Hayley decided to get out of the gate first but the breeze died on the left of the course with some crews sat in while the late starter kept good breeze and could work the shifts and bend to the right. Dedicated late starter Jane and Nick Scutt led at the first mark with pathfinder Alice up in the mix with them. Martin Honnor and Isobel had worked the shift well to round with them along with Jonny Woodward and Matt.

The right continued to pay dividends but there were still shifts to be worked, Martin and Isobel did this well to overcome Jane and Nick on the final beat and take the win, with Jonny and Matt third Jeremy and Becca Stephens fourth, Nick Jackson and Julie Moore fifth. Darren and Hayley worked hard to climb their way up to 9th but this was their worst result yet and left the door open to Jeremy and Becca who could potential snatch the championship from them.

Despite our distance from the land there still seemed to be an uneven breeze so the race officer and safety team moved the course out again and even up the breeze. By now the flood tide was building and the freshening wind over tide brought some new challenges.

All the contenders chose and early run out of the gate for race 8 working the shifts in the hope of being the first to the lay line in clean air. Martin and Isobel spotted the extent to which the tide was sliding the fleet up and undercut many boats who had to free off to the mark.

Darren and Hayley wanted to put race sevens result behind them taking and early lead they would build and build to take a convincing win and with it an unassailable lead that gave them the tittle a day early. Martin and Isobel took second with Nick Jackson and Julie Moore 3rd followed by Ann Jackson and Alan Skeens fourth. Jeremy and Becca Stephens took fifth and they also had and unassailable grip on second place.

Back to the club for the fancy dress party full of movie characters dancing and moshing to local band Elephant Guru followed by the tunes from Steve Blackburn (or as he was known this evening, Richard the Lionheart).

Jeremy and Becca Stephens picking the shifts on day 4 of the Enterprise Nationals at Tenby - photo © Alistair Mackay

Results after day 4: