Please select your home edition
Edition
Sea Sure 2025

Bournemouth Digital Poole Week 2023 – Day 4

by David Harding 24 Aug 2023 18:38 AEST 20-25 August 2023

Wednesday was another glorious day in Poole Harbour. The sun shone, which is always a good start. And the wind, though it never matched Tuesday's 12-15 knots, was a perfectly sailable-in 7-9 knots. Importantly for the race officers, it also stayed relatively consistent in direction, rarely deviating far from 145 degrees.

That didn't stop the pin end from being favoured for the starts from the Parkstone Platform, however. Boats approaching from too high in both the XOD and Shrimper fleets found themselves with nowhere to go, having to circle round and start late.

For David Lack, who was squeezed out in his Shrimper, that didn't really matter. He started last but immediately tacked off to the right, which he had planned to do anyway. A good beat put him ahead of the boats that got involved in 'a bit of a fracas' at the windward mark, allowing him to pull through into the lead on the next leg and stay there to take the gun. Richard Hornby, who had won the first race on Sunday, had to settle for fourth, leaving him two points adrift in the overall standings.

Showing exactly how to do it, John Tremlett nailed the XOD start right on the pin in the first race but still recorded his lowest place of the series, a discarded fifth. A second in the second race keeps him five points clear of fellow Itchenor sailor Penny Fulford.

Positions changed in the Wayfarers on Wednesday after two races that saw a good deal of shuffling throughout the fleet. The consistent element was Sean Murray who, sailing with his seven-year-old son, James, won both races in convincing style. Crewed by his older son, Alex, on Tuesday, Murray had scored a first and a second and those results, combined with Wednesday's two bullets, moved him four points clear of Ian Sargeant after two discards.

It was definitely a day for young lightweight crews. Having helped his dad, Will, to a second and a first when they last raced on Monday, nine-year-old Reubyn Storey went one better this time as they came home with two 1sts. Peter Loretto and Lily Tointon still hold the top spot after a second in the second race.

The lighter winds saw new faces at the front in the ILCA 6s, through the winner of both races, Roberta Hartley, has never finished lower than fourth all week. Robert's husband, Andrew, has also been having a consistent week in the ILCA 7s and is currently lying fourth. At the top of the table, Alan Davis's 2, 1 on Wednesday increased his lead to six points after eight races.

An equally consistent pattern is emerging in the Flying Fifteens, Richard Whitworth having won the last three races to establish a four-point cushion at the top. The Fifteens are going to have to be on their best behaviour from now on, because the number of OCSs and general recalls prompted the use of the U-flag on Wednesday. That wasn't enough, so the fleet will now be starting under the black flag.

The ILCA 6s have moved on to the U-flag following a fair amount of over-eagerness on the start line, but the more orderly approach of the ILCA 7s and RS200s means that they have not yet needed to be disciplined. Efficient starting sequences, quick turnarounds between races and minimal hanging around is what race officer Fi Linford has been aiming for and achieving.

How the race officers and competitors will handle the next couple of days will be interesting to see. If the forecast is to be believed - and, given recent form, that's a very big 'if' - a more unstable north-westerly airflow is moving in on Thursday. Will the cream still rise to the top? It normally does, but there might be a few more challenges along the way.

Provisional results on www.pooleweek.org

Photos on www.SailingScenes.com

Related Articles

Team Racing Worlds at Newport, RI, Day 3
Epic breeze cuts racing short; clear division between teams sets scene for final day Sunny skies met big breeze on Day 3 but by 12:30 p.m. racing was postponed, and as the wind built to 25+, the Race Committee abandoned racing at 3:00 p.m. Posted today at 12:39 am
Ponant Sydney Noumea Race Start in Images
A light and variable breeze got the three-boat fleet away in the afternoon light It was a quiet start to the Ponant Sydney Noumea Race, with the fleet the leaving Sydney Harbour in a light and variable breeze. Grant Wharington and Adrian Seiffert's Wild Thing 100 led the fleet of three down the harbour on a close reach Posted on 31 May
Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta overall
Southern Wind 100 Agapi Mas awarded the Willy Persico Trophy The 2025 edition of the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta and the Southern Wind RendezVous concluded today with another outstanding day of racing. The event is organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda with the support of title sponsor Giorgio Armani. Posted on 31 May
11th Shenzhen Dapeng Cup Sailing Regatta
FD Future boats join the youth regatta at Seven Star Yacht Club The 2025 11th Shenzhen Dapeng Cup Sailing Regatta kicked off in Seven Star Yacht Club in Shenzhen on the 23rd till the 25th of May. FD Future boats joined the youth regatta with 11 competition groups and more than 80 youth participants. Posted on 31 May
Countdown begins for the 2025 29er Worlds
At the iconic city of Porto, Portugal The countdown is on! The 2025 29er World Championship will land in the iconic city of Porto, Portugal, with the fleet descending on Marina da Afurada - Douro Marina from 1st-8th August 2025. Posted on 31 May
Casa Vela Cup 2025 at St Francis Yacht Club Day 3
Pauline Courtois will meet Nicole Breault in the final Defending women's match racing world champion Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink Normandy Elite team from France will meet USA's Nicole Breault/ Vela Racing in the final of the 2025 Casa Vela Cup in San Francisco. Posted on 31 May
Team Racing Worlds at Newport, RI, Day 2
Consolidation In the Ranks: U.S. Teams Lead A thrilling action-packed series of races on Day 2 of the 2025 Team Racing World Championship saw the three teams representing the United States consolidate at the top of the leaderboard. Posted on 31 May
Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup Preview
Getting ready to race at Monte Real Club de Yates in Baiona Today (Friday) Galicia's prestigious Monte Real Club de Yates in Baiona (Galicia, Spain) hosted the official presentation of the GALICIA 52 SUPER SERIES ROYAL CUP, the second scoring event for the 2025 season of the 52 SUPER SERIES. Posted on 30 May
Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta day 3
No racing due to light wind in Porto Cervo The forecast of very light winds proved to be accurate today as the starting procedure for the third day of the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta and the Southern Wind RendezVous got under way. Posted on 30 May
Armstrong Foils: On tour - Home of Armstrong II
Join America's Cup champion, Blair Tuke and Armstrong team riders on the tour of NZ's Far North Join three times America's Cup champion, Blair Tuke and Armstrong team riders Olivia Jenkins, Naumi Eychenne, Bowien van der Linden, Cash Berzolla, and Reo Stevens, on the Home of Armstrong Tour II, as they explore NZ's Far North. Posted on 30 May
Vaikobi 2024 DecemberTrofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca 2025Sydney Boat Show 2025 - Apply to Exhibit