Hansa Class UK Traveller Trophy Series Round 2 at New Forest Sailability
by Malcolm Bentley 19 May 21:31 PDT
1 May 2024
Hansa Class UK Traveller Trophy Series Round 2 at New Forest Sailability © Chris Wales
With the very mixed weather seen in April, the 1st May was at least forecast to be dry until towards 5pm (when it did indeed start raining once we were largely under cover ashore!). On the other hand, the wind proved to be very light and the lake was mirror-like until shortly before the scheduled start time. Fortunately, it came in just enough to complete all four races for all classes.
Overall entries were 26, just one more that 2023, with a noticeable increase in the 1 person 303 from 8 to 12 but 2 fewer 2 person 303s.
At the start of the day the wind was forecast to be easterly, but came in broadly from the North, which fortunately is a direction less disturbed at Spinnaker by shore and trees, and the excellent Race Officer Keith McQuillin and his team set a trapezoidal course with a committee boat start.
Very light winds introduce some particular challenges, such as ensuring you stay near the start line and behind it in case you get becalmed, keeping a close eye out for any wind that there is and steering clear of holes. These had quite an impact on some results.
As normal, the Liberty class started first with the same 5 competitors as last year at New Forest and the most regular TT Liberty competitors. Paul Phillips, last year's National Series winner and UK Nationals runner up repeated his 2023 performance at New Forest by coming first with a minimum net score of 3 after one discard.
Paul Pearson and Dave Durston continued their battle for second place with Paul Pearson having one point less to get second and had led in the fourth race but was overtaken by Paul Phillips. Ric Cassell won the first race but did less well in the others and Tessa Watkiss was very unfortunate as, due to an electrics failure, was unable to race in the afternoon.
The 1 person 303 fleet has grown this year, with 13 at Frampton and 12 at New Forest. To the strong competition between Rory McKinna and Mike Everitt at the top, chased by James Woosnam, has been added Jazz Turner, always accompanied by Phoebe. Jazz has won both the 2024 TTs with Rory second. This belies the closeness of the results: Both had identical nett scores in each TT, the discard in each being crucial to Jazz, and they were still tied on count back, such that Jazz consistently performing better in the afternoon, and thus last races, gave her the wins.
A smaller 2 person 303 fleet with 4 out of 6 boats from New Forest. In contrast to the other classes, all boats were swapping places in every race. 3 different boats achieved at least one 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th place! The exception was the consistency of Nigel and Emily Silman, who had three 2nd places to count and did not compete in the final race. Jane Knight, a regular crew with Steve Kitson but helming with Vanda Murray in this TT, won the class one point ahead of the Silmans, who were one point ahead of Tim Worner and Ian Park.
There was a reduced 2.3 fleet as Lindsay Burns unfortunately had to pull out at short notice. New Forest's Rowena Marsh won with a clean sweep of 1st places. Andrew Lebec was close to winning the second race, tussling with Rowena to be first across the committee boat start/finish line after the first lap, but Rowena managed to overtake him before the race was finished at mark 3.
Full results can be found here