Please select your home edition
Edition
Barton Marine 2019 728x90

Bournemouth Digital Poole Week 2024 - Day 3

by David Harding 27 Aug 2024 20:46 PDT 25-30 August 2024

Blow the wind Southerly (sometimes with a bit of East in it too)

Poole Harbour was very much a harbour of two halves on the Tuesday of Poole Week. In the top triangle, sailing area for the Flying Fifteens and ILCAs (Lasers in old money), the wind started in the south and pretty well stayed there. It swung left and right, making for challenging racing and resulting in a few high scores for some of the leading boats. With a discard kicking in after four races, however, those still counting three good results were in with a chance of staying at or near the top.

Further east, the fleets starting from the Parkstone Platform set out into a southerly as well. But then, just after the first four starts, the breeze took a sharp turn to the left and settled at around 140 degrees. Because beats and runs had become reaches, race officer Bob Jennings had to shorten the courses for the fleets that had already set off, and rapidly re-set the others. Managing multiple fleets is a challenge at the best of times, and infinitely more challenging when you have a 40 degrees wind shift mid-way through the start sequences.

On the whole, the pecking order wasn't upset too radically by any of this, though there will always be winners and losers. In the fast handicap fleet, Steve Thompson's GP14 from Poole YC won both of the day's races to top the leaderboard, tied on 4 points with Steve and Ally Tyler's Merlin Rocket. Two more Poole YC boats - the Contenders of David Evans and Nathan McGrory - are lying 3rd and 4th respectively, both on 12 points.

Yet another visitor - this time from Swanage - is making the running in the slow handicap fleet. Luke Lazell in his Europe is one point ahead of two ILCA 4s (Laser 4.7s). Nigel Pearce is having a tougher week this year in his Fusion, having volunteered to sail on the same handicap as the ILCAs and therefore having to finish ahead of them on the water. It's a tall order, and he also has Kirsten Glen snapping at his heels. Kirsten and her Byte helped to make up for missing Monday by winning the second race on Tuesday.

New from the Parkstone Platform this year is a combined start for the RS200s and RS400s. The 12-strong 200s are being led convincingly by Bruce and Katy Moyes, with Peter Loretto and Lily Tointon a couple of points adrift. Dave and Jan Pointer are only two points further back despite having broken their gooseneck in the first race on Monday.

Last year, Sean Murray - crewed by various members of his family - won the Wayfarers. This year Sean and his wife, Helen, have moved across to the RS400s and already established a three-point cushion at the front of the fleet. In the Wayfarers, meanwhile, Jackie Dobson's 2, 1 on Tuesday moved her into the overall lead.

Maintaining his lead in the XODs, Willie McNeill scored a 1st and a discarded 7th, John Tremlett nearly matching that with a discarded 7th followed by a 2nd to sit one point behind. The second race was won comfortably by Penny Fulford from Itchenor.

Back in the top triangle, Bob Alexander and Huw Willetts found themselves on the wrong side of a few shifts to finish 11th in the first race of the day, but won the second to stay at the top of the table. It was a similar story in the ILCA 7s, with Monday's leader, Matt Reid - who won Poole Week back in 2009 by an enormous margin - discarding a 5th after winning the day's first race to keep his top spot. Experience displaced youth in the ILCA 6s, with Roger O'Gorman sneaking one point clear of young Tom Hakes.

It was definitely a day of snakes and ladders, but it was also warm and sunny. If you didn't lose 10 places by going right up the beat only to find the wind flicking 20 degrees to the left, it was a lovely day to be on the water.

Provisional results on www.pooleweek.org

Photos on www.SailingScenes.com

Related Articles

SailGP's return to Auckland for Season 6 confirmed
ITM is the NZ's Grand Prix's Title Partner, marking a fourth year supporting Black Foils. After a record breaking debut, the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix Auckland has been confirmed to be returning in 2026 and is set to be bigger than ever. Posted on 26 Jun
Rolex SailGP Championship 2026 dates confirmed
Including a return to fan-favorite destination, Auckland SailGP has released further details of forthcoming 2026 Season, including the return of fan-favorite locations, multi-year hosting agreements secured across all regions, and an evolved regional structure to raise the stakes for athletes and fans alike. Posted on 26 Jun
Pip Hare Announced as Patron of WORLDSTAR 2026
A meaningful return to her roots with the Royal Western Yacht Club of England The Royal Western Yacht Club (RWYC) is absolutely delighted to welcome solo ocean racing legend Pip Hare as the Patron of WORLDSTAR 2026—our flagship round-the-world sailing event. This is more than a title; it's a homecoming. Posted on 26 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 7
British mixed dominance in dinghy and catamaran After the second day of the Sailing Grand Slam in the Olympic mixed classes, Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris are leading the 470 class even more dominantly than John Gimson and Anna Burnet in the Nacra 17 on Thursday (June 26). Posted on 26 Jun
29th Superyacht Cup Palma day 1
Cervo and Open Season take opening day honours The Superyacht Cup Palma 2025 swung into action today, with captains and crews across the varied and inspiring fleet seizing the opportunity to take the measure of the competition out on the racecourse. Posted on 26 Jun
J/70 Mixed-Plus Worlds at Lake Garda Day 1
Yupi leads after a perfect opening day in Torbole Lake Garda delivered its finest conditions for the opening day of the first-ever J/70 Mixed-Plus World Championship: three races completed in a steady, warm Ora breeze peaking at 20 knots. Posted on 26 Jun
Tschüss 2 - Transatlantic Titans
Line Honours for Christian Zugel's Volvo 70 in the Transatlantic Race 2025 Volvo 70 Tschüss 2 (USA), owned by Christian Zugel and co-skippered by Johnny Mordaunt, has taken Line Honours in the West to East Transatlantic Race 2025 in an elapsed time of 07 Day 15 Hrs 29 Mins and 10 Secs. Posted on 26 Jun
Craig Wood Makes History
The first triple amputee to sail solo non-stop and unsupported across the Pacific Craig is the first triple amputee to sail solo non-stop and unsupported across the Pacific, completing the 7506nm journey from Mexico to Japan in 90 days. Posted on 26 Jun
NTG Global Graduate Program
Shape your career and propel yourself into the world of innovation North Technology Group, a global leader in advanced composite technology, is offering an exciting and dynamic graduate program that will shape your career and propel you into the world of innovation. Posted on 26 Jun
Tight racing at ORC North American Championship
Two days of racing remain before titles awarded in three classes With three days of racing completed over 7 Windward-Leeward courses, the scorelines are filling up for all three classes competing in the first ORC North American Championship at Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race Week. Posted on 26 Jun
Sea Sure 2025Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_GP BOTTOMNorth Sails Loft 57 Podcast