Vintage Merlin Rocket Open at Fishers Green Sailing Club

Race 1 leaders during the Vintage Merlin Open at Fishers Green © Angie Meyer

With wall-to-wall sunshine and a F3-4 blowing due east the stage was set for a day of excellent racing. However, while a due east wind normally gives a great sail at the Green, the shifts were to characterise the event with turbulence and huge shifts becoming the order of the day.

Fishers Green home boats had to carry the event due to the unusual lack of travellers which has also dogged some other vintage events since last year, especially the London clubs. the race team had no trouble setting a true beat the full width of the lake giving good upwind legs and some decent reaches.

Passion (3314) during the Vintage Merlin Open at Fishers Green - photo © Angie Meyer

Race one saw Chris and Gabe Hill in 2997 nose ahead of Godfrey Clark and Oz Ahmet in 3216 at the bottom mark, from which they extended their lead for an easy win with 3rd being contested by a gaggle of boats giving 3216 and easy time of it. Race 2 followed suit with the Hills away and gone, with Nick and Matteo breaking clear of the pack for a secure second place then ashore for a hot lunch with all the trimmings.

The Hills in Cream Cracker had the event in the bag but reveled in the sailing and won the third race by a huge margin with Nick and Matteo taking a convincing 2nd in Shogun with visitors Mike and Deb Steel taking third.

Chris and Gabe win the Vintage Merlin Open at Fishers Green - photo © Angie Meyer

The afternoon continued with a Crew's Race, giving some of the club's younger sailors the chance to have a go at helming the Merlins. Matteo Mancini unsurprisingly won this from Claudia Mancini 2nd and Hannah Pighills 3rd while some other crews sat this one out given the quite blustery conditions.

Overall Results: