Marblehead Halfpenny Trophy and GAMES 5 event at Guilford and Littleton Radio Sailing
by Roger Stollery 3 Jun 02:30 PDT
Phil Holliday (left) thanking Martin Crysell for an excellent day's racing - Marblehead Halfpenny Trophy at Littleton © Roger Stollery
It is not surprising that, with a huge amount of MYA membership input into the hugely successful IOM Worlds at Datchet earlier this month, enthusiasm for radio sailing was having a holiday and the entry to this annual Marblehead event was just seven competitors.
They enjoyed 16 races despite the westerly wind blowing awkwardly from behind the two storey clubhouse and control area. Race Officer Martin Crysell set an unusual but good triangular course starting on a reach that became a beat and a run as the wind swirled round the clubhouse. A quartering run followed to a leeward mark and a tricky beat to the windward mark.
Race 1 set the scene for the whole day with GAMES leader Phil Holliday sailing his F6 winning from Colin Harper sailing a Grunge and Barrie Martin sailing a Starkers third.
This was repeated in Race 2 and it was only in Race 3 when Barrie won, that this run of bullets was interrupted. This continued until Jim La Roche won Race 6 with Barrie again second and Roger Stollery third sailing his upgraded UP design, regarded as the fastest in the fleet. In Race 8 whilst lying second Roger's bulb keel caught round the first mark's mooring line after contact with Chris' at the mark.
After the race that Phil won, he showed his great sailing skill by colliding with UP several times to push the boat backwards and free the keel.
In the next Race 9 Barrie got the second of his four wins seal his second place overall, but not enough to catch Phil.
At the prize-giving the race team of Martin Crysell and at the beginning Mike Wikie were given great praise for running this event well in the really difficult conditions. Martin was thanked for completing the 16 races on his own, but he did have the help from competitors and Littleton SC's Rob E doing rescue when necessary and clearing up.
Results:
1st Phil Holliday, Datchet, F6, 16 points
2nd Barrie Martin, London, Starkers 2, 24 points
3rd Colin Harper, London, Grunge, 45 points
4th Jim La Roche, Datchet, F6, 46 points
5th Roger Stollery, GaLRS, UP, 48 points
6th Graham Hetem, Datchet, F6, 57 points
7th Chris Watkins, Royal Temple Yacht Club, Indie, 87 points