Readycrest takes the chocolates

Barnes and Pygal win B14 Inlands and 2004 UK circuit

The B14 circuit arrived at it's final venue of the year with all to play for, the Inlands, the B14 UK circuit and B14 Crews Union circuit yet to be claimed.

On arrival on Saturday morning there was mist as predicted and 2 knots of northerly wind. The fleets were held ashore till 1400 hrs. when flags changed to green and all were advised to launch. The conditions were such that the breeze remained North with 10° wind shifts and a 5 knot breeze. The bias on the line for the day was to the committee boat end. Several were over at the start and some impromptu rafting occurred.

Mark Barnes/Tom Pygall (ReadyCrest) took control of the middle course and Chris Bines/Dave Gibbons (CSC) the left. ReadyCrest rounded the windward mark first followed by Simon Hadley/Pete Nicholson (HSBC) and Bob Clements/Alan Aterbury (Horizon Charters) who were in turn followed by a close nit pack. Over the next round ReadyCrest pulled out to a commanding lead with HSBC in hot pursuit. On the second run to the finish, fresh breeze brought a charge from the middle order with HSBC being swallowed up. On approaching the finish anyone of 6 boats could be second with places changing every few metres. However, Matt Searle/Sandy Ramus (Sprint) sailed round the pack and finished 2nd followed by HSBC and CSC.

Race 2 was much the same conditions, ReadyCrest holding middle left, CSC holding the left hand side and Will Davies/Mike Robbins the right hand side. CSC rounded first overlapped with Readycrest followed by Richard Edwards/Thijs Knapper (Ronstan) in 3rd. ReadyCrest promptly ran over thier kite on the hoist and so the fleet compressed yet again bar CSC.

CSC pulled out to a 25 m. lead with Ronstan, Nils Jolliffe/Jon Branch (Boatracer.co.uk) amongst others in hot pursuit. At the bottom CSC rounded with ReadyCrest to the left while Ronstan, HSBC and Boatracer.co.uk rounded to the right. Place changes occurred on the beat and CSC and Davies/Robbins rounded together followed by a 4 boat pack. On the run ReadyCrest broke through to challenge the front 2 at the last gate. First they boxed CSC to the right then Davies/Robbins to the left on successive gybes but CSC pulled through to a well deserved victory with ReadyCrest 2nd and Davies/Robbins 3rd.

As the day was drawing on, racing was held over till Sunday. Less wind put the emphasis on maintaining speed. The fleet got away first time. CSC and ReadyCrest, Ronstan and HSBC engaged as per the previous day. CSC pulled out to a lead of 25 m. on the first run with many place changes going on behind due to breeze fluctuations and compressing of the fleet. On the second run CSC pulled out to a 50 m. lead but failed to note the shortening of the course. Having rounded the leaward mark and being notified by the rest turned round and made a dash for the line beating HSBC into 3rd by centimetres. Ronstan came home 4th and Mark Watts/Tim Rogers 5th.

Due to the dying breeze the fleet were sent ashore till until 1330 and when the light but steady wind returned.

At the start, the line was slightly biased to the pin and to add spice the black flag was flying. Readycrest hunted CSC and held them to the committee boat end whilst most of the fleet that ventured out, headed towards the pin and left up the first beat. CSC tacked off to the right and was dully covered by ReadyCrest. On the left, Ronstan and HSBC found pressure by the boat on the flyer was Phil Eltringham/Rachel Bennett who banged hard right and were not seen again once rounding the top mark maintaining a small lead. Watts/Rogers, Ronstan, HSBC and Dick Roe/Kate Dulieu chased hard with Watts/Rogers holding on for 2nd, Ronstan 3rd, Roe/Dulieu 4th and Davies/Robbins 5th.

ReadyCrest won the Inlands and the B14 2004 UK Circuit, Tom Pygall won the Crew's Union series by the narrowest of margins on 171.9 points compared to Jon Branch's 170.5 points. It has been a hard fought season with no one boat dominating and different boats winning each of the major events.

1 768 ReadyCrest Mark Barnes Tom Pygal Whitstable YC 4 1 2 1 7
2 741 CSC Chris Bines Dave Gibbons Brightlingsea SC 7 4 1 2 6
3 748 Mark Watts Tim Rogers Bristol Corinthian 12 5 8 5 2
4 GBR770 HSBC Simon Hadley Pete Nicholson Brightlingsea SC 12 3 6 3 10
5 771 Ronstan Rich Edwards Thijs Knapper Parkstone YC 12 7 5 4 3