More big breeze

Another windy day at the International 14 PoW week

Today began with a bright sky across a beautiful bay, but rumours were starting. “May get up to the 14 limit”. At the 10:50 briefing there were promises of 16-17 knots, with seaward reports of 25 knots in the gusts, and a bit more from the met office. Tally was opened and the 14’s filed down to the beach. The “Classics” chivalrously abandoned their race to help launch the boats out through the rocky entrance.

With the west north-west breeze, the long channel swell had switched to an impressive chop and the windward mark was tucked up under the Penzance, perfectly placed in a persistent puff. The start sequence got away after a short delay to resecure the gybe mark. A couple of port tack starters livened up the line, but all got away cleanly, leaving the discussion to the bar.

Despite the conditions – committee boat reports late teens and yes, 25 in the puffs, club house claim 38 knots, but surely over-reads – there was nip and tuck all the way up the beat, with Alister Richardson and Dan Johnson just clinching the top mark lead from the PoW victors, Mike Lennon and John McKenna. Jarrod Simpson and Tim Paull, Geoff Carveth and Adrian Murphy followed, preparing for the spacer and bear away. As the leaders rounded, you could feel the fleet and the shore crowd drawing breath as the mains went out for the bear away. Nothing, no carnage and quickly away, twin wiring in the big breeze, boats launching themselves over, through and across the chop.

Downwind, produced more aggressive sailing between the leaders – with Geoff and Adrian challenging the Alister and Dan and Mike and John combo at the front as the race unfolded. Whilst there were reports of close racing at the front, there was plenty of action through the whole fleet, before the conditions slowly took their toll.

With the race shortened after the fourth lap, Alister and Dan took the gun, shortly followed by Mike and John. Julian Pearson and Louise Hickey came through in third place, having recovered from an earlier twin-wire downwind episode, beating Jarrod and Tim into fourth, Martin and Robin Pascali in fifth, Charlie Tavner and Ed Clay in sixth, then James Fawcett and Dave Dobrijevic finishing with a two piece centre board, Geoff and Adrian in eigth after a pitstop to rebuild a main halyard and Mark Upton Brown and Damian Ash in ninth, nursing a nose down rudder setting all around the course. Thanks to all for a great day’s sailing.

All set for a two race day tomorrow to decide the week’s overall standing.

Results so far:

1-Alister Richardson and Dan Johnson 8pts
2-Mike Lennon and John Mckenna 9pts
3-James Fawcett and Dave Dobrijevic 16pts
4-Jarrod Simpson and Tim Paull 24pts
5-Charlie Tavner and Ed Clay 25pts

More pictures on the following pages