Truswell and Turner crowned

As Merlin Rocket Nationals come to a close in Whitstable

Day 6 of the Shepherd Neame Merlin Rocket Nationals in Whitstable Bay, had a corker of a breeze, 18-20 knots form the west, ebb tide running east and short chop. The racing was to go down to the wire and as they say, it’s not over till its over.

With one point separating 3626 (Glenn Truswell/Olly Turner) and 3703 (Richard Whitworth/Sally Townend), it was going to a case of what tactics would be used at the start and up the first beat. This one was to go to the wire and would not be over till its over. With the wind coming for the west, the seas were the classic Whitstable short chop with easterly ebb tide.

So with a steady force 4 gusting 5, the fleet launched to see who would be crowned king. With rigs raked, the fleet showed that it was game on and charged up the first beat with 3703 leading both the race and championship, led from 3684 (Andy Davis/Ellie Bremner) and 3662 (David Winder/Pippa Taylor) with 3626 in a close 5th.

Downwind 3703 dominated till close to the leeward mark the stuffed the bow in and capsized. Recovering to 23rd at the next windward mark, they had their work cut out to retrieve the situation especially as 3626 was now in 4th.

3684 now led from 3626, 3701 (Tom Stewart/Liam Dempsey and 3662 who broke their boom during the next round.

Over the next rounds the Pirates 3685 (Willie Warren/Chris Robinson) moved into second passing 3626 with 3703 fast closing but would it be enough to see them catch and pass 3626. As the race was closing out, the Fat Lady was getting ready to sing but could 3626 hold on or would 3703 pass them and put one boat between themselves and 3626. Alas it was not to be. 3703 gave a master class on how to retrieve the situation by recovering to 6th on the water, but it was not enough. With 3684 coming home first and bringing the racing to an end, 3685 followed in second with 3626, 3712 (John Gorringe/Peter Horn) and 3704 (Chris Lewns/Tom Pygall) close astern.

3626 was crowned the national champions, having sailed in a varied set of breezes and putting an exemplary series together, but being pushed all the way by 3703. The race management was faultless and all competitors went away with a prize thanks to the generosity of the sponsors.

Results:

Pos	Helm	Crew	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Tot	Net
1	Glen Truswell	Olly Turner	3	1	1	-6	2	3	16	10
2	Richard Whitworth	Sally Townend	2	-7	2	3	1	6	21	14
3	Andy Davis	Ellie Bremer	-6	2	6	1	5	1	21	15
4	Mike Calvert	Christopher Downham	5	5	4	4	4	-7	29	22
5	Tom Stewart	Liam Dempsey	4	3	3	7	6	-9	32	23
6	Jon Gorringe	Peter Horn	9	8	-15	2	9	4	47	32
7	Chris Lewns	Tom Pygall	11	4	-12	8	12	5	52	40
8	William Warren	Chris Robinson	7	9	7	-59	17	2	101	42
9	Simon Blake	Phil Dalby	8	10	11	-13	8	8	58	45
10	David Winder	Pippa Taylor	10	11	5	5	15	-59	105	46
11	Matt Biggs	Rob Kennaugh	1	6	8	-59	20	15	109	50
12	Steve Goacher	Andy Tunnicliffe	13	-27	21	9	3	10	83	56
13	Pat Blake	Jill Blake	-18	17	10	10	11	12	78	60
14	Will Rainey	Kelly Miller	14	-21	17	14	10	11	87	66
15	Dan Parsons	Hamish Kilburn	19	15	14	11	-21	13	93	72
16	Phil Emery	Sophie Mackley	22	-26	19	15	16	17	115	89
17	Alan Warren	James Warren	15	-28	20	17	18	21	119	91
18	Dan Alsop	Jennie King	21	12	16	18	25	-26	118	92
19	Ross Jackson	Dave Reid	24	16	9	-59	26	18	152	93
20	Graham Scroggie	Ben Scroggie	25	25	23	-59	7	14	153	94
21	Laurence Tosh	TBC	26	-34	27	12	13	24	136	102
22	John Cooper	Hilary Bradshaw	28	23	18	16	22	-59	166	107
23	Richard Dee	Phil Scott	27	-45	32	25	14	20	163	118
24	John Bell	Duncan Bell	17	-39	24	20	37	23	160	121
25	David Charlton	Celia Charlton	23	22	25	-59	29	22	180	121
26	Andy Bines	Derick Gentry	29	24	-34	21	23	27	158	124
27	Julian Parry	Liese Scott	12	14	13	-59	27	59	184	125
28	Andy Dalby	Fran Gifford	20	13	22	-59	59	19	192	133
29	Matthew Winder	Callum MacKenzie	-35	18	28	27	33	29	170	135
30	Rien Zilvold	Julie Nuttall	33	19	31	-59	30	25	197	138
31	Tom Chadfield	Andy Chadfield	-47	44	29	19	19	28	186	139
32	Alex Jackson	Ben Hollis	16	-59	26	59	24	16	200	141
33	Craig Bond	Jayne Bond	34	38	38	-59	32	31	232	173
34	David Proctor	Ed Lowe	30	37	46	23	-59	41	236	177
35	Richard Page	Lizzy Page	38	47	36	22	35	-59	237	178
36	Kevin Anderson	Sadie Anderson	41	40	-50	26	36	35	228	178
37	Steve Mitchell	Liz North	43	20	37	-59	43	38	240	181
38	Bob O'Toole	Suzie Bell	36	41	53	24	28	-59	241	182
39	Rod Porteous	Maureen Porteous	31	49	30	-59	39	37	245	186
40	Mike Anslow	Chris Winters	32	33	-59	59	38	30	251	192
41	Jane Seymour	Christopher Seymour	42	29	43	-59	44	36	253	194
42	Richard Davis	Olivia Bell	44	43	45	-59	31	40	262	203
43	Paul Aldridge	Melissa Sorrell	40	42	33	-59	59	32	265	206
44	Chris Martin	Tom Holland	39	32	35	-59	59	59	283	224
45	Alan Jackson	Lorna Laval	37	36	40	-59	59	59	290	231
46	Ben Archer	Chris O'Toole	48	35	56	-59	59	34	291	232
47	Richard Bramley	Joanna Marlow	51	56	48	-59	34	43	291	232
48	Marcus Robb	Graham Webb	52	54	49	-59	40	39	293	234
49	Nolan Forwood	Will Lowes	-59	46	39	59	59	33	295	236
50	Jack Kilburn	Paul Smith	45	30	44	-59	59	59	296	237
51	Andy Hay	Caroline Hay	46	50	42	-59	59	42	298	239
52	Charles Devenport	Elaine Aldis	-59	31	41	59	59	59	308	249
53	Mike Partridge	Claire Davis	-59	51	54	59	42	45	310	251
54	Jon Wood	Heather Wood	49	48	52	-59	59	44	311	252
55	Jonathan Steward	Nick Yannakoyorgos	50	52	55	-59	41	59	316	257
56	Robert Heath	Mike Hendy	53	55	51	-59	59	46	323	264
57	Stuart Gurney	Donna Rouse	-59	53	47	59	59	59	336	277
58	Tomos Bowen-Perkins	TBA	-59	59	59	59	59	59	354	295

Holt Plate in Association with North One Design
Chipstow Race Day

By no means a side show, though 3666 (Dan Parsons/Hamish Kilburn) had won the Holt Plate with a day to spare and so take home the coveted first prize token from Chipstow Boats, the dynamics of the minor podium places was to close to call.

So gong into the last race, who would rise to occasion and who would capitulate. With two local boats in the hunt there was to be an interesting side show.

From the start, 3700 (Phil Emery/Sophie Mackey) were to get the bit between their teeth and make a last charge to secure 2nd from 3650 (Laurence Tosh/Crew) who slipped to third overall.

So to the prize giving and every competitor was to leave with a prize, a first for the Merlin Nationals and made possible due to the generosity of the race day and main sponsors.

Next year’s Nationals are in August in Penzance with big seas and hopefully similar conditions to this year.

The big question is, will Glenn/Olly, though buying an International 14 for next year, be back to defend the title they have spent so long trying to win. One that many will be hoping is a yes.

More photos on the following pages...