Seavolution comes good

Barnes and Nicholson win B14 racing at Stokes Bay

Thursday April 23rd 2009, Author: Mark Barnes, Location: United Kingdom
The B14 Flying Circus rocked up to Stokes Bay for a sunny light airs weekend. The fleet launched into a shifty northerly offshore breeze, which was to prove to be the president for the weekend.

Saturday, after a 30 minute delay, racing got underway on the inner course. There was to be several general recalls and the eventual black flag to bring the fleet to heal.

Throughout the day, racing was tight with little between hero or zero. In all bar one race the lead was to change many times with no one team consistently leading the pack. With such tight racing, it was to come down to positioning for mark roundings and set pieces that were going to decide who did or did not win.

With the scene set, battle royal commenced. Race 1, Axciom (Mark Emmett/Alan Stuart) led with Seavolution (Mark Barnes/Pete Nicholson) heading the pack only to finish a lap early due to a misunderstood signal from a rib. However, Team Gill (Nick Craig/Steve Dunn) spotted the discrepancy and took up the mantle. With the fleet chasing them, would they prevail. At the next leeward gate, Team Gill and Seavolution locked horns and took a couple of minutes to separate with Seavolution spinning. Simmons&Simmons (Mark Watts/George Morris) roared through to take the win from Axciom and Chattanooga Cho Cho (Dan Cowin/Ratchel Bennett) with the two protagonists following.

The rest of the day’s racing ran without incident. Team Sketch/North (Dave Hayes/Rich Bell) won two races but faded in the other two. So overnight it was Seavolution from Team Gill and Simmons&Simmons.

Day 2 and more of the same but this time on the outer course and racing getting away on time. However Simmons&Simmons would participate no further due to illness.

Seavolution picked up where they left off the previous day with a win in race 5 but had a very hard fought battle with the Anthill Mob (Tim Harrison/Jonny Radcliffe) and Axciom.

Race 6 and this was to see the front runners, giving it all, right into the last mark with no clear leader. All the main protagonists converged on the mark with Seavolution coming in from the left on the inside track and Team Gill gybing in from the right close to the buoy. Seavolution called starboard and as the fleet entered three boatlengths called for water. Gybing through with kite into the lead, set off for the finish with Axciom and Dynamic Sails (Dave Dobrijevic/Phil Eltringham) while Team Gill and Team Sketch/North dropped kites and two sailed. With pressure increasing, the latter group prevailed and the kite teams reversed positions on the short reach to the finish.

Race 7 and with such close racing, who would come out on top was anyone’s guess. Chattanooga Cho Cho and Dynamic Sails took up the mantle. However, the race was to become a real snakes and ladders with the win going to Dynamic Sails followed by Team Gill and Team Sketch/North.

With the scene set, four teams - Anthill Mob, Seavolution, Team Gill and Team Sketch/North - could win. No quarter was to be given and the race was to be tight.

Seavolution led at the windward mark but the Anthill Mob got the better of them on the first run with Team Gill closing fast. Over the next lap, Team Sketch/North and Dynamic Sails came into the mix. With Seavolution and Team Gill’s pace slipping, all could be opened up but they boxed their corners. Going into the last mark the Anthill Mob led by 50m from Seavolution and Team Gill just holding off Dynamic Sails and Team Sketch/North. With no place changes going into the finish, Seavolution had done just enough to hold off Team Gill and the Anthill Mob to take the overall win.

With such close racing and the Nationals a month away, it is becoming evident that there are at least six teams able to take the crown. So who will get the jump and if so, what will the conditions throw at us in Plymouth. Only time will tell but it will probably go to the wire.

A hard fought event with some great performances from the new teams. A well run event both afloat and ashore.

Results:
 
Pos Team Helm Crew R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 Tot Net
1 Seavolution Barnes Nicholson -5 1 4 2 1 5 4 2 24 19
2 Team Gill Craig Dunn 4 2 -6 4 5 1 2 3 27 21
3 Anthill Mob Harrison Ratcliffe -13 3 2 3 2 6 5 1 35 22
4 Team Sketch/North Hayes Bell -13 7 1 1 4 2 3 5 36 23
5 Dynamic Sails Dobrijevic Eltringham -13 5 5 6 6 4 1 4 44 31
6 Axciom Emmett Stuart 2 6 -8 7 3 3 6 6 41 33
7 Chattanooga Cho Cho Cowin  Bennett 3 -8 3 8 7 7 8 7 51 43
8 Simmons&Simmons Watts Morris 1 4 7 5 -13 13 13 13 69 56
9 Bluebird Triffitt Simon -13 9 11 9 8 8 9 8 75 62
10 Team Allen Willard Holland -13 11 12 11 10 9 7 10 83 70
11 Mean machine 00 Price Storer -13 10 9 10 9 11 13 13 88 75
12 Crimson Haybailer Walter Thompson -13 12 10 12 13 10 13 9 92 79

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