New DK46 wins on first outing

Eddie Mays reports on the HRSC Charity Pursuit race

This year the Charity Pursuit race attracted support from 93 of the boats competing in the main Winter Series. The dismal weather on the race day deterred some of the crews but for the 58 boats that came to the start line it was worth the effort.

With the wind blowing down the Solent from the Nab Race Officer Bill Oakley set a mainly windward / leeward style course. His efforts to get everyone finishing at the same time were thwarted by the tide changing direction earlier than expected and a wind that died and left the smaller boats struggling. So much so that Richard Coppin, sailing his Sonata Fat Hen, was first away at 10:00 and last to finish at 13:43 whilst the winner, Mr. M. Greville in his DK 46 Erivale started two minutes ahead of the Volvo RYA team on Atomic at 10:48 and finished at 12:43, three minutes after the planned finishing time of 12:40.

Arcona Yachts generously provided the prizes at Hamble River later in the afternoon and a Charity Auction hosted by the Commodore, Ross Elliston, followed this. A packed clubhouse thoroughly enjoyed the proceedings and added another £625 to the over £2,000 already received in donations and entry fees. The cheques from this race will be distributed between the three Charities; the Hamble Inshore Rescue, the John Merricks Sailing Trust and Sail4Cancer at the main Series prize-giving in mid-December

Results:

	Handicap Division
1 st	Erivale	DK 46	Mr. M. Greville
2 nd	Atomic	Europrix 45	Volvo / RYA Team
3 rd	Tarka	Beneteau 40.7	Nick Jones
4 th	Arc de Mer	Arcona 400	Tony Bottomley
5 th	Fever	Swan 45	Klaus Diederichs & Grant Gordon
6 th	McFly	Swan 45	Tony Mack
	Sportsboat Division
1 st	Black Sheep	Hunter 707	James Ross
2 nd	Surfeit	Hunter 707	Michael Foster
3 rd	Moonshine	Mumm 30	Jack Kelly

Erivale, the new DK46