This year’s Tollesbury SC GP14 Open was another success. After a wait for enough tide to launch, people seemed really keen to get going, so much so that half the fleet was over the line at the start, resulting in a general recall. The re-start was clean and Richard Lord took the honours. For the second race, Tollesbury dinghy captain Rik Alewijnse got the port tack start of his life, getting ahead at the pin end buoy and leading the beat to the first mark. Unfortunately his crew reckons that spinnakers are more trouble than they are worth, so they soon slipped back to their customary place near the back of the fleet as kites blossomed all around. Race 1’s results were reversed, with Steve Cooper first across the line.
Ray Apthorp refused to let Rik get away with the same trick at the start of the third race, forcing him on to the pin end buoy to take a 720° penalty. Richard Ham took line honours, so we had three different winners for each of the three races, but Richard Ham just edged Richard Lord for the overall win on count back. The first time Richard Lord has been beaten in this race since the first Tollesbury GP14 Open in 2006.
George Rogers won the Saltmarsh shield for first Tollesbury boat as we don’t give one person two prizes; what’s more, Richard Ham’s crew Jack Hardie is a Frensham Pond sailor. Helen Allen too first lady helm and Sarah Porter first Series 1. The full results are available from the link below:
Many thanks to Derek Burchell – the Race Officer for the day and to all the rescue boat crews who had to resort to eating muffins and Danish pastries as none of the competitors decided to trouble them for help!
