Breezy Summer Holidays

Spring Weekend Series Sunday 28th June 2015 : Pursuit SW, Wind S-W 4-6 

In Pursuit of Happiness

Andy Biggs had a huge grin on his face as he had been just been thrashed by the 4.7s, and taken part in one of Helford’s best pursuit races of the season. Deciding his relative – the garrulous Gallic Hugonaut – should have a good workout before Sunday lunch, race officer Roger McDonald set a course that ran and reached in the odd 25+knot shifty gusts down river; strained sinew and shrouds on the gallop upriver.

First off, Beccy Kestin and Beks Hosking popped out of the Narrows in their 4.7’s planeing downwind in the big gusts; by the time they both rounded Toll Beccy was clearly well ahead. It wasn’t until a gust caught Beccy between Committee & Toll turtling the 4.7 that young Beks Hosking finally pounced and stayed at the head of fleet with Beccy snapping at her ankles to the end of the race for their 1-2.

A little stumble at the first hurdle and our chatty Hugonaut chum slipped to the back of the Laser queue; where, despite huge efforts, his loaned Laser scooped up water as if a Canadair. This flightless canard however was for sinking – and came last; not by much as the entire fleet were within seconds of each other.

So it was for the remaining Lasers to wait for the slightest error or favourable gust to gain advantage. Phil Philpott’s slowish start on his third Laser outing soon turned into a display of confident seamanship; the throttle opened 110% when Biggsey cuffed Central and turned a 360 penalty into a pirouette.  

Team Hosking & Brooks were out on their first date. Despite loose head prop Brook’s fight with the wet spaghetti in the front of the Laser 2 there was enough ballast & brains in the rear to hold the craft flat on the long beats and upright on the reaches to tease a third within seconds of the finish.   

Results 1st R Hosking, 2nd R Kestin, 3rd A Hosking

Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs thanks all those in support of the fleet on the day

Safety Boat: R McDonald

Summer Evening Series Thursday 16th July : Ave Lap, Wind SSE2-3

An Evening Nap

There was about half the southerly wind forecast on the river so the fleet did not so much gallop as plod around an otherwise perfect course for the conditions laid out by Matt & Emma Broad – their first Average Lap PY race; ably assisted by Karen Biggs – veteran of   the scoreboard.

In the first race a proportion of the cortège prematurely slunk across the line – Andy Biggs Spars entangling with another forcing a penalty and came 8th. The Juniors were of as if tadpoles swimming in jelly, yet all bar Matt Broad suffered prolonged periods of enforced lassitude generally ascribed to the front of the fleet that had wind and the back which didn’t.

Team Kestin & McDonald’s citrus yellow spinnaker eventually filled but did not fulfil its usual promise as a bemused laser wafted curiously in tandem, until a little extra puff finally sent the lemon leopard languidly ahead to come second to the Lasers third.

In the second race: emerging rested from under the duvet in the king sized cockpit of his Blaze Phil, Philpott sped again to the head of the fleet; this time came 2nd. Young Beks Hosking saw of the challenge from both Andy & arch rival Matt to come third. Brooks had a late start, caught up with the radials and then went left at the windward mark whilst the rest of the fleet went right & came last. Dave Philpott had a consistently solid PY performance in both races and saw his grandson Sam in a 4.7 halve the margin to PN with a much improved 2nd race. Similarly, Ben Johns finding himself in a boat that could float had a much better 2nd race. Team McDonald & Kestin were in fine form – this time with Beccy trimming the spinnaker, and whilst not exactly zooming, glided to a good minute ahead of their closest threat – the Blaze. Saddle sore from 5 hours tending the HRCST Inter Schools Regatta and HRSC evening race, Andrew Hosking with equanimity, dutifully towed most of the smaller sailed dinghies home.

Results
Overall
1st R Kestin & R McDonald, 2nd M Broad, 3rd P Philpott 4th R Hosking
Juniors
1st M Broad. 2nd Beks Hosking, 3rd B Johns, 4th S Philpott

Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs thanks all those in support of the fleet on the day
Committee: Chris & Emma Broad, Karen Hemsley-Biggs
Safety Boat: Andrew Hosking

RACE REPORT 22 06 2017

The May Family Cup Race Report 2017

The May family & friends thanks HRSC for a wonderful, fun afternoon’s Dinghy sailing in celebration of holidays past and present.