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Dinghy Racing: June 14th
Spring Weekend Series Sunday 14th June 2015 : Pursuit North N-NW 3-4
Matt’s Double First
Perfect racing conditions allowed a good laser fleet to closely race in Sunday’s Pursuit. There are four laser classes with representatives in each at Helford. Setting of first was under 18’s Beks Hosking and Sam Philpot in 4.7s, the smallest rigged of the Laser class, relentlessly battled it out with each other throughout, but a tad underpowered for the day being caught by everyone except their parents.
Had Beks & Sam powered up with the larger Radial rigs of Matt Broad and Beccy Kestin, then the entire parent and senior’s fleet would have been routed by the Junior section. Matt & Beccy gave each other no quarter and fought to the head of the fleet where they stayed for the best part of the race – only seriously threatened at the final mark by Roger McDonald – otherwise distracted by extraordinarily interesting varieties of seaweed wrapped around his foils.
Starting at the pace of a Broccoli planter, team Hosken & Hosking were a little late to the line in their Laser 2 ; occasionally able to show their potential with spinnaker hoisted on the shifty reach’s; not enough consistent wind for the trapeze artist Chris to get parallel in his harness.
Biggs and Brooks went a toing and froing with each other, McD teasingly wandering into and out of their sights as they fell into the Doldrums especially around the melee at Voose. Beaming parents Chris & Emma Broad in Safety boat were delighted to see Matt cross the line to take a double first – Overall and of the Juniors
Results
Overall: 1st M Broad, 2nd R Kestin, 3rd R McDonald,
Juniors: 1st M Broad, 2nd R Hosking, 3rd S Philpott.
Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs thanks all those in support of the fleet on the day
Safety Boat & Photography: Chris & Emma Broad
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Dinghy Regatta: July 11th
HRSC 67th Dinghy Regatta 2015 Saturday 11th July Wind WSW 4-6
67th Helford Regatta
Helford’s Senior racers were as delighted with the performance of their Junior section, as the Juniors themselves. In the combined Youth & Senior fleets, Youth Laser 4.7 sailors Olly Chamberlain and Beks Hosking relieved the seniors of their two largest pieces of silverware; Phil Philpot left content with a Bronze for his Blaze.
Race organiser Andy Biggs had been promised a breezy days sailing all week by Culdrose, and he wasn’t disappointed with an average of 12 knots and double again in the gusts. Four racers and three generations of the Philpott family were out on the water, proving dinghy sailing is for all ages, taking prizes in youth, senior and overall categories.
There were thrills and multiple spills for most, yet peri octogenarian, Grandfather Dave Philpott kept his immaculate middle aged wooden Solo upright and raced all five races with panache – to the envy of everyone. Phil Samuel had a promising morning with a modern Solo, and with 3 good races under his belt had rightly every expectation of a podium finish had not Aeolus tripped him up. Getting the Solo out of an inversion & going again is an exhausting exercise, given a cockpit as large as a double bath.
With room to bath a rugby scrum, three conventional double handers out racing would try at all costs to avoid capsize.
Roger Philpott and his young crew Gabriel in a Graduate were holding nicely to middle orders; nevertheless it was too gusty for their large sail area and retired. Team Kestin & McDonald on a second outing racing Beccy’s Wayfarer decided there was no profit to be had flying a big yellow kite on the short downwind course and shorter reaches; a wise choice as they stayed dryish and medalled. Anton Chamberlain’s Comet Trio needed a crew and reef both, which he finally got after lunch, when a brave Jack Lawrence joined him after abandoning an exhausting wrestle with his over powered Laser in the morning. Jack gave the Comet just the edge needed in the battle royal that had being going on all day with Andrew Hosking’s Laser. Just as Andrew was really showing superiority over Brooks and Anton in the stiffer winds of the afternoon, he threw it all away with a moment’s indiscretion on the penultimate gybe.
Chris Hosken boldly went where he had never been before, into an RS Vareo, and probably wished he hadn’t on this particular day, but made sure he gave it a wash – in fact several – out of gratitude to Tom Smith, its owner.
Phil Philpott’s Blaze, a veritable aquatic version of his Ducati, roared ahead of the fleet, yet did on occasion, skid on gravel around the leeward bend; there being no ABS on the big red beautiful beast, still at least the landing was soft.
In the first race Phil’s nephew Sam was third in a 1, 2, 3 triumvirate of youth Laser 4.7’s. For the first 3 races it was Olly Chamberlain […]
Dinghy Racing: September 20th
Summer Weekend Series Sunday 20th September 2015: Triangular Ave Lap DCX Wind S2-4
At sunrise on Sunday, you could hear the bark of a dog across the river at Helford, but not see the village in the quiet Autumnal mist filling the valley. Knowing the river and putting his faith in the Met Office – Race Officer Andy Biggs had wisely chosen a 10.30am race start for Bart’s Bash – collectively the world’s largest charity fundraising event involving 62 countries & near 10,000 participants. See bartsbash.com
After a slow procession on the ebbing tide out to the course a gentle breeze greeted arrivals for the start of the first race; Phil Philpott expertly scooping up most of it with a large rigged Blaze – the Halo.
Refreshed from his holiday, Phil Samuel put in a fine performance in the Solo, leading a threesome behind the Blaze & coming 1 tiny second behind the Halo for a second. Andrew Hosking deployed his Laser Two’s spinnaker on the dogleg back to Durgan from Central, keeping ahead of Brooks in the Laser, but the legs were too short as the wind increased, and there was always the risk of a downhaul tangle for which his rival would show no mercy and came 4th.
Dominic Brandreth on his first competition racing a venerable laser showed promise keeping touch in the early laps with youth racers Beks Hosking and Matt Broad in Laser Radials and Dave Philpott in another Solo; holes in the wind were very unforgiving leaving the rearguard well of the pace.
The second race proved a much closer affair in a freshening breeze with all racers improving upon their individual handicap performances.
Phil Philpott’s first tack to Central was slower going east than those going west, but by the time he got to the end of the lap he knew where he wanted to go, and like a metronome produced 7 & under minute laps for the remainder.
Dave Philpott had an inspired second race giving his 15 years the junior sexagenarian Solo rival the tightest race yet. Both crossed the line in the same second on the first lap, Phil ahead by 1 second on the next and by hardly a boat length on the final lap to take third.
Andrew Hosking, discarding his spinnaker, did what he likes doing best and beat Brooks in the final lap for a fourth place; the two continuing to race back to the clubhouse. Beks Hosking kept pace with the similarly handicapped Solos and ahead of Matt Broad for the first two laps, but the wind evaporated for her in the final. In the rear gunner’s seat, Dom Brandreth continued making progress, knocking a good 2 minutes from his earlier lap times and stayed dry & observant.
Results:
Race 1 1st P Philpott, 2nd P Samuel, 3rd S Brooks
Race 2 1st P Philpott, 2nd P Samuel, 3rd D Philpott
Captain Dinghies: Andy Biggs thanks all those in support of the fleet on the day
Committee: Andy, […]
Dinghy Racing: June 28th
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
Dinghy Racing: June 25th
Spring Evening Laser Plate Mini Series 1 of 3 Thursday 25th June : Olympic TSL, Wind SSW 3-4
Laser Plate Race 1
Veteran race officer Phil Samuel tasked his stewards with forming an old style Olympic Triangle course in a breeze that blew variously south to north, if not at all on Thursday
Hugo the Hugonaut – so called for his nautical adventures, took the opportunity at Helford’s 2015 Laser Plate miniseries to reprise his performance as a youthful Laser racer on the opposite side of the Channel some 17 years past. When it comes to beating his relation McD, on his own turf, it would not be a piece of cake; so it proved in a fluky evening’s breeze on Thursday.
Our garrulous Gallic guest took great care of Ginnie Sykes sleek Black craft, but of Hugo’s disarming chatter, it was wise to ignore as he scampered after McD; leaving all else behind. Biggsey was performing in fine style as he dinged his way about the Radials to finish fourth behind the Hugonaut.
Of the Juniors, Harry Broad eventually led the radials of his brother Matt Broad, Ben Johns, and Beks Hosking – with only1½ minutes separating them all after near an hour’s close racing. Despite his best efforts, Sam Philpott couldn’t go any faster than his 4.7 would let him. Sam’ s Uncle, Phil, had only got one sail, the right, one and gradually moved up to middle orders.
Beccy Kestin was the distant beacon to which the Radial racers aspired as she increased her lead to near 1½ minutes by the finish of this class. At the final accounting McD led by 22 seconds per lap over Beccy and 27 seconds over Hugo to win overall the first stage of 3.
Results
Overall 1st R McDonald, 2nd R Kestin, 3rd le Hugonaut
Juniors 1st H Broad, 2nd M Broad, 3rd B Johns
Laser Fleet 1st R McDonald, 2nd le Hugonaut, 3rd A Biggs
Radial Fleet 1st R Kestin, 2nd H Broad, 3rd M Broad
Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs thanks all those in support of the fleet on the day
Committee & Safety: Phil Samuel, Andrew Hosking, Chris Broad.