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Dinghy Racing: July 19th
Summer Weekend Series Sunday 19th July : Pursuit, Wind SW3-4
Soothing Pursuits
A light to moderate south-westerly breeze with an occasional big gust made for lively sailing. Three Juniors in Laser Radials started together, chased a minute later by Andy & Karen Biggs in their N12. Ben Johns & Matt Broad went a toing and froing down the long run-reach to the mouth of the river until Matt pulled away on the beat back up to Trebah, in his own pursuit of the N12 which had just passed the trio off Grebe.
Starting exactly 7 minutes after the Radials in his Halo, Phil Philpott used his knowledge of the river’s flows & where its rocks were to keep out of the fully ebbing tide, hugging the shore whenever he could.
With the intention of getting the Laser 2 flat on the beat or the reach with spinnaker, Andrew Hosking boldly wore his trapeze harness, although for the most part there wasn’t quite enough puff to be tempted out on the wire. Trailing Ben Johns and Beks Hosking on the last run to Committee Andrew had his prayers answered & got the gust he had wanted all day. Cleating the mainsheet and sliding to the transom, Andrew got the hull near half out of the water, yet could steer and work the spinnaker guys for a 250 yard dash past Ben to his daughter in her Radial.
An unflappable Katie Sykes making a welcome return to the river, kept her photographer dry and the Rescue RIB steady enabling a video of Andrew’s meteoric progress to be made.
In stiffer winds on the final beat to Central, Beks rewarded her father’s earlier impertinence by nipping past him at the very finish.
Towards the front of those queuing in the hunt for Biggsey, Matt was still gamely hiking out as hard as he could but did not have the sail area to get closer to the see-sawing bath in British racing green. The Halo on the other hand did have enough cloth but not quite enough gusts to close a 10 second gap at the final mark.
Results
Overall 1st A&K Biggs, 2nd PJ Philpott, 3rd M Broad
Juniors 1st M Broad, 2nd R Hosking, 3rd B Johns
Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs thanks all those in support of the fleet on the day
Safety Boat: Phil Samuel & Andrew Hosking, Chris Broad.
http://helfordriversc.co.uk/wp-content/movies/00001.m4v
Andrew Hosking is soloing his Laser 2 and catches a good gust on a broad reach to catch Ben Johns and Beks his daughter – watch her pony tail go back and forth in as lantern jawed Beks realises her father will catch her Radial Laser. Andrew was unable to maintain the momentum being pipped by Beks at the finish.
