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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.
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: June 16th
Sunday 16th June Summer Weekend Series Southerly 4-6 Pursuit South East
Us Gp Tp Up ( Bp Cp Up )
McDonalds Meteorology
Culdrose forecast a southerly 20 – gusting 33 knots for Father’s day. Racers were greeted under Helford’s magnificently appointed clubhouse with complete calm on the water but low level clouds zipping past. Roger McDonald, connoisseur of fine winds on and above the Helford advised the heavier laser racers to set full sail. Out on the course the wind would blow from 0 to perhaps the odd brief tumble to 30knots from east to south and back again over 10 capsizing seconds.
Emily Broad wisely chose the smallest sail for her laser, set of first and stayed upright throughout the entire pursuit race to come second. Brooks and Biggs despite their full rigs languished in the doldrums of the narrows but then capsized at the first gust on the exit to Trebah thereafter never seriously threatening Emily’s lead.
McDonald & Beccy in RS400 took every advantage they could from a capricious wind, nailing first Brooks then Biggs on the first beat down river to Gew. Had the RS400 looked in their rear view mirror as they rounded Gew they would have been rewarded by the sight of Anton Chamberlain and son Ollie masterfully capturing on camera Biggs’ second capsize of the day and year.
It took somewhat longer for team McDonald to catch Emily’s small 4.7 sail before Bosahan, to head the fleet over the final stages.
Results:
1st Roger McDonald 2nd Emily Broad, 3rd Andy Biggs
Helm
Crew
Class
Name-No.
PY
HRSC Pursuit Time
Pos
After Hooter
Roger McDonald
Beccy Kestin
RS400
958
947
32.39
1
Emily Broad
Laser 4.7
173728
1180
21.00
2
Andy Biggs
Laser
138471
1087
25.39
3
Stephen Brooks
Laser
179651
1087
25.39
4
Anton Chamberlain
Ollie
Comet Trio
417
1085
25.45
Duty
Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs thanks all those supporting the fleet on the day
Safety cover: Anton Chamberlain, Ollie Chamberlain
Guest Photographer: Anton Chamberlain
HRSC Dinghy Regatta 7th July Results
A Humongous thank you to the entire team making this years regatta work and of course the racers themselves travelling all the way to the Lizard from Somers YC Melbourne AUS and indeed Port Navas YC CWL. A full report for download will be available soon.
Dinghy Results: July 25th
Thursday 25th July Summer Evening Series W-SW 7Kts Pursuit West Leisurely Pursuit
A diverse handicap fleet left HRSC Clubhouse foreshore in complete calm near the top of a high spring tide, then gently wafted by a following wind North towards the club Pursuit start line. Youth sailor Beks Hosking in Laser Pico was first of 15 minutes after Hooter on the long run to the mouth of the Helford. Nearly 20 minutes later & with every scrap of cloth flying the voracious RS400’s of Roger McDonald 1st and Phil Philpott 3rd began the successful chase of all but one of their quarry – Roger & Sam Philpott 2nd in Graduate.
Ed Hosken and Amy on their first solo outing of the season in similarly rated Byte and Laser 4.7 showed their upwind pace – when they could find wind but needed proportionately the vast sail areas of the double handers to get ahead.
Andrew Hosking and Chris Hosken chanced their spinnakers single handed sailing their Laser II’s whilst Brooks stayed coy in full rig Laser. Chris proved himself a capable Multitasker with his conventional spinnaker but Andrew’s speed of launching the less complicated asymmetric proved telling – despite a refreshing dipette mid channel.
Andy & Karen Biggs found & kept the wind in mid channel but were ultimately unable to resist the RS 400’s in the mêlée at the front of the fleet.
Results 1st Roger McDonald, 2nd Roger Philpott, 3rd Phil Philpott
Thursday 25th July Summer Evening Series W-SW 7Kts Pursuit West
T U V Q ( U V C ) All Marks to Port
Helm
Crew
Class
Name-No.
PY
HRSC Pursuit Time
Pos
After Hooter
Roger McDonald
Beccy Kestin
RS400
958
947
32.39
1
Roger Philpott
Sam
Graduate
1918
1141
22.57
2
Phil Philpott
Carrie Hoskins
RS400
766
947
32.39
3
Andy Biggs
Karen Biggs
Nat 12
3326
1104
24.48
4
Stephen Brooks
Laser
179651
1087
25.39
5
Andrew Hosking
Laser II
180
1035
28.15
6
Ed Hosken
Topper Byte
1462
1190
20.30
7
Chris Hosken
Laser II
9482
1035
28.15
8
Amy
Laser 4.7
Green
1180
21.00
9
Beks Hosking
Laser Pico
2660
1300
15.00
10
Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs thanks all those supporting the fleet on the day
Safety Boat Paul Greensmith & Rachel Brandreth
Photography Paul Greensmith