Dinghy Racing: April 1st

Spring Weekend Series Sunday 4pm 17th May 2015 : Pursuit S Wind SW3-5

Beccy’s Breeze

There’s nothing that Beccy Kestin likes more than a good breeze in a 4.7 Laser on the Helford and to prove the point sat at the head of the Helford PY fleet the entire race. Sitting is perhaps not an accurate description of what Beccy does on her sleek craft as she uses all are her skill and agility to keep it upright and pointing in the right direction. Setting of with Beccy were the two other 4.7’s of Beks Hosking, and on his first race of the season, Sam Philpott. Sam made the correct rounding of the Leeward mark at Toll without his mainsheet wrapped around the Laser’s stern. Unfortunately the race camera’s battery had already expired and thus DO Andrew Hosking was unable to capture the tender moment. Steam rose as Beks pulled her sail out of the water and spent the rest of the race chasing down Sam’s superbly prepared hull.

Phil Samuel having mastered a good breeze the previous weekend was well prepared for the gusts in his Solo but despite a sail near double that of the 4.7 at 90 sq ft was unable to quite catch Beccy on her breeze-around. Always putting every ounce of effort into his racing, Andy Biggs can and did catch Kestin at the final can; had he stayed on the same tack, his full rigged laser might have worn Gold. Phil Philpott’s Blaze wasn’t wearing its Halo – possibly needed if Phil could have wrestled the larger 124sq ft rig round the circuit but had nearly made it to the Solo.

Then came a threesome of double handers. Anton in the Comet Trio and Ben Johns in a Feva, risking it without crew, but definitely not risking their spinnakers. Both valiantly made it all the way round to the back of the fleet – but stayed dry. Brooks wisely had a crew, the very trusting novice Vinod Ghantiwala, on his first ever sail & race and was promptly tipped in on the first gybe at Toll. Much to his credit Vinod calmly did whatever he was told and thanked his helm for the experience of racing – keenly observed from the rear of the fleet.

Results 1st R Kestin 2nd A Biggs 3rd Phil Samuel
Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs thanks all those in support of the fleet on the day

Safety Boat & Photography: A Hosking, N Glossop

150 sailors aged between 9 and 65+ competed in a two-day regatta at Helford River Sailing Club (HRSC) last weekend (14/15 July). Enjoying force 4 westerly winds, and with only one downpour, the event was part of the RYA Sail for Gold initiative which celebrates and supports the Team GBR sailors who are about to start their 2012 campaign.

Saturday’s racing involved three windward/leeward course races and one regatta course race for a fleet of Hunter 707 yachts and a Portsmouth Yardstick handicap fleet. Hunter 707 winner was Phil Samuel in Red Snapper, with Phil Badger in Wildebeest second and Ed Bolitho in Miss Moneypenny third. Winner of the handicap fleet was Chris Symes in Valkarie, with Andy Dennis in Orijin second and Miles Kirkby in Supergroove third.

On Sunday, there was a five-race series for two classes of dinghy – A handicap fleet and an RS Feva fleet – which formed part of the RYA OnBoard Cornwall Travellers Series. The competitors were joined by young sailors from St Mawes Sailing Club, Rock Sailing Club and Helford River Children’s Sailing Trust who learned to sail with RYA OnBoard, the scheme that introduces children of all backgrounds and abilities to sailing and windsurfing.

Elliot Wilkinson and Tristan Calverey from St Mawes Sailing Club won the Feva fleet, with Matt Chaplain and Laura Vinton from Rock Sailing Club in second place and Freddie and William Barnes from St Mawes in third. In the handicap fleet, Bob and Jack Warren from Restronguet Sailing Club were the winners, with Phil Samuel second and Adam Mason third.

In the third race, young Optimist sailors Sam Philpott & Finlay Walsh-Newton came through to finish first and second, and claimed the under-18s prize for the handicap fleet.

Phil Samuel was a medal winner on both days, taking gold on Saturday and silver on Sunday sailing his Laser. Claire Sharp was the first lady helm.

After Sunday’s racing, HRSC  laid on a cream tea for competitors, before the prize giving which involved an Olympic-style podium constructed by local carpenter/joiners Ollie Chamberlain and Ed Bolitho. Both men competed on both days of the regatta, even risking a bronze medal placing in Ed’s 707 Miss Moneypenny on Saturday, so they successfully put their craftsmanship to the test!

Mark Belshaw, RYA Regional Club Coach and OnBoard Development Officer, said: “HRSC has put a lot of effort in to make this a memorable event – a lot of people have worked very hard to make things work – especially the dinghy and yacht captains Beccy Kestin and Chris Symes. The event was really well supported and we had a great couple of days’ racing, with an Olympic theme to celebrate the 2012 games and support our team GBR sailors.”

RYA OnBoard is a grass roots programme which introduces sailing and windsurfing to young people aged 8 to 18, through schools, youth groups and training centres. For more information visit the OnBoard website www.ruob.co.uk.

To find out more about Sail for Gold programme visit www.rya.org.uk/sailforgold

Feva Class medal winners

Young […]