Dinghy Racing: June 21st

ByJeff

Spring Weekend Series Sunday 21st June 2015 : Linestart NW, Wind 4-5

Beccy Bests the Bunch

Walking and talking the dogs at 5am, is how Laser specialist Beccy Kestin starts her preparation on race days, and gets in two Sunday breakfasts before the farmers. To give the reader some indication of what Beccy does to win her races, do a search on You Tube for Hiking Tips from GB’s Nick Thompson 2016 Olympic hopeful or click here

youtube.com/watch?v=1fKYrWw6UNE

Race Officers Beks Hosking & Jim Lea set a superb course with a huge beat West up river that would test or rather remind racers they had abs and quads and needed to use them. Starting in the middle of the river off Grebe, the handicap fleet ran out of wind near the committee boat; on the opposite side 50 yards away Brooks was on a planeing reach to the Pin, but couldn’t quite make out the numbers on his stopwatch. Phil Philpott new exactly where and when he was going in the Blaze and the rest of the fleet followed, although Andrew Hosking did take pause to reconsider his options – twice – and came last.

Bionic man Andy Biggs knows how to keep a Laser flat, swapping the lead with a glistening Blaze in the unpredictable wind of the first Lap to eventually to come second. Phil Samuel a former exponent of the physical Laser seemed effortlessly to guide his Solo about the course but was denied a podium position by just one fine second.

With the wind shifting in the Blazes favour for the remaining laps Philpott together with Biggs stretched their lead, but were trumped by Beccy’s 4.7 at the final accounting

Results 1st R Kestin, 2nd A Biggs 3rd S Brooks

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

Committee: R Hosking & J Lea

21-06-2015

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Dinghy Racing: May 28th

Dinghy Racing: May 28th

ByJeff

Spring Evening Series Thursday 28th May 2015 : Linestart W, Wind 3-5

Turtles on the Helford

Three generations and four members of the Philpott family, together with 5 of their current and former racing dinghies were out on the River in brilliant sunshine.  In an otherwise flawless performance an uncharacteristic turning turtle on the Gybe before the committee probably denied Beks Hosking a podium position in Thursday’s Gusty conditions. Beks was leading her fellow youth & 4.7 sailor Sam Philpott, himself only 10 seconds behind Andy Biggs at third.

Phil Philpott made a wise choice in the slightly smaller Blaze rig but could not get sufficiently far ahead of an inspired Phil Samuel’s Solo, leaving ¾’s of a minute in hand by the finish in Dave Philpott’s former craft. There’s probably no better recommendation if purchasing a second hand boat to go racing, than if it comes direct from, & fully race prepared by the Philpott family. Ben John’s first outing in his recently acquired Laser was not to be as he had hoped, poorly repaired by previous owners the craft leaked like a sieve and was retired.

On its second outing, Dave’s OK – the next biggest rig out for the evening, proved a little too powerful for the fluky conditions, and was retired early after an inversion. Roger Philpot racing for the first time this season in his brothers restored vintage Laser sailed a conservative race; wisely chose a full wetsuit which came into full splendid much appreciated by spectators at the Clubhouse.

Results 1st P Samuel. 2nd P Philpott 3rd A Biggs

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

Safety Boat:

Zodiac: Chris Hosken & Andrew Hosking

FunYak: Nick Glossop & Ed Hosken

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Dinghy Racing: September 20th

ByJeff

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 Regatta & Laser Open Report 2017

Dinghy Regatta & Laser Open Report 2017

ByStephen Brooks

A Huge thank you to all who made this happen!

From the youngest racer  11yr 7mo to the eldest in his 81st year

From Committee to Stewards and Catering who gave our visitors the very best of welcomes

Our Safety & Mark moving crews – & especially Tony Marsland  recovering in Hospital

The Committee Boat & vast quantities of Hot Dogs kindly provided and cooked by  John Bolitho and of course the gentle tutelage and guidance  given to the  Race Committee under Tom Smith & Steve Kestin

HRSC Dinghy Regatta Report 2017

Dinghy Racing: October 4th

Dinghy Racing: October 4th

ByJeff

Autumn Weekend Series Sunday 4th October 2015: SE Linestart Wind SE 4-6

Lazerette Lashing

Nick Glossop – ably assisted by a sleepy-eyed Ben Johns, rose to the challenge for his first Helford Race Officer duty, competently setting a delightful beat South East from Trebah out to Gew. With its back to the wind, trees and cliff’s protect the dinghy park, deceiving the unwary to what lies around the corner. Mid morning, the Met Office’s promise duly delivered 10-25kts of bliss. Bliss, that is, for Lazerettes Matt Broad and Beks Hosking comprehensively thrashing the seniors in both real and handicap time with a 1-2.

There is no secret to sailing the Laser into the wind in a good breeze; it has to be sailed flat and upright and that’s why there are four sizes of sail catering for all sizes of helm.     Shadowing the leading Wayfarer, Matt & Beks relentlessly chased each other the entire race with Matt delivering the coup de grace in the final seconds at Bosahan

By contrast, in the over powered slow fleet, Brooks & Andrew Hosking fighting in the Heavyweight section (90+kg) could not stay on their feet under the sustained assault from Bantamweight Dave Philpott in the Solo class. Dave’s experience over many years at club and national level saw him able to coax and tempt his large sail to a mostly calm yet always dry canter.

Attempting to hide from the wind on the first beat to Gew in the Laser Two, Andrew Hosking battered the swell along the south shore; multitasked his way back into contention with the spinnaker on the reach back to Trebah. Second time round, Andrew was less lucky on the gybe under Toll, turning the Two turtle. Paul Greensmith in safety, handsomely & divinely crewed by son Sam & fiancé Amandine, attended the supine racer who seemed to take rather, and perhaps wistfully, longer than usual to return to the fray.

A few minutes later on an uncontrolled reach to Central, Brooks’ Laser tossed him in, a just reward for any gloating – concealed or otherwise over his rival’s demise.

Results: 1st M Broad, 2nd R Hosking, 3rd R Kestin & McD

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

Committee: N Glossop, B Johns

Safety: P Greensmith, S Greensmith & Amandine

Photography: © D Flunder

Following: C Broa