Spring Weekend Series Sunday 24th May 10:30am : Pursuit W, Wind WSW-W3-4
Youth Sailor Rebekah Hosking Wins All
Beks Hosking made the right choice in Sunday mornings freshening westerly with her 4.7 rigged Laser, setting of 3 minutes ahead of Phil Samuel’s Solo and Beccy Kestin’s Radial on the long run out to the mouth of the Helford river. Beks stayed at the head of the fleet the entire race despite a superb effort by both Beccy & Phil to close the gap – Beccy within inches – for a one two three finish.
Phil Philpott – bosun to the Philpott family fleet – had his work cut out. Alison, his daughter visiting from Oxford, was out for the first time in a renovated vintage ’78 Laser; his father Dave out for the first time racing in two years in a refurbished ‘85 International OK; all required his attention whilst trying to rig his Blaze. Without apparent fluster all three made it in time to the club pursuit start line.
Assuming the mantle of Grandfather of the Fleet from Phil Samuel, Dave Philpott was next of, sailing confidently a conservative first race in the powerful 1956 designed Knud Olsen OK, a smaller version of the Olympic Finn class. Without putting the pedal all the way to the metal on the 2000m run to Toll, Dave was met for the gybe by Andrew Hosking’s Laser 2 and Stephen Brooks’ Laser, both continuing their tussle for middle orders until race end.
Tendered good fatherly advice, Allison Philpott took the opposite tack suggested at the start, and got her first capsize drill out of the way before sailing in the right direction for the remainder. A saintly Phil Philpott tenderly stood by before Andy & Karen Biggs in the safety boat arrived. Ensuring Allison was fully settled on the run to Toll, Phil had delayed his own charge for victory; nevertheless catching Books on the first reach to Voose, but could not quite make it past the Solo for a podium finish.
Results 1st R Hosking 2nd R Kestin 3rd P Samuel
Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs thanks all those in support of the fleet on the day