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Dinghy Regatta & Laser Open Report 2017
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
Dinghy Racing: May 17th
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
Dinghy Racing: June 14th
Spring Weekend Series Sunday 14th June 2015 : Pursuit North N-NW 3-4
Matt’s Double First
Perfect racing conditions allowed a good laser fleet to closely race in Sunday’s Pursuit. There are four laser classes with representatives in each at Helford. Setting of first was under 18’s Beks Hosking and Sam Philpot in 4.7s, the smallest rigged of the Laser class, relentlessly battled it out with each other throughout, but a tad underpowered for the day being caught by everyone except their parents.
Had Beks & Sam powered up with the larger Radial rigs of Matt Broad and Beccy Kestin, then the entire parent and senior’s fleet would have been routed by the Junior section. Matt & Beccy gave each other no quarter and fought to the head of the fleet where they stayed for the best part of the race – only seriously threatened at the final mark by Roger McDonald – otherwise distracted by extraordinarily interesting varieties of seaweed wrapped around his foils.
Starting at the pace of a Broccoli planter, team Hosken & Hosking were a little late to the line in their Laser 2 ; occasionally able to show their potential with spinnaker hoisted on the shifty reach’s; not enough consistent wind for the trapeze artist Chris to get parallel in his harness.
Biggs and Brooks went a toing and froing with each other, McD teasingly wandering into and out of their sights as they fell into the Doldrums especially around the melee at Voose. Beaming parents Chris & Emma Broad in Safety boat were delighted to see Matt cross the line to take a double first – Overall and of the Juniors
Results
Overall: 1st M Broad, 2nd R Kestin, 3rd R McDonald,
Juniors: 1st M Broad, 2nd R Hosking, 3rd S Philpott.
Captain Dinghies Andy Biggs thanks all those in support of the fleet on the day
Safety Boat & Photography: Chris & Emma Broad
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