Report: The May Family Cup 2017

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

 

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.