Gul Scorpion Nationals at Castle Cove Sailing Club

Gul Scorpion Nationals at Castle Cove Sailing Club - Days 1 & 2

by Simon Forbes 1 Aug 2017 19:10 NZST 29 July - 5 August 2017

Gul Scorpion Nationals at Castle Cove © Amy Forbes

Day 1

92 excited competitors were greeted by blue skies and a Weymouth bay covered in white caps with the promise of more to come. Despite some early trepidation the race officer (correctly) told us it was fine and the fleet launched for a practice race and the first points race inside the harbour.

The practice race got away cleanly, Tom Jeffcoate & Tim Hartley rounded the windward mark in first place, followed by Chris Turner & Alex Hayman and Andy Mckee & Steve Graham. The race officer shortened the course at the bottom of the first triangle as Tom/Tim were starting to roll over the top of Chris/Alex. Chris/Alex and Andy/Steve chose to drop their kites and pull out of the race giving second place to Alan Krailing & Simon Forbes.

The first points race got away at the second time of asking due to a last second postponement due to a wind shift. First round the windward mark was Chris/Alex.

Pete/John Rose and Alex Knight / Sam Robbins snuck around just behind them, Andy & Steve came charging in and managed to capsize to windward on the windward mark, creating a road block for the rest of the fleet who had to take avoiding action. Pete and John Rose then capsized at the gybe mark gifting third to Baz & Catherine... who unfortunately were OCS meaning that Krailing & Forbes moved into third place.

The main point of discussion of the day is over the dramatic pitch pole of Pete Gray/Rich Pepperdine which of the time this report has received over 3500 views on Facebook!

Posted by Peter Aitken on Sunday, 30 July 2017

Spot prizes for the day were supplied by Apollo Marine and went to Micheal Riley & Malcolm James in 20th and Nigel & Martyn Denchfield in 30th.

In the evening the fleet enjoyed a banquet of a bbq. Fun balcony games were organised for the fleet by Rob & Sandra, and the win went to team 'don't come back to us' for winning the games.

Day 2

Day two dawned with a bit more sun and a bit less wind. After a nice leisurely sail out of the harbour to the bay, race 2 got away in 17 knots. First around the windward mark was John Mursell & Sam Barker closely followed by Chris & Alex.

Gul Scorpion Nationals at Castle Cove - photo © Amy Forbes

Chris & Alex soon rolled over the top of John & Sam after a couple of tight reaches John & Sam were regretting the summer diet and unfortunately let Tim & Tom and Andy & Steve through to claim second and third respectively.

Race 3 and the fleet are still being really well behaved and got away first time. Tom & Tim rounded the windward first with Pete & Rich hot on their heels. Pete and Rich managed to get around Tom & Tim on the second reach. The top 6 compressed on the run, and only a few boat lengths separated each boat at the bottom mark. After some crossing on the beat Pete & Rich clung on to first place, Tom & Tim second with Alan & Simon in consistent third. These positions remain for the remainder of the race although all the top 5 were very close to each other at the finish making the last beat very intense for all involved.

Gul Scorpion Nationals at Castle Cove - photo © Amy Forbes

Results after Day 2:

Pos	Sail No	Boat Name	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	Pts
1	2043	Rock n Roller	Chris Turner	Alex Hayman	Lyme Regis/Royal Limington Town	1	1	6	8
2	2037	Pickled Wombat	Tom Jeffcoate	Tim Hartley	Shoreham SC	4	2	2	8
3	2034	Tough Screw	Alan Krailing	Simon Montgomery Forbes	Waldringfield/Staunton Harold	3	8	3	14
4	2042		Andy McKee	Steve Graham	Norhampton	7	3	4	14
5	2020	Snap Shackle & Plop	John Mursell	Sam Barker	CCSC	6	4	5	15
6	2033	Legal High	Steve Walker	Jerry Hannabuss	Pennine SC	9	5	9	23
7	1939	Ice on Fire	Adrian Smith	Robert Smith	CCSC	10	10	8	28
8	1995	Silverlode	Peter Rose	John Rose	Tenby SC	5	16	12	33
9	2005	Drama Queen	Janet Ritchie	Alan Ritchie	Chipstead SC	14	13	7	34
10	2041	Hot Fuss	Tim Parsons	Sarah Parsons	Lyme Regis	11	15	10	36
11	2031	Up Yours 2	Peter Crowther	David Thompson	Pennine SC	12	11	14	37
12	1981	Highway Star	Dave Elston	Kev Francis	CCSC	8	21	15	44
13	1959	Princess Tigerlilly	Chris Yeates	Dave Barker	Eastbourne Soverign SC	16	20	16	52
14	2039	Inside Voice	Pete Gray	Ritch Pepperdine	Staunton Harold SC	RET	6	1	53
15	2004	Discreet Banana	Jock Fellows	Cara Jones	CCSC	19	18	17	54
16	2014	Intoxicated	Alex Knight	Michael Robbins	CCSC	2	7	RET	55
17	2018	After Eight	Anthony Osman	Andy Osman	Parkstone YC	17	19	21	57
18	2023	Pincer Movement	Rachel Rhodes	Hannah Edge	Staunton Harold SC	18	22	19	59
19	2032	Shady Lady	Steve Mitchell	Polly Newman	Porthpean SC	15	23	22	60
20	1990	Blue Breeze	Hamish Walker	Trish Walker	Paignton SC/RNSA	13	27	23	63
21	2024	Big Bad Wolf	Barry Wolfenden	Catherine Maguire	Bough Beach SC	OCS	9	11	66
22	2040		Kevin Gosling	Andrew Service	Beer	DNC	12	13	71
23	1947	Panama Jack	Rich Jones	Paul Newman	Pennine SC	RET	14	18	78
24	2001	Zephr	Malcolm James	Michael Riley	South Cerney SC	20	32	26	78
25	2029	Jac Y Ddraig Goch	Carl Jones	Shellie Jones	Pennine SC	26	29	24	79
26	1892	Just Crackers	Alison Stephens	Chris Forrest	CCSC	21	30	30	81
27	2030	Saline Drip	Colin Bradley	Luke Bradley	Pennine SC	DSQ	17	20	83
28	1869	Mean Machine	Derek Rooney	Ben Rooney	Newcastle YC	24	26	34	84
29	2000	Does my bum look big in this	Dave Snutch	Sue Barnes	Notts County SC	25	31	28	84
30	1952	Cartel	Elly Pegg	Keith Atkinson	Yealm YC	27	25	33	85
31	1957	Harlequin	Paul Grace	Ami Jewell	Chipstead SC	22	33	32	87
32	1852	Popsy	Sandra Smith	Elizabeth Bowers	CCSC	23	36	29	88
33	1925	Predator	Martyn Denchfield	Nigel Denchfield	Staunton Harold SC	30	28	31	89
34	1934	Moonlight	Terry Flanagan	David Grenhalgh	Pennine SC	DNF	24	27	97
35	2027	A La Carte	Carol Haines	Johathan Haines	Elton SC	DNC	34	25	105
36	1991	It's me or the Boat	Dave Bennet	Martin Tuohy‑Smith	Chew Valley SC	33	37	37	107
37	1834	Applejack	Elysia Dooley	Isabelle Dooley	Rutland SC	29	40	40	109
38	2011	Must Try Harder	Paul Barns	Edward Barns	Notts County SC	31	39	39	109
39	2015	Touching the Void	Joanne Mahy	Emily Green	SBSC	28	38	RET	112
40	1620	Fiasco	Steve Crossley	Wendy Smythe	CCSC	RET	35	35	116
41	2010	Bender	Jon Fox	Helen Miles	Chipstead SC	34	43	41	118
42	1863	Margareta	Ian Dooley	Debbie Wood	Rutland SC	RET	41	36	123
43	1936	Bottyburp the Barbarian	Simon Holden	James Harcourt	King George SC	32	RET	DNC	124
44	1891	Fire in the Sky	James Ripley	Amy Giles	Paignton SC	DNC	42	38	126
45	1646	Tangaroa	Emily White	Richard White	CCSC	DNC	44	42	132