Marblehead GAMES 6, Nylet RM Challenge Trophy at Guildford Model Yacht Club

GAMES 6 Nylet RM Challenge Trophy: although old, 34 with its high and flared bow based on the shape of a Viking ship was still the most seaworthy in the strongest gusts © Roger Stollery

GAMES 6 Nylet RM Challenge Trophy Prize Giving © Jimmy Forrester

15 races were run in uncomfortable wind conditions changing from southerly to westerly, initially causing strong swirling gusts and lulls and really heavy rain before settling down to even stronger gusts up to the 25 mile an hour forecast and bright sunshine after the barbecue lunch.

Once the wind direction had settled down RO Roger Stollery set a windward leeward course of 3 beats & 3 runs. Finishing on the run was exciting with decks awash, rudders in the air as most held onto their A rigs with fantastic speed achieved provided that you didn't broach in the strongest gusts!

Variations made the beat difficult and those who picked the shifts and chose a rhum line course were the most successful. Nigel Barrow was the master of this and counted 6 wins to put him right at the top of the lunchtime leaderboard, with David Cole 2nd with 16 points followed by Shaun Wyeth with 19.

Nigel's wizardry continued into the afternoon with another 6 wins, with the latest F6 design beaten only by Shaun in Race 10 and David in Race 11. Shaun took great delight in sailing the STARKERS with which he won the 2002 Marblehead National Championship, which had just bought back, whilst David was sailing the only GRUNGE in the fleet. It demonstrates again that you don't have to have the latest Marblehead design to do well in this class. Indeed the oldest boat made 30 years ago to the ROAR EDGE design, which was then all carbon, was the most seaworthy downwind inspired by the tall bow and flared bow of Viking ships.

This was the final event of the three GMYC Summer Series. The trophy for the Series was originally presented by Frank Parsons of model sailmaker Nylet at the very beginning of radio Marblehead racing in 1974. The best 2 of the 3 races counted for this Series and Frank came to watch the racing, chat and present the trophy and the prizes to the winners. Peter Stollery won the Series by his score of 190 in the first 2 events and could not be beaten at this event, but was unable to take part in this one, so Frank presented the trophy to Roger for onward transmission. Frank also presented the trophy to Nigel, who not only won the Series last year but was the highest scorer in this year's event.

Event Results:

1st Nigel Barrow, Frensham Pond, F6 15pts
2nd David Cole, Hampton Court, GRUNGE 35pts
3rd Martin Crysell, Guildford, PRIME NUMBER 41.9pts
4th Lewis Wyeth, Gosport, STARKERS CUBED 47pts
5th Shaun Wyeth, Gosport, STARKERS SQUARED 53pts
6th Colin Harper, London MYC, QUARK 63pts
7th Chris Watkins, Royal Temple, ROAR EDGE 73pts

Results of the GMYC Summer Series:

1st Peter Stollery, Guildford, UP 190pts & winner of Nylet RM Challenge Trophy
2nd Nigel Barrow, Frensham, F6 187.5pts
3rd Barrie Martin, London MYC, STARKERS 155pts
4th Oliver Stollery, Guildford, F6 122.5pts
5th David Cole, Hampton Court, GRUNGE 110.7pts