Salcombe Gin Merlin Rocket Week 2024 at Salcombe Yacht Club - Day 1

After a sunny Saturday spent moving boats to the beach, the 120 competitors were greeted on Sunday Morning to a light North Westerly and broken sunshine.

Race 1 - Red v Green, Course 7,4,X,3,X

With a flood tide under them and a patchy breeze coming round the Ferry Inn the fleet were rather line shy, concerned not to start their series with a BFD. Locals Tim Fells and Fran Gifford spotted the opportunity to start clear ahead of the line up and flick onto port in the main stream and lead the fleet around Snapes and onto the beat up to Gerston.

Anthony and Jo Gifford got a nice starboard lift out of Saltstone to take the lead at Gerston from Tim and Fran with George Yeoman and Mark Oakey right on their transoms. These three had a tight battle until they reached the Yalton creek where Tim and Fran slipped away and built what looked like a commanding lead.

Salcombe Gin Merlin Week 2024 Day 1 - photo © Lucy Burn

However, with two laps of the challenging town section of the course ahead of them there were plenty of snakes and ladders to negotiate. One such snake grabbed Tim and Fran off the Ferry landing allowing George and Mark and the flyweight team of Mandy Henderson and Rory Gifford to climb their personal ladder into the top two positions which they held to the line with George and Mark taking the first gun of the week.

Salcombe Gin Merlin Week 2024 Day 1 - photo © Lucy Burn

In a good race for the family Henderson, Will and Arthur came home fourth a nose ahead of Jon Gorringe and Matt Currell with Anthony and Jo rounding out the top six, making it three Henderson's and four Giffords in the chocolates.

Race 2 - Blue v Black, Course 7,3,7,X

For the afternoon race, the wind remained in the NNW and had built to 10 knots giving fantastic racing conditions on the beat up to Gerston. The challenge was to get off the start and around Snapes against the ebbing tide.

With these flights packed with talent, there were three gold Merlin symbols, denoting previous class champions, leading the fleet into Snapes. Tom Gillard and Ollie Meadowcroft were drawn a little bit high under Snapes and it was the wily team of Mike and Jane Calvert who took the outside route to lead into the Bag, followed by Christian Birrell and Sam Brearey.

Salcombe Gin Merlin Week 2024 Day 1 Afternoon Race - photo © Malcolm Mackley

On the long beat to Gerston, Tom and Ollie put the hammer down to taken the lead but Mike and Jane found the last few shifts to lead onto the run. These two had built a significant lead and had a classic duel in the sun with the lead changing numerous times. On the final run the breeze went forward and Tom and Ollie were the quickest to respond to get their noses ahead and lead back into the harbour. There were no more dramas and they came home to take the bullet and put down a marker for the week.

Salcombe Gin Merlin Week 2024 Day 1 - photo © Lucy Burn

Mike and Jane were an impressive second ahead of Caroline Gould and Livy Bell who had steadily climbed through the fleet after a less than stellar start. In fourth and showing great pace and positioning were David Conlon and Rebecca Bines. Christian and Sam who had fallen back to 10th at one point recovered well for fifth to just hold off James Goss and Chris White.

Results after Day 1: