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MOUNTS BAY SAILING CLUB – report for week ending 28th June 2015
Tuesday 23rd June
Racing started but was abandoned when the wind died on what was otherwise a beautiful summer
evening.
Friday 26 June
Race Officer Malcolm Woolcock treated the Laser fleet to eight laps of the favoured Olympic
course on Friday evening. It is thanks to Malcolm's daughter Gemma Woolcock that there was a
Laser fleet at all, as Gemma had kindly offered to do Nick Stoten's RIB duty so he could race. As
the clock counted down to the start Nick and Kian Andrews jostled for position in what was to
prove yet another classic match race between the two helms. As the gun popped Nick appeared to
get the best start but Kian called an infringement so Nick took a 720 penalty turn to nullify any
doubt. Now the chase boat, Nick spent six laps looking at Kian's transom. Kian defended his lead
until the penultimate reach when Nick managed to stay in a gust that crucially won him the inside at
the gybe mark. The final upwind and downwind legs saw the two Lasers barely inches apart at
times but Nick managed to hold on to take the honours.
No Mirrors sailed perhaps deterred by the fresh Westerly breeze.
Results for 26th June:
Lasers: 1, Nick Stoten; 2, Kian Andrews.
Sunday 28th June
Race Officer Peter Jellis flew the favoured Olympic flag and set six laps for the Sunday morning
Club Champion Race. In the rain and F4-5 breeze, only the keenest sailors raced.
With Laser class captain Duncan Bruce back on the water after injury and Graham Cousins back
from holiday it was good to see four Lasers on the water as the gun fired for the mass start in which
all the fleets race against each other on a handicap basis. Kian Andrews and Nick Stoten appeared to
forget this as they resumed what proved to be their closest match race to date. Using all the rules in
the book to gain the advantage the two helms could be heard shouting “starboard!”, “water!” at the
mark and “Up Up Up!” throughout the race with complete disregard to the shortest course and for
much of the race the two boats seemed joined at the hip. Then on the forth lap the engrossed helms
missed the shorter downwind leg allowing Graham to take the lead. With Kian and Nick closing in
but still battling together all the way the three helms crossed the line all within a yard of each other.
Too close to call on the water it was confirmed back onshore that Graham took the honours with
Nick second and Kian third while a 'very-happy-to-be-back-on-the-water-Duncan' came in fourth.
Meanwhile in the Mirror fleet Stan and Mark Prichard came in in front of Lily Medlicott and
Demelza Hewett.
Results for Sunday 28th June:
Lasers: 1, Graham Cousins; 2, Nick Stoten; 3, Kian Andrews.
Mirrors: 1, Stan Prichard/Mark Prichard. 2, Lily Medlicott/Demelza Hewett.