Thank you Megan Pascoe for the report!

Me again! Sorry spoiler alert you can tell where myself and Rebecca finished at the Women’s Champs in Parkstone at the weekend. I’m getting ahead of myself, let’s start at the beginning. We always like going to see the Parkstone Merlin fleet, they always look after us. The event which is in its second year starts with a days training. This year ran by Mike and Jane Calvert, Graham Williamson and Chris Gould. Thank you to Creation Covers for providing the tea and biscuits, always an important part of training. We spent the day learning how to tack and gybe, getting over complicated about centre board angles, learning what rake to put in. I’m still not sure when to pull lowers on but I think Lou Johnson is going to explain to Mark so we can all ask him next event. The knowledge that those four have about sailing and Merlins is off the scale and its credit to them that they came and shared it. The Women’s Champs is special as so many ladies from other classes come and join, Merlin crews team up and ex Merlin sailors come back to the class. Sailing is a sport for everyone but I think there are still barriers to a lot of ladies in the sport as a full weekend’s child care is hard to find. Must say thank you to the number of husbands who made it possible. Saturday night the Parkstone Merlin fleet had invited Sarah Ayton along to talk. It was fascinating to look back on her Olympic campaign and what she achieved and how she achieved it. Big thanks to Kelly Aaron and Jon Gorringe who seemed to house half the fleet on Saturday night.

An early start on Sunday when the racing side of the event began, but then a wait for the wind. It wasn’t too long until the fleet headed to the top triangle for the racing. Race officer Sam was tasked with holding four races before the water ran out and she just made it, although a Merlin board is quite long. 1^st race was the more established Merlin pairings at the top with Carloine Gould and Livvy Bell winning from Mary Henderson-White and Pippa Kilsby. Rebecca Videlo and Megan Pascoe in third. It was great to see Jude Willamson back on the circuit with Fran Gifford in the front finishing 4^th. The top triangle is a tricky place to sail as the shifts are large and not easy to pick out. The 2^nd race showed this. The second race also proved that there’s some real talent in the fleet as even those that put themselves at the front due to a shift could stay there. Mary and Pippa went away to win the race. 2^nd was a new pairing of Storm Nuttall and Sally Wakefield. Much more to come these two. Third was two Wembley crews, Hannah Burt and Suzy Brough. They won the coaches prize for that performance. 4^th and 5^th were Sarah Davies/Mark Stockbridge and Kat Kimber Bithell/Tom Pygall. Full credit to both ladies as they had done very little Merlin helming before this. 3^rd race was one of those where you wanted to be bounced at the start and forced to tack. The really annoying races where you get a great start and that boat that starts last and tacks but gets an almighty right hander a minute later and then is leading by miles. That was myself and Rebbeca being bounced. We were closely followed by Andrea Downham and Lou Johnson who hadn’t eaten enough pies to get down the last reach but continued the upward form and in the last race finished 3^rd. Great to see Andrea back in a Merlin. The last race was as competitive as all the ones before. Caroline/Livvy finished with a bullet followed by Mary/Pippa. Storm/Sally were in 4^th. Good to see British Sailings Bee Harris and Catrin Williams in 6^th.

The fleet retired to the bar for prizegiving. Alex Willis and Amelia Little won the endeavour prize in a boat kindly on loan from class Chairman Stuart Jenkins. You never know we might persuade Alex to leave her Osprey again. Mary and Pippa sailed a very consistent 4 races to win. 2^nd to 5^th was separated by 4 points. Caroline and Livvy in 2^nd. Rebecca and Megan in 3^rd. Jude and Fran in 4^th. Storm and Sally in 5^th.

Special thanks to Ben and Louisa Archer for organising and always turning on the hospitality. To Caroline and Lou for organising boats and people and prizes, never and easy task. To all the boat owners for lending boats. To Parkstone for hosting a great event. To the sponsors Box PR, Creation Covers and In The Welsh Wind. The women’s champs will be back next year so if you are reading this thinking it sounds fun get in touch with the class. No Merlin experienced required.  

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