Results / SW Circuit

By Sam Brearey

The Easter weekend (30^th and 31^st March 2024) regatta hosted by Parkstone YC assembled a Merlin fleet stacked with national championship caliber.

Day 1 started with a gentle 8 knot breeze and huge amounts of talk in the boat park about what a harbor tour of fixed racing marks might look like! Starting up in the top triangle, race 1 got under way in shifty and puffy conditions with a bit of tide to think about for good measure. Ben Saxton/Matt Rainback, David/Vicky Lenz and Tom Gillard/Rachael Gray led the fleet off the pin to the left-hand side. Christian Birrell/ Sam Brearey, James Wells/Anna Aylward along with Mike/Jane Calvert worked the right-hand side hoping to get some tidal gain. Christian/Sam led the back at the top in a very close race which never spread out. With endless positional and lead changes, Dave/Vicky managed to gybe inside on one of the runs shooting in a lead which they held to the finish, closely chased by Christian/Sam, Tom/Rach, the Calverts and James/Anna in 5^th.

Race 2 got underway in similar breeze and a changing tide state, the fleet was split again on breeze vs tide, Christian/Sam again led at the top, in a very tight race with the top 10 rounding almost in unison. The downwind was a tactical affair with several place changes, it was Dave/Vicky who again managed to get into the leading spot, with Christian/Sam, Mike/Jane chasing them down, the beat saw another huge split with the leading pack working the right hand side and the chasing pack of Ben/Matt, Tom/Rach and Ian/Chris Martin splitting to the left hand side. A left shift and a bit more breeze catapulted this side into the lead with Tom/Rach taking the race win, Ben/Matt in 2^nd, Dave/Vicky battled well into 3^rd, with the Martins in 4^th.

An early finish for the afternoon allowed for a bit of boat work in the South Coast sun and a few beers before gearing up for the dance floor with the live band!

A few dusty heads later and day 2 promised more wind and the race hut starts with more of a tour of the harbor predicted. Race 1 started in a gusty 12-18 knots, a short beat promised a congested top mark! With positions changing on the upwind all the time, it was Ed Chapman with Nix Brook who was looking favorite to lead at the top. Christian/Sam managed to tack to windward, putting pressure on and as Ed/Nix led at the top, unfortunately touching the mark put them into a 360 and handed the race lead to Christian/Sam. Tim Saxton/Tom Pygall were close behind in the chasing back along with James/Anna as well as Jon Gorringe/Matt Currell. Christian, Tim and Tom were the top 3 around the leeward mark, as the 3 battled up the course, Christian/Sam managed to go the wrong side of the finish Hut failing to score, with Tim/Tom winning, Tom/Rach in 2, Ben/Matt in 4^th and another strong 5^th place for James/Anna.

A short race 3 was the preamble to an epic harbor tour for the final race. In gusty and breezy conditions, both ends of Brownsea Island were on the agenda. On the upwind Ed/Nix were proving their pace with an early lead. At the Top it was Jon/Matt who led the fleet, closely followed by Ed/Nix, Christian/Sam, Tim/Tom as well as Ian/Chris. Ian gybed out early taking a huge gain, while the rest of the fleet followed the leading 3 saw them selves slip to mid fleet with some work to do. On the second upwind, Tom/Rach took some nice shifts to take the lead, with a strong pack chasing with Ben/Matt, Ed/Nix, Jon/Matt, the Calverts, Ian/Chris. Christian/Sam managed to close some distance attacking well on the run. As the fleet headed towards Brownsea Tom/Rach led Ben/Matt, the Calverts then Christian/Sam, Ed/Nix and Jon/Matt. The upwind along the island proved gusty and with a changing tidal state some local knowledge started to pay with both Christian and Jon making progress forward. By the turning mark the front 3 were locked in a great battle, Tom/Rach took the win and with it the regatta, Ben/Matt with worry in their eyes, just about held off the charging Christian/Sam. Jon/Matt came home in 4^th, the Calverts showing good pace in the breeze in 5^th.

Congratulations to Tom and Rach and a huge thank you to Parkstone YC who did a great job hosting us and accommodating the Merlins into the Easter weekend plans, and a special shout out to Ben Archer and Steve Tyler for their hard work in making it happen.

Thank you to CF by L and L, who were announced as a support sponsor of the SW Series 2024. The next SW Series at Burghfield Sailing Club on Saturday 6^th April has been postponed, we look forward to seeing everyone in Salcombe on the 27^th and 28^th April.