Day 4 of the 2022 Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals was a long one. Light and shifting breeze in the morning caused a 2hour postponement ashore. To test the waters, it was decided that the Crews’ Race would be sailed during the postponement. Rallied by a record turnout for the Crews’ Union on Sunday, a large fleet launched early to compete for the coveted trophy. Their keenness prevailed and the first start was a general recall. As the breeze settled into a nice 10knts, the fleet got away under a black flag.
Pete Gray crewed well at times by Jon Gorringe slotted first around the windward following a successful “leftward” strategy. Fran Gifford had carefully found all the shifts up the middle of the beat although some slippery footwork by Tim Fells threatened to jeopardise her podium position as they tacked onto the starboard layline. Chris White continued his Team’s Wednesday thirding streak to take the final podium position. It was tightly packed in the mid-fleet with a multitude of family, friend and National 12 rivalries.
For the first championship race of the day James Goss/Chris White made another appearance at front at mark one, joined by Jon Turner/Richard “Animal” Parslow & Taxi/Jack Holden. However Tom Gillard/Rachel Gray stormed up the left of the second beat to lead, with Christian Birrell/Sam Brearey also making gains to sneak into second. Goss/White held third, and the top 3 extended and finished in that order.
In the final race of the day Will Warren/Megan Pascoe led at mark one. On the first run pressure down the right of the run allowed Mark Stockbridge/James Gifford and Tim Saxton/Mary Henderson to gain significantly at the expense of those who gybed early (including Birrell/Brearey). Stockbridge/Gifford & Saxton/Henderson then chose the right leeward mark, and gained left early on the beat, with Goss/White again going well leading the pack from the right. On the final beat Gillard/Gray showed their pace to close in and pull up to third.
Unfortunately for Goss/White an early gybe allowed Saxton/Henderson and Gillard/Gray to sneak past on the final run to take first & second, with Goss/White holding on for a third, third place of the day.
Thank you to our sponsors Aspire Financial Advisers, HD Sails, Mounts Bay Distillery, Fernhurst Books, West Systems, Triggernaut Sports Glasses, Robline/DinghyTec and GK Engineering.
Racing concludes on Thursday 4th August 2022.
Rank | SailNo | HelmName | CrewName | Fleet | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | Total | Nett |
1st | 3759 | Thomas Gillard | Rachel Gray | Platinum |
Staunton Harold Sailing Club
|
1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 28 | 14 |
2nd | 3788 | Christian Birrell | Sam Brearey | Platinum | Parkstone Yacht Club | 6 | 1 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 38 | 23 |
3rd | 3691 | Mike Calvert | Jane Calvert | Platinum | Axe Yacht Club | 5 | 5 | 7 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 51 | 32 |
4th | 3802 | Simon Potts | Charlotte Fildes | Platinum | Burghfield Sailing Club | 10 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 6 | 56 | 37 |
5th | 2137 | James Goss | Chris White | Platinum | South Staffs Sailing Club | 13 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 29 | 3 | 72 | 43 |
6th | 3719 | Ian Martin | Chris Martin | Platinum | Burghfield Sailing Club |
66.0 UFD
|
6 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 20 | 110 | 44 |
7th | 3764 | Tim Fells | Frances Gifford | Platinum | Salcombe Yacht Club | 4 | 4 | 16 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 63 | 47 |
8th | 3807 | Tim Saxton | Mary Henderson | Platinum |
Itchenor SC & Brightlingsea SC
|
20 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 23 | 72 | 49 |
9th | 3778 | David Lenz | Vicky Lenz | Platinum |
Lymington Town Sailing Club
|
12 | 25 | 9 | 20 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 83 | 58 |
10th | 3803 | Caroline Croft | Faye Chatterton | Platinum |
Lymington Town Sailing Club
|
9 | 10 | 6 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 86 | 61 |
11th | 3735 | Andy Davis | Jack Holden | Platinum | South Staffs Sailing Club | 8 | 24 | 17 | 26 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 95 | 69 |
12th | 3758 | David Hayes | Jonny Ratcliffe | Platinum |
Lymington Town Sailing Club
|
14 | 14 | 32 | 13 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 119 | 87 |
13th | 3791 | Jon Gorringe | Pete Grey | Platinum | Parkstone Yacht Club | 2 | 31 | 13 | 17 | 34 | 23 | 4 | 124 | 90 |
14th | 3782 | Ed Chapman | Chris Kilsby | Gold |
Lymington Town Sailing Club
|
3 | 13 | 19 | 28 | 33 | 21 | 8 | 125 | 92 |
15th | 3780 | Sarah Richards | Nigel Wakefield | Gold |
Lymington Town Sailing Club
|
17 | 11 | 36 | 10 | 27 | 2 | 28 | 131 | 95 |
16th | 3796 | William Warren | Megan Pascoe | Gold | Shoreham Sailing Club | 18 | 16 | 21 | 6 | 25 | 16 | 19 | 121 | 96 |
17th | 3801 | Matthew Biggs | Beka Jones | Platinum | Bartley Sailing Club | 28 | 15 | 25 | 22 | 7 | 15 | 14 | 126 | 98 |
18th | 3775 | Chris Jennings | Pete Nicholson | Platinum | Burghfield Sailing Club | 19 | 30 | 31 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 132 | 101 |
19th | 3746 | James Wells | Anna Aylward | Gold | RYA | 16 | 23 | 11 | 16 | 23 | 20 | 26 | 135 | 109 |
20th | 3811 | Stu Bithell | Tom Pygall | Platinum | Parkstone Yacht Club |
66.0 DNS
|
66.0 DNS
|
4 | 24 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 183 | 117 |
21st | 3726 | Will Henderson | Rupert White | Platinum | Salcombe Yacht Club | 30 | 12 | 28 | 23 | 16 | 25 | 16 | 150 | 120 |
22nd | 3676 | Antony Gifford | Jo Gifford | Platinum | Royal Tay Yacht Club | 21 | 17 | 12 | 38 | 22 | 17 | 32 | 159 | 121 |
23rd | 3683 | Arthur Handerson | Livvy Bell | Gold | Salcombe Yacht Club | 15 | 33 | 20 | 18 | 29 | 27 | 17 | 159 | 126 |
24th | 3696 | Alexander Warren | Jonty Freemansh | Gold | Shoreham Sailing Club | 22 | 28 | 14 | 15 | 26 | 34 | 22 | 161 | 127 |
25th | 3727 | Mark Stockbridge | James Gifford | Silver | Upper Thames Sailing Club | 61 | 32 | 24 | 5 | 31 | 12 | 30 | 195 | 134 |
26th | 3787 | Chris Martin | John Tailby | Gold | Midland Sailing Club | 7 | 40 | 35 | 11 | 18 | 39 | 31 | 181 | 141 |
27th | 3757 | Tim Parsons | Andrew Service | Gold | Lyme Regis Sailing Club | 24 | 29 | 10 | 29 | 21 | 33 | 34 | 180 | 146 |
28th | 3716 | Steven Leney | Gill Leney | Gold | Blithfield Sailing Club | 26 | 21 | 18 | 32 | 20 |
66.0 DNF
|
38 | 221 | 155 |
29th | 3815 | Mark Barwell | Louise Johnson | Silver |
Lymington Town Sailing Club
|
37 | 18 | 23 | 35 | 46 | 18 | 25 | 202 | 156 |
30th | 3799 | Paul Rayson | Christian Hill | Gold |
Fishers Green SC & SalcombeYC
|
11 | 20 | 33 | 33 | 39 | 41 | 29 | 206 | 165 |
31st | 3756 | Sophie Mackley | James Ward | Gold | Shoreham Sailing Club | 35 | 34 | 29 | 21 | 35 | 22 | 24 | 200 | 165 |
32nd | 3806 | Ben Jones | Helen Hilditch | Silver | Shoreham Sailing Club | 47 | 19 | 26 | 40 | 19 | 28 | 35 | 214 | 167 |
33rd | 3809 | John Turner | Richard Parslow | Platinum | Lyme Regis Sailing Club | 31 | 8 | 22 | 31 | 17 |
66.0 DNF
|
66.0 BFD
|
241 | 175 |
34th | 3816 | Phil Emery | Phoebe Paine | Silver | Whitstable Yacht Club | 25 | 43 | 27 | 47 | 13 | 37 | 36 | 228 | 181 |
35th | 3666 | John Meadowcroft | Dan Meadowcroft | Platinum | Upper Thames Sailing Club | 33 | 22 | 39 | 37 | 28 | 35 | 27 | 221 | 182 |
36th | 3793 | James Goodfellow | Rick Cornes | Platinum | Burghfield Sailing Club | 27 | 45 | 34 | 14 | 42 |
66.0 BFD
|
21 | 249 | 183 |
37th | 3690 | Tim Harridge | Rory Gifford | Silver | Hampton Sailing Club | 32 | 27 | 57 | 39 | 38 | 50 | 18 | 261 | 204 |
38th | 3740 | Pat Blake | Jilly Blake | Gold |
Lymington Town Sailing Club
|
34 | 26 | 30 |
66.0 DNF
|
32 | 44 | 46 | 278 | 212 |
39th | 3749 | Colin Anderson | Sean Anderson | Silver | Blithfield Sailing Club | 23 | 38 | 40 | 27 |
66.0 DNC
|
66.0 DNC
|
33 | 293 | 227 |
40th | 3772 | Dan Heaton | Tom Gurney | Silver | Mountbatten Sailing Club | 41 | 39 | 41 | 44 | 43 | 26 | 37 | 271 | 227 |
41st | 3732 | Ben Hollis | George Bender | Silver | Blithfield Sailing Club | 40 | 36 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 32 | 39 | 271 | 229 |
42nd | 3790 | Colin Brockbank | Sue Brough | Silver | Wembley Sailing Club | 39 | 47 | 44 | 36 | 30 | 36 | 49 | 281 | 232 |
43rd | 3684 | Tom Low | Hannah Burt | Silver | Queen Mary Sailing Club | 29 | 41 | 45 | 34 | 48 | 48 | 43 | 288 | 240 |
44th | 3813 | Steve Harling | Eleanor Thomas | Bronze | Starcross Yacht Club | 48 | 37 | 43 | 30 | 36 | 49 | 50 | 293 | 243 |
45th | 3779 | David Lee | Kirsten Glen | Silver | Starcross Yacht Club | 46 | 44 | 38 | 43 |
66.0 DNS
|
30 | 42 | 309 | 243 |
46th | 3656 | Charlotte Gough | Dave Gough | Gold | Starcross Yacht Club | 36 | 42 | 46 | 45 | 40 | 38 | 48 | 295 | 247 |
47th | 3770 | Jon Steward | Annabel Steward | Bronze |
Fishers Green Sailing Club
|
52 | 54 | 51 | 42 | 45 | 24 | 45 | 313 | 259 |
48th | 3766 | Andy Dalby |
Aimee Dalby/Sean Anderson
|
Gold | Burghfield Sailing Club | 50 | 46 | 37 | 49 | 37 | 42 | 56 | 317 | 261 |
49th | 3794 | Julian Harms | Timothy Harms | Bronze | Midlands Sailing Club | 38 | 50 | 48 | 53 | 54 | 43 | 40 | 326 | 272 |
50th | 3817 | Geoff Kimber | Helen Kimber | Bronze | Stone Sailing Club | 42 | 48 | 52 | 52 | 44 | 40 | 47 | 325 | 273 |
51st | 3767 | Ben Archer | Olivia Bellini | Silver | Parkstone Yacht Club | 44 | 53 | 47 | 55 |
66.0 DNF
|
31 | 53 | 349 | 283 |
52nd | 3695 | Peter Slack | Immy Brown | Bronze | RYA | 43 | 35 | 50 |
66.0 DNC
|
50 | 47 |
66.0 DNC
|
357 | 291 |
53rd | 3682 | Ross Borne | John Burn | Silver | Salcombe Yacht Club | 45 | 52 | 49 | 50 | 53 | 46 | 51 | 346 | 293 |
54th | 3662 | Nigel Hudson | Freya Hudson | Bronze | Bartley Sailing Club | 49 | 49 | 54 | 51 | 52 |
66.0 DNF
|
41 | 362 | 296 |
55th | 3785 | Robin Charles | Oscar Simmons | Bronze | Starcross Yacht Club | 51 | 51 | 53 | 48 | 49 | 45 | 52 | 349 | 296 |
56th | 3742 | Howard Eeles | Bradley Eeles | Bronze | Bartley Sailing Club | 53 | 57 |
66.0 DNF
|
46 | 51 | 52 | 44 | 369 | 303 |
57th | 3561 | Joe Shaw | Julie Cronshaw | Bronze | Wembley Sailing Club | 57 | 58 | 58 | 58 | 47 | 51 | 57 | 386 | 328 |
58th | 3619 | Guy Browne | Andy Hunter | Bronze | Trent Valley Sailing Club | 54 | 56 | 60 | 54 | 56 | 53 | 55 | 388 | 328 |
59th | 3800 | Richard Bramley | Calum Tait | Bronze | Shoreham Sailing Club | 56 | 55 | 63 | 56 | 57 | 55 | 59 | 401 | 338 |
60th | 3567 | Martin Smith | Karen Beston | Bronze | Blithfield Sailing Club | 55 |
66.0 DNS
|
62 | 59 | 55 | 54 | 58 | 409 | 343 |
61st | 3574 | Marc Candelas | John Donoghue | Bronze | Upper Thames Sailing Club | 59 | 61 | 64 | 57 | 58 | 56 | 54 | 409 | 345 |
62nd | 3750 | Neal Lillywhite | Freya Lillywhite | Silver |
Burghfield SC & Salcombe YC
|
58 | 62 | 55 |
66.0 DNC
|
66.0 DNC
|
66.0 DNC
|
66.0 DNF
|
439 | 373 |
63rd | 3586 | Kieron Mason | Belinda Mason | Bronze | Blithfield Sailing Club | 60 | 60 | 59 |
66.0 DNC
|
66.0 DNC
|
66.0 DNC
|
66.0 DNC
|
443 | 377 |
64th | 3449 | Carl Whitehill | Dani Whitehill | Bronze | RYA |
66.0 DNS
|
59 | 56 |
66.0 DNC
|
66.0 DNC
|
66.0 DNC
|
66.0 DNF
|
445 | 379 |
65th | 3792 | Alistair McDonald | Lydia Bourne | Bronze |
Berwick Sailing Club & YDSC
|
66.0 DNS
|
66.0 DNS
|
61 |
66.0 DNC
|
66.0 DNC
|
66.0 DNC
|
66.0 DNC
|
457 | 391 |