Write-up

Winder Thursday aka Ranelagh Thursday aka Champagne day of the Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals saw something of a revolution in race format with three races scheduled in an attempt to get the full nine races in for the series.

The Champagne day moniker was particularly appropriate given the splendid force 3-4 from the southwest and pleasantly rolling waves. Both of these were predicted to increase as the day progressed, a prediction that was accurate!

Though Nick Craig and Alan Roberts have dominated so far Andy Davis and Alex Warren have been loitering with intent. This intent came to fruition in races six and seven (1 and 2) as they took both bullets for the Top Hat Trophy and the Ranelagh Trophy. A master class in tactical sailing took place in race 8 as Nick and Alan were hell-bent on preventing a further win for Taxi and Alex which would put their position under threat should a race be sailed tomorrow and the second discard come into play. Taxi and Alex were losing this battle and after taking to the water and retiring look to have lost the war pending the result of a protest against Nick and Alan in race one which could have significant influence on the overall result.

Looking further back Mark Barwell and Lou Johnson have one hand on the Silver fleet trophy and the evergreen Back to the Future piloted by Ben Eaves and Sean Anderson have got their mitts on the Bronze fleet shirts heading into tomorrow.

The forecast for tomorrow is currently marginal and some of the fleet rather tired, though the feedback is that the new race format put into place by an accomplished race team is a breath of fresh air. Whether we sail tomorrow or not we have plenty to chew on looking towards next years championships at Lyme Regis.

Results

2017 Merlin Rocket National Championships

Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre

Results are provisional as of 14:44 on August 17, 2017

Overall

Photos