| Solution Open 2007 |
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Hunts Sailing Club, St.Ives, Cambridgeshire 14 April 2007 Solution Inaugural Open Meeting Eight Redeye Solution helms found their way, from near and far, to Hunts SC through the fog of a cool, windless morning. While the galley ladies served up a breakfast of bacon butties, Race Officer Sam Davy and his Laser team set a course with well-diverged beats to suit the light and variable wind (E to NE, occasionally NW, 5-7 knots, gusting 10 knots) that developed as the fog cleared. Simon Maskell of Hunts SC established an early and unassailable lead. David Vassallo of Seafarers SC managed a good start but lost second place to Andy McKee of Hunts SC and unfortunately capsised during an enthusiastic gybe, losing several places. Giles Lewis of Leigh and Lowton SC held fourth place for the first two laps but Patrick Manning of Delph SC and Kevin Clark of Seafarers SC (well known as one of the developers of the boat) overtook him in the third lap. A tentatively planned second morning race was cancelled owing to the light conditions. During the famous Hunts Chilli lunch, with extra raw chilli for those who felt the need, the race management team agreed to simplify the course to give a single beat. In race 2, Gavin Steven of Ripon SC took a good start and held first place at the first mark with a good lead on Simon Maskell, followed by Kevin Clark, Andy McKee, Patrick Manning, Giles Lewis, Andrew Taylor of Hunts SC and David Vassallo. Simon was close enough to challenge Gavin at the first gybe mark and by the end of the first lap Andy M. had also overtaken Gavin. Giles and Andrew T. had an excellent second lap, moving up to second and third places while Andy M., Kevin and Gavin dropped to 5th, 6th and 7th. In the third lap Patrick dropped from 4th to last place. Thereafter there were no great surprises. Some of the volatility of this race may have been caused by interaction with the Phantom fleet. Race 3 was run back to back with 2 as competitors had to travel home to Yorkshire, Lancashire and the south coast. Simon Maskell led from early in the first beat. Andrew Taylor held 2nd place at the windward mark, followed by Andy McKee. There was quite a gap then Gavin Steven came in to the mark on port, just ahead of Kevin Clark and Giles Lewis. There were not many changes of position but David Vassallo challenged Patrick Manning quite closely in lap 2, only to fall 30s back in lap 3. At this stage, after 37 minutes, 3m 10s separated the whole fleet. By the end of the race the wind was falling even lighter, some holes being only 2 knots. The finishing times for the third race were as follows: Simon Maskell 46m 29s Andy McKee 47m 15s Andrew Taylor 49m 11s Kevin Clark 50m 57s Giles Lewis 51m 14s Patrick Manning 51m 25s David Vassallo 52m 07s Gavin Steven 53m 07s Click here for the results |
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