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Southern Area Championships
at Parkstone YC
7/8th July 2007
The weather forecast for both days of the southern
areas at Parkstone promised 8 to 10 knots of westerly wind.
Westerly was correct, but the sixteen albacores that sailed out
into Poole bay found the breeze building to 13 knots by the first
start at 1.15 pm.
Early tackers from the committee boat end, Andy Barker and crew
mark Simpson in a borrowed local boat, were quickly followed by
John and Janet Woffinden then Richard Gray and Bill Law, who all
held a long tack to the right. Gray held his nerve longer and carried
on whilst the others all went middle and left.
Orlando Gledhill and John Frary were showing good pace but were
beaten to the first mark by Gray then barker in third.
Holes in the breeze and a short chop made conditions tricky.
Gledhill squeezed passed Gray to windward on the first reach and
by the leeward mark john and Anita Herbert had all but caught up
alongside jerry and Pauline Rook and both by then were just ahead
of Barker.
With the breeze building both Gledhill and Gray stretched out their
lead for the final two rounds of the Olympic course with the Herberts
and the Rooks both slipping back, to be retaken by Barker third
and the Woffindens forth.
With just a ten minute break, the wind had increased by then to
18 knots for the second start.
Weight undoubtedly helped up the first beat, and again going right
paid off. Gledhill was in just in front covering Gray. Locals Nick
Hayes crewed by John Phillippo were just behind, going well, and
splitting Barker and the Woffindens with Bill Macmillan crewed by
Alan Induni from Swanage YC popping up from time to time.
The reaches were pure Albacore magic. Gledhill began to build a
gap from Gray, and Barker was working hard to come through to third,
and this was to be much the format for the weekend.
After 5 hours on the water there had been a few retirements and
an accumulation of boat repairs needing to be done.
The Sunday started with very little wind, and not a lot forecast,
so the option of racing inside the harbour in “the top triangle”
was discussed but a lack of water and an optimistic race officer,
saw the fleet set off once again for an “outside course”.
Many had to be towed out past the chain ferry against a flood tide
but once in the bay the breeze began to build while the fleet waited.
Two hours later than planned the third race got off in about 16
knots. Gray got the best start and rounded the windward mark first.
Jerry rook had switched to a male crew for the day and found himself
now in a battle with Barker, the Woffindens, Macmillan and Phil
Tindal crewed by Roy Box from Maidenhead. Gledhill had settled comfortably
into second place, Rook third and Barker fourth with the race officer
shortening to just two rounds to be able to get the fourth race
start in before the 2.30pm deadline.
The wind was up again to 18 knots for the last race, and this time
shifting toward the south with some regularity.
The same bunch again began to pull away with some going left. Gray
again went right covering barker, with Gledhill just to windward,
but just behind. A few tacks to the left on the shifts, and again
Gray went round first only to be passed by Gledhill , this time
to leeward on the reach. Barker was again in third with rook pushing
hard. Positions stayed the same with everyone loose covering until
the finish.
FINAL RESULTS.
1st ORLANDO GLEDHILL / JOHN FRARY Queen Mary S.C. 5 pts
2nd RICHARD GRAY / BILL LAW Parkstone Y.C. 7 pts
3rd ANDREW BARKER / MARK SIMPSON Rock S.C. 13 pts
 
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