Salcombe Gin Merlin Rocket Week 2024 at Salcombe Yacht Club - Day 3

Following the traumas of Monday, the fleet woke to bright sunshine and a brisk breeze. Would it be from a more helpful direction?

Well, slightly. A touch more north meant that there was a bit more breeze down through the town and there was the prospect of some normal racing.

Salcombe Gin Merlin Week 2024 Day 3 Morning Race - photo © Malcolm Mackley

RACE 5: GREEN v BLUE Flights, COURSE 7,3,7,1

With a light breeze on the line and a flood tide underneath them, the fleet lined up early and there was an inevitable general recall. Race officer for the day Scud Stewart kept his counsel on miscreants and rolled straight into another start that again was not clear but was let go. Spectators at the club were left to see who would be sent home early. The final tally was 13 having an early bath.

From the start, those who got onto port from the middle of the line were away in clear air with Chris Gould and Sophie Mackley showing well and Christian Birrell and Sam Brearey in close company. On the beat up to Gerston, Arran Holman and Faye Chatterton showed some stellar speed to come through and take a narrow lead onto the run. However, with the two leaders engrossed in a match race, Chris and Sophie took the low route out of the tide to come though to lead at Crossways.

With a good NNW holding down the main Kingsbridge channel, the fleet enjoyed a good beat back up to Gerston and run back to the harbour, by which time Chris and Sophie had worked out a 200m lead with Alex Jackson and Pippa Kilsby working their way up to second. Although the wind was starting to break up the leading two negotiated a near windless Blackstone mark and came in comfortably ahead of the chasing pack who were becalmed fighting the tide. Chris and Sophie taking a well earnt first bullet of the week.

Salcombe Gin Merlin Week 2024 Day 3 - photo © Lucy Burn

Christian and Sam managed to get the better of a fight to the line with Caroline Gould and Livvy Bell. Matt and Hannah Greenfield successfully converted another position in the leading pack to come in fifth ahead of Alex Warren and Jonty Freeman enjoying their best result of the week.

RACE 6: RED v BLACK Flights, Course 8,3,6,5,2

The afternoon race had a nice 8-10 knots of NNW on the line with a bias towards the town end. A clean start saw Tom Morris and Chris Kilsby jump into the lead onto the long beat up to Balcombe near Kingsbridge with Mike and Jane Calvert giving chase. The top two overnight, Tom Gillard / Ollie Meadowcroft and Will and Arthur Henderson were both in the top ten but had some work to do.

Turning on to the run Rob Kennaugh and Andrew Prosser were running well in the top group along with Chris Haworth and Stuart Aston in their beautifully restored 40-year-old boat 'Shadowfax' in which Chris finished third at the 1985 Championships.

Places remained unchanged on the run but on the beat into Frogmore the wind started to die and Mike and Jane were able to reel in Tom and Chris and establish a big lead on the run back into the harbour. Comfortably ahead, they completed the circuit around Mill Bay mark to come home well ahead and take their first bullet of the week.

Salcombe Gin Merlin Week 2024 Day 3 Afternoon Race - photo © Malcolm Mackley

Tom and Chris were still in second rounding Mill Bay but Tom and Ollie tacked away in third to play the town side and were rewarded with better pressure to come through to take second. Further back Tom Stewart and Rob Allen had a great second half of the race to climb into fourth ahead of George Yeoman and Mark Oakey, back on their horse after a trying second day. Chris and Stuart were an excellent 6th in Shadowfax.

Salcombe Gin Merlin Week 2024 Day 3 - photo © Lucy Burn

So, at the half way stage, six races have been completed with six different race winners. Tom and Ollie have just got their noses in front of Mike and Jane with a number of teams looking forward to the discard coming in to get into the battle at the top of the leaderboard.

Results after Day 3: