Host club’s Andy Davis and Tom Pygall prevail in 2011 Merlin Rocket Open Meeting – Sailing news
Blithfield Sailing Club’s Andy Davis and Tom Pygall put up a fabulous sailing display in the final race of 2011 Merlin Rocket Open Meeting hosted by their own club. The Blithfield SC pair made their way to the top mark of the leaderboard with excellent sail
results on the race course with two points in three races, including a discard.
First race started punctually featuring Andy Davis and Tom Pygall mastering the beat and setting up a strong lead which they retained until the finish. Jon Gorringe and Toby Lewis of Parkstone Sailing Club made a hard attempt to overtake but could not succeed
and managed to hit the second spot followed by Steve Leney and Gill Leney on third.
Race two was won by Gorringe and Lewis, as they superbly sailed up to the top mark. The fleet leaders in the first race, Davis and Pygall finished second while Will Rainey and Kelly Miller of Shoreham Sailing Club clinched third spot.
In the third race, unexpectedly the course and line position had to be revised, as the wind had shifted further left. Despite that, host club’s Davis and Pygall hit the top podium in the race ahead of Parkstone Sailing Club team while Richard Dee and Chris
Gould from Midland Sailing Club grabbed third position.
Overall standings at the end of the event are given below:
1. 3684 Andy Davis, Tom Pygall, Blithfield Sailing Club 1, (2), 1 = 2 points
2. 3712 Jon Gorringe, Toby Lewis, Parkstone Sailing Club (2), 1, 2 = 3 points
3. 3610 Richard Dee, Chris Gould, Midland Sailing Club 4, (5), 3 = 7 points
4. 3716 Steve Leney, Gill Leney, Blithfield Sailing Club 3, (7), 4 = 7 points
5. 3583 Chris Martin, Dan Morgan, Blithfield Sailing Club (16), 4, 5 = 9 points
6. 3693 Will Rainey, Kelly Miller, Shoreham Sailing Club 8, 3, (13) = 11 points
7. 3722 Ben Hollis, Ben Hendon, Blithfield Sailing Club 5, 6, (12) = 11 points
8. 3565 Paul Keeling, Michelle Keeling, Blithfield Sailing Club 7, (8), 6 = 13 points
9. 3663 Chris Haworth, Jonathan Bullen, Blackpool and Fleetwood Sailing Club (17), 10, 7 = 17 points
10. 3729 Jon Turner, Richard Parsloe, Beer Sailing Club 9, (12), 9 = 18 points
The event was the final meeting of the Craftinsure Silver Tiller series organised at Blithfield SC. Participants showed a great deal of enthusiasm under the weather conditions which were absolutely wonderful. The racing day began with the sun shining on
the 38-boat fleet that met to sail on the shoreline.
Winds were blessed for a perfect race, as they gusted around the racing area at Blithfield SC from force three to four knots in direction of south and south west, making the jibs rustle and filling all the teams with expectations of splendours waiting for
them.
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