SVYC Regatta Day 2
Published 12:10 on 17 Aug 2022
After the testing light wind conditions encountered on Sunday, the forecast looked hopeful for Monday with a 7-10kn SW predicted. However it unfortunately turned out to be a far more difficult day for the race committee and sailing alike, with wind from almost every direction throughout the course of the day.
The SVOD Cadets lead the way, with a classic course in a 7kn SW breeze (whilst it lasted!). Again it was George who pulled clear of the fleet early on, and stayed there. Unfortunately Annabelle lost out to both Benjy and Austin as they negotiated a hole in the wind around the IDM, but with 7 starters it was one of the biggest SVOD Cadet fleets we have had in years, and we look forward to seeing them all again next year!
In the morning flight of starts, the Cruisers set off on a SW course in between Wreck and Warner, but then had a change of course at Warner as the SE filled in to send them down to Bembridge to get a beat. It was Jonny King who won on handicap from William Edwards. The first Mermaid race of the day was the Balmer Cup for B helms and novices in the south-westerly. They were treated to difficult, shifty conditions as they went out to Somers, and with plenty of holes in the wind it was Christopher Gyle-Thompson who came home with an enormous lead from Belinda Hacking and Georgie Claxon. In the Squibs it was a repeat of yesterday, with Martin Harrison taking a commanding lead over Chris Gear. Finally 3 Optimists started in the slack tide for the Simonds Cup. Whilst the course had to be extended to give the boats the best race, Charlotte Self who maintained her lead over Felix Ives over the final lap.
The Lasers soon followed as the final start of the morning, as the SW breeze was just holding. In a competitive fleet of 20 boats and wind shifts of over 90 degrees (as SW became NW and then back again!), it was a Bottomley top 3, with Senan ahead of Nate and Josh. Charlie Proddow took the prize for the leading non-Bottomley!
The 1200 Mermaid start had to be postponed to due the previous race overrunning, so next out of the blocks was the Slow Handicap. With the tide building, it was a difficult inshore start to reach up to the first mark, then heading west into the remnants of the SW wind before coming east to complete a second beat in the SE breeze. After all that, Swithun Prescott took the win on handicap, after Pia Raber took line honours, and the first 15 boats all finishing within a minute after a 40 minute race!
Once the Redwings and Mermaids had both started, it became apparent that something wasnt right as both fleets sailed straight passed each other in opposite directions, both running with spinnakers up and sails out! For the first time in a while, a strong westerly breeze pushed the south-easterly out, and as a result both fleets had some superb sailing in 12kn W, after no fewer than 3 changes of course for the 2 fleets! After a very tactical long beat back from Wreck for both classes, the Redwings enjoyed a superb 1hr 20 race and James Wilson took line honours from Jo Robertson and Mark Downer. In the Mermaids, Raymond Simonds won from Ben Few Brown and Noel Dobbs.
For the afternoon racing, the breeze unfortunately died, and with the extremely strong tide, only the Mermaids and Squibs went out again for the afternoon flight of starts. Both courses were shortened at the first mark Bruce to come back to the line, as the tide proved just too strong. James Burridge won the Mermaid Buffs Tankard, and Martin Harrison won the squib race to seal his victory in the overall series.
The evening Mermaid and SVOD starts were postponed for a while, as the race committee remained hopeful that the spotted strong SW breeze on the Western Solent would continue to come this way, and in possibly the best wind of the regatta, all three fleets got away before 1730. The Mermaids had a classic 11, Bunny, 3, L, x3 course, as has become a tradition that the last Mermaid race of the regatta is a classic course where possible. Hugo Mills won the Few Brown Salver from Jimbo Mitchell, his second second of the day. In the Victory Fleet, Addie Pinkster won from a strong fleet of 15 boats, especially with her gib 22 inches lower than it should have been thanks to a slipped halyard. After the Amber fleet got away cleanly first time, Rob Glanville won the Sir Edward Blount Cup, from Robert Holbrook and Piers Thomas.
After 15 starts, 8 changes of course, and 5 different wind directions the second day of the SVYC concluded with prize giving. A massive thank you to all the boatmen, race deck assistants, safety boat drivers and everyone who helped to make it such a successful regatta. The SVYC Regatta next year will run on the 13th and 14th August 2023.