The 2007 BEYC 'Drakes Challenge' report... courtesy of Richard Wooldridge, Racing in Paradise
11 IC24's rigged up on an overcast and gusty Saturday morning to do
battle. With tropical storm Noel winding up off to the east, bands of
squalls were going to make things interesting. Race officers Tom and
Barbara Farquhar, who have been officiating during Pro Am Regatta Week
for over 20 years, got the first race underway after a short delay
getting the course squared up.
During the pre-start the wind went right and it became a drag race to
the windward gate followed by a reach back to the leeward gate. Plenty
of spinnakers out of control with poles saluting the skies. The second
downwind leg saw B Mobile (Colin Rathbun) nearly get up on the plane in
a particularly strong gust. The race was won by Latitude 19 (Chris
Haycraft) who narrowly beat Mio Broadband to the line, with Rathbun
third. For the remainder of the morning conditions stayed 'fresh to
frightening' and the race committee decided to continue racing without
spinnakers. At the front of the fleet a pattern emerged with Rathbun,
Haycraft and Hirst rarely out of the top three. The large fleet meant
that being over early produced big scores. Lunch was called and it was
Hirst and Haycraft locked on 6 points with Rathbun on 9 after 3 races.
Andrew Waters, who placed second last year, and his crew licked their
wounds (after coming in 9th three times) and sought refreshments. This
made all the difference in the world as they convincingly won the first
race after of the afternoon. Waters, second last year, with a scoreline
good enough to win any regatta was the pre regatta co-top seed. Was
Andrew Waters now back on track? I'm afraid not, another pair of 9ths
rounded off the team’s miserable day. The weather conditions improved
with the wind moderating and settling down blowing out of Gun Creek.
Haycraft, Rathbun and Hirst continued to show the way with the
exception of an OCS (and a whopping 12 points) for Robbie Hirst in race
6. Best of the improvers for the day were Chris Carrerri sailing rip
and James Woods sailing INTAC.
Over half of the competitors headed back down the Sir Francis Drake
channel to hear Ben Ainslie speak at the Royal BVI Yacht Club Saturday
evening.
Sunday saw a bit of sunshine poking through the clouds and a steady
breeze from the Southeast. Lat 19 looked to be in control with a 4
point lead over Hirst even after the discard (which hooked in after
race 7). That all changed in a heartbeat as Haycraft got buried at the
start in the first race and posted an 8th, Rathbun won, with Hirst
second. Haycraft bounced back with a bullet in race 8, Rathbun 3rd and
Hirst 4th. The improvers were then mixing it up at the front with
Carrerri and Woods going especially well. Robbie Hirst sailed a blinder
to win race 9, Rathbun 4th, Haycraft 5th. At this point Rathbun was
sailing back to the dock with the regatta in his pocket but enough
boats hovered around the committee boat and Tom declared race 10 was
on.
It was down to the wire. This race decided the regatta.
Rathbun's vang exploded off the mast and he was struggling. After a
tense affair Hirst posted a 2nd, Haycraft a 3rd and Rathbun a 6th, and
none of us knew who won overall. Back at Bitter End lunch is ordered
while everyone waited for Tom to bring the results.
Hirst had done it by one point, totaling 24 points from 9 races.
Rathbun and Haycraft tied up on 24 with Haycraft taking second with his
3 bullets over Rathbun's 2. If Hirst had scored just one more lonely
point Haycraft would have sealed the regatta with a three-way tie.
Hirst would have been third with only one bullet!
A few other 'what if's' were explored but it's team Robbie Hirst and
Mio Broadband who accept the perpetual trophy from Mikhail Shamkin. The
competitors thanked Tom and Barbara for a great job in very tricky
conditions.
And, The IC24's sit at their moorings ready for the Pro Am which starts Tuesday.
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