Torpoint Mosquitos’ Autumn Dinghy Handicap Sunday Series: Race 5 of 6
Force 4 winds gusting to force 5, welcomed 15 boats onto the start line for the penultimate race of Torpoint Mosquitos’ autumn dinghy handicap series.
From the start, the Hurricane crewed by Matt Theobald and Beckie Woods went through the fleet and were first to round the first mark, West Mud, with Ronnie Carter and Alex Smerdon (Laser 2000) in close pursuit.
The next three boats – Steve Roberts and Ruby Pearce-Casey (RS200), Tom Crane and Eleanor Pond (Laser 2000) and Rob Loader (Laser), were neck-and-neck rounding the windward mark. As the fleet headed directly downwind to St John’s Green 3, Loader was gaining ground and moved into fourth place. The second beat to Yellow and the reach upriver to Ferry saw few changes in places and after rounding Ferry, the fleet went through the gate on to finish the first lap with Theobald and Woods leading by four minutes, followed by Carter and Smerdon.
As the wind freshened on the second lap Jasmine Keir (Laser) – out for her first race this year – retired as did five other boats and the beat to West Mud saw the fleet get more spread out.
The leading boats made the most of the gusts as they spinnakered down the waves into St John’s Lake to round the downwind mark at St John’s Green 3. The downwind leg proved troublesome for Cliff Webb (Aero 7) who capsized but managed to recover quickly. Brian Jones (Feva) gained two places and moved into seventh place. With the Hurricane still in the lead, the fleet used their spinnakers to make the most of the long reach back up river to Ferry mark, before the quick upwind tack to the finish line.
Theobald and Woods were first to finish on the water but sixth on handicap. Carter and Smerdon (Laser 2000) finished second on the water but took first place on corrected times with Roberts and Pearce-Casey taking second and Rob Loader, third.
Race team: Paul Fortt and Jenny Roberts.
Final results on corrected time
1 Ronnie Carter & Alex Smerdon (Laser 2000) 2 Steve Roberts & Ruby Pearce-Casey (RS200) 3 Rob Loader (Laser) 4 Tom Crane and Eleanor Pond (Laser 2000) 5 Cliff Webb (Aero 7).