Felpham Regatta '09

Felpham Regatta/Blaze Open - July 4/5 2009

By the end of the weekend it all boiled down to consistency and who had it the most.
The Felpham Regatta, incorporating the Blaze Open, managed to provide a wide range of wind strengths over the 2 days- providing something for everyone.
There was also a small Vago Sea Nationals going on so they went off the line first with the rest of us going 5 minutes later. As the Vagos were on a windward/leward course, a square shaped course was set for the Regatta entrants.

First race on Saturday was started in the lightest winds of the weekend coming in from the South East. Those getting good starts got away and managed to hold off the others. Paul Hemsley was on the pin end and pulled out a lead up the first beat that allowed no one to get back at him. Andy Conway was looking fast in the light conditions and came second with Peter Jones just holding on to third

Second race and Ross Fisher held everyone at bay for a lap and a half before the pack descended on him down the second run. Paul Taylor eased into the lead and held onto it from Hemsley and Peter Barlow cruised into third.
Felpham sailors got away better off the line in the third race and Jones and Fisher led for the first lap but went left up the second beat and didn't cover the others who went right. By the the top mark they had lost 4 places and couldn't recover. (Fisher finding out that he was OCS anyway). Taylor had gone right out on the starboard lay line and it paid off. He came in ahead of everyone and went on to take his second win with Andy Conway taking a good second and Peter Thomas snatching third.

So as the beer flowed that night it was Paul Taylor who sat in the winning chair - possibly hoping for more of the same conditions. It was not to be.
Sunday was just great sailing weather. Sunshine and a big manageable South westerly breeze that gave waves to plane on all the way down some really well set reaches (but then maybe I am slightly biased).

In race 4, Jones and Hemsley got clear off the pin end and were never really challenged by any other boat except the Phantom being sailed by Steve Popple but they held him off. Andy Conway, enjoying the waves, got a good third.
Race 5 and Jones and Hemsley were clear again. Fisher went along the shore up the first beat and it paid to give him a third in front of Taylor.
We came in for lunch and as we prepared for the final race the wind picked up a notch. The race officer had managed to keep the course the same despite the dropping tide. There was lot of bunching at the Committee boat end but everyone got away clear. It has to be mentioned that Popple, in the Phantom, revelled in the bigger winds and pulled away for an impressive win. Jones might have thought that at last the wind had got too much for Hemsley but no. They met up at the windward mark with Jones just in front and then slogged it out for another 45 minutes with very little between them. Another Felpham boat came to the forefront in the conditions with the veteran Andy Farrer taking a well earned third place.

Unfortunately Andy Conway had his halyard break so he had to retire. But the most impressive action of the weekend had to be Paul Taylor finding the fitting on the bottom of his shroud broken, he managed to sail into the beach on his lowers, fix the boat and then get back out on the race course to score a result.
Paul Hemsley's consistency over the weekend gave him a much deserved win in the Blaze Open and the Regatta. Peter Jones managed to move into second overall after doing well on the second day. And Paul Taylor's trip to the beach to fix his boat paid off as his result in the sixth race allowed him to hold on to third.
A big Thank you to all the Blaze sailors who came to Felpham for the weekend. Hope to see you all again next year.

Peter Jones
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Felpham Sailing Club 2009 Regatta / Blaze Open