Rip-Roarer at Restronguet

Report by Ed Presley

The Contender Travellers Trophy moved to Restronguet Sailing Club on the 10-11th October, allowing the fleet to experience one of the most beautiful settings of the year; Falmouth Harbour.

A forecast of sunshine and light breeze encouraged the Race team to start on time.  The first start got away clean in F1-2. The fleet became largely spread out up the first beat due to the patchy wind coupled the enormous course. Youngster Tom Hooton showed that boatspeed was key and lead by a large gap at the first mark never to be troubled again. Roger White Manoeuvred into second by the end followed by Nick Eggett in third.

The wind had increased for race two allowing some of the fatter sailors to compete, Ed Presley and Graham Scott rounded the windward mark ahead the pack with Scott winning out down wind, he then proceeded to control the race from the front. Matt Aston came back to pass Presley for 2nd on the last lap.

The wind dropped again for the last race of the day. Matt Aston Lead early on and continued to extend his lead ahead of Roger white who was able to hold off Scott to take a deserved 2nd. Sundays Racing began with a building F4. Matt Aston was again able to give us a lesson as the rest of the pack traded places throughout the race. Nick Noble gave himself enough space to stay out of the battle and take 2nd with Stacey Bray coming through to claim 3rd at the end.

Race 5 saw the fleet favour the right hand side of the course with many ‘banging corners’ to make progress, the downside to this was a long and erratic starboard lay line that allowed gains to be made from the odd hitch to the middle. Scott and Aston were of the few that got right and finished in that order with Cornish hero Stuart Backhouse fighting off the rest to come in 3rd.

The last Race start line was very port biased and some went for the flyer to hit the right hand side early. It was Ed Presley who got of the top of the hill first using the middle of the course, his lead was reduced by the 2nd lap and Aston and Scott passed him and continued their ongoing battle that came down to the last leg, Scott taking it very narrowly.

Matt Aston took the trophy due to his enviable consistency, with Graham Scott 2nd and Nick Noble having a better 2nd day to recover to 3rd. The Silver Fleet winner was Stuart Backhouse with Nick Eggett taking the Bronze fleet trophy. The Best Newcomer was Martin Allen.