By Ben McGrane
A total of 47 competitors took part in the Castle Cove open held over the 14th & 15th May. A chance to race on the waters where the World Championships will be held in July this year ensure a high turnout along with all the best the UK have to offer in attendance, competitors weren’t left disappointed!
A total of six races were completed over the two days as scheduled, with forecast NW winds blowing offshore, consistency and smart sailing would prove key.
Saturday's races were held in shifty winds ranging from 8-20 knots with the course showing the right to be the favoured side. With a discard in after three races Graham Scott lead counting 2, 1 from local sailor Nick Grace who posted a strong 3, 2 in the first two races. Stuart Jones, Ben McGrane, John Browett and Simon Mussell posted consistent top 10 finishes to stay in contention going into the second day.
On Saturday evening the galley and bar volunteers did an excellent job of feeding competitors and a few beers were had to assist weary sailors in their recovery ready to do battle again the following day.
Sunday dawned and condition appeared much the same, the race team worked hard to set a course and get the racing underway but were eventually forced to delay until the direction settled. This proved the right decision as the wind swung into the west and increased in strength leaving the competitors to enjoy champagne sailing.
Ultimately it was Graham Scott who continued his strong form, scoring 1,1,2 he won by 6 points and with a race to spare. Stuart Jones score was enough to give him 2nd by 1 point over Simon Mussell. Ben McGrane and Ben Holden rounded out the top 5.
Click here for a gallery of event pictures. Warning contains Fireballs!
Results
|
No |
Helm |
Race 1 |
Race 2 |
Race 3 |
Race 4 |
Race 5 |
Race 6 |
Pts |
1 |
720 |
Graham Scott |
2 |
(4) |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
2 |
2465 |
Stuart Jones |
1 |
5 |
(6) |
2 |
2 |
3 |
13 |
3 |
2420 |
Simon Mussell |
(8) |
1 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
14 |
4 |
24 |
Ben McGrane |
4 |
6 |
4 |
(14) |
7 |
4 |
25 |
5 |
2315 |
Ben Holden |
10 |
7 |
2 |
8 |
(48/BFD) |
6 |
33 |
6 |
702 |
Matt Aston |
7 |
(27) |
10 |
3 |
11 |
5 |
36 |
7 |
2484 |
Nick Grace |
3 |
2 |
15 |
13 |
4 |
(48/BFD) |
37 |
8 |
2503 |
Tim Holden |
6 |
3 |
13 |
(18) |
5 |
13 |
40 |
9 |
713 |
John Browett |
5 |
8 |
3 |
16 |
9 |
(48/DNC) |
41 |
10 |
2383 |
David Davies |
(23) |
16 |
11 |
10 |
12 |
9 |
58 |
11 |
2406 |
Ed Presley |
12 |
14 |
17 |
6 |
(48/BFD) |
12 |
61 |
12 |
646 |
Martin Frary |
9 |
9 |
7 |
26 |
10 |
(48/BFD) |
61 |
13 |
2376 |
Nick Noble |
16 |
17 |
16 |
(21) |
6 |
11 |
66 |
14 |
476 |
Daniel Taylor |
19 |
12 |
12 |
(20) |
17 |
8 |
68 |
15 |
2422 |
Neil Ferguson |
11 |
18 |
20 |
(30) |
13 |
10 |
72 |
16 |
2373 |
Mike Murley |
13 |
19 |
(48/DNF) |
9 |
16 |
19 |
76 |
17 |
694 |
Chris Boshier |
18 |
10 |
18 |
(32) |
15 |
15 |
76 |
18 |
2410 |
Mark Robinson |
20 |
15 |
14 |
(33) |
19 |
18 |
86 |
19 |
2505 |
Peter Dives |
22 |
21 |
(48/DNF) |
12 |
18 |
16 |
89 |
20 |
654 |
Thomas Hooton |
17 |
20 |
23 |
11 |
(25) |
25 |
96 |
21 |
2347 |
Martin Jones |
35 |
26 |
9 |
(40) |
14 |
14 |
98 |
22 |
2423 |
Allan Orton |
(34) |
13 |
22 |
17 |
29 |
17 |
98 |
23 |
2432 |
Jerry Hone |
24 |
23 |
(48/DNC) |
15 |
24 |
23 |
109 |
24 |
2263 |
Richard Batten |
(48/DNC) |
48/DNC |
48/DNC |
5 |
8 |
7 |
116 |
25 |
696 |
Tony Cook |
15 |
25 |
(29) |
23 |
26 |
27 |
116 |
26 |
2448 |
Stuart Backhouse |
28 |
22 |
21 |
25 |
20 |
(32) |
116 |
27 |
678 |
Bill Hooton |
(37) |
31 |
28 |
19 |
22 |
21 |
121 |
28 |
630 |
James Spikesley |
(31) |
30 |
24 |
28 |
23 |
22 |
127 |
29 |
2477 |
Chris Howe |
29 |
32 |
(48/DNC) |
24 |
27 |
20 |
132 |
30 |
675 |
David Gautier |
30 |
28 |
27 |
22 |
(35) |
30 |
137 |
31 |
469 |
C Tagoe |
27 |
11 |
8 |
(48/DNC) |
48/DNC |
48/DNC |
142 |
32 |
657 |
Rob Smith |
25 |
(39) |
33 |
27 |
32 |
26 |
143 |
33 |
703 |
Peter Hayward |
32 |
(36) |
26 |
31 |
31 |
24 |
144 |
34 |
2318 |
Allan Mollatt |
(33) |
29 |
30 |
29 |
28 |
29 |
145 |
35 |
241 |
Graeme Willcox |
26 |
(48/DNF) |
48/DNC |
7 |
30 |
36 |
147 |
36 |
2490 |
Stuart Hudson |
21 |
24 |
19 |
(48/DNC) |
48/DNC |
48/DNC |
160 |
37 |
634 |
Marcus Scrace |
39 |
34 |
31 |
(41) |
33 |
28 |
165 |
38 |
669 |
Jock Fellows |
36 |
33 |
32 |
(42) |
34 |
31 |
166 |
39 |
2191 |
R Keevil |
14 |
35 |
25 |
(48/DNF) |
48/DNC |
48/DNC |
170 |
40 |
536 |
Kevin Francis |
(42) |
40 |
34 |
36 |
37 |
35 |
182 |
41 |
671 |
Graham Cooper |
38 |
38 |
35 |
37 |
(39) |
34 |
182 |
42 |
593 |
John Pym |
(44) |
41 |
37 |
38 |
38 |
33 |
187 |
43 |
705 |
Myles Blevett |
41 |
(48/DNF) |
48/DNC |
35 |
21 |
48/DNC |
193 |
44 |
629 |
Mark Lee |
45 |
37 |
36 |
39 |
36 |
(48/DNF) |
193 |
45 |
6 |
Chris H Walker |
43 |
(48/DNF) |
48/DNC |
34 |
40 |
48/DNC |
213 |
46 |
71 |
Sam Barker |
40 |
(48/DNF) |
48/DNC |
48/DNC |
48/DNC |
48/DNC |
232 |
47 |
340 |
Tim Eastaugh |
(48/DNC) |
48/DNC |
48/DNC |
43 |
48/DNC |
48/DNC |
235 |