South West

Written by: Steve Wilkinson

Today's SW Traveller, kindly hosted by Mounts Bay SC, was won by Tom Cosier and Niamh O'Neill, with Kim May-Papailiou and Amy Sparks second and Rosie and Midge Watkins third. All three races were won by wooden boats. So if you have a wooden Mirror, are based in the south west, and want to take part in Round 4 of the SW Travellers series at Penzance SC on the 10th July, don't be put off if you haven't got a new glass boat. The wooden ones can still do the business.

Full report on today's event to follow.

Written by: Steve Wilkinson

Sunday 12^th June saw Round 2 of the GUL sponsored SW Travellers Series, with the Open Meeting being held at Restronguet SC, Falmouth. As this is the venue for the 2011 Crewsaver Mirror Nationals in August this year, a number of boats from Poole had made the journey down for training the previous day, and followed up by taking part in the Open Meeting.

The glorious weather from the previous day had disappeared when the crews turned up in the morning to get rigged, and in its place a strong Force 4+ southerly wind, with a lot of rain that arrived in squalls. With Restronguets Race Officer, Tim Bowerbank, opting to try and get the three races in as quickly as possible the boats left the shore only to find the wind pick up, with gusts coming in at 25 -28knots together with driving rain. Of the ten boats that set of to race, four wisely turned back as the conditions in the middle of Carrick Roads raised some lumpy seas as well.

Racing got underway with the rain and wind doing its best to deter everyone from staying out, but Rosie and Midge Watkins gained a lead up the first beat that they never relinquished, although pushed hard at the start of the race by Kim May-Papailou and Amy Sparks. Tom Cosier and Niamh O’Niell eventually finished second with James Wilkinson and Esmé Shepherd in third.

With the wind veering and course adjustments to be made, race 2 took a while to get underway. Rosie and Midge hit the front of the fleet as they approached the windward mark for the first time, and were able to hold off James and Esmé for a second win, with Tom and Niamh coming third.

Race three was won by James and Esmé, with Rosie and Midge second and Kim and Amy third, following some close quarters work off the start line between the three boats up the first beat.

The six boats that stayed out are to congratulated for their perseverance and stamina, in particular Tom and Niamh who are the lightest crew in the fleet and endured five capsizes during the afternoon but kept going, and in addition to those already mentioned Anna and Harriet Watkins and Brian and Esther Bowdler.

The overall results were:-

1^st Rosie & Midge Watkins Poole YC 2points, 2^nd James Wilkinson & Esmé Shepherd Restronguet SC 3 points, 3^rd Tom Cosier & Niamh O’Niell Restronguet SC 5 points

Round 3 of the GUL SW Travellers Series will take place at Mounts Bay SC on Sunday 19^th June. For further information please go to the club website www.mbsc.org.uk/

Written by: Steve Wilkinson

Written by: Martin Egan

Report of Gul SW Travellers at Restronguet to follow