Royal Southern retains Inter-Club Team Trophy.
Gee, Mercator Too and Seychelles Dreams take class honours. |
| A slightly reduced but no less enthusiastic group of eleven crews, on boats between 6-15 metres, gathered for the 2010 Open Weekend and were set the three disciplines of GJW Direct Poker Run, Swordsman Marine Predicted Log and Sea Start Solent Safari, interspersed with some fine dining and a highly enjoyable party, where much audible talent and some cool moves were on display. |
| The lottery of poker hands smiled most on Chris Clayton in Gee who took the Tarrant Shield, from Chris & Pauline Davies on Indian Summer and John & Marion Kernan aboard Mercator Too, but after a relaxed al fresco lunch in Folly Reach, the Predicted Log proved a sterner test as south westerly Solent winds hit F5 to make for sprightly boating over the 20 mile course that took competitors west to Hamstead Ledge and east to East Bramble, before finishing off Coronation. |
| Regular winner Blue Angel experienced problems leaving the Medina and along with Gee and Indian Summer failed to take the South Bramble start, James & Lorraine Grant in the diminutive Seychelles Dreams RIB very sensibly retired and after two hours, Mercator Too proved most accurate with an error of less than 1 per cent, to lift the Pandora’s Box. Second and running beautifully in the short chop came Steve & Rachel Lorriman on Capri Tide ahead of Fairey Owners Club Commodore, Mark Rhodes, in his immaculate Supermarine Swordfish, Spitfire of Hamble, who took the Fairey Trophy for first Classic boat and the Swordsman Trophy for Concours d’Elegance. |
| After an unusual tie break, deciphering a pithy code flag message, the Smugglers Trophy for the Solent Safari went to the resilient Grants in the smallest entry, Seycelles Dreams, who also took the EP Barrus RIB Trophy, from biggest entry, Indian Summer and Richard & Annie Campbell-Walter on the supremely elegant but occasionally myopic Diva. The WD & HO Wills Inter-Club Team Trophy went to Royal Southern C, comprising the Kernans in Mercator Too, Martin & Di Bedford in Moon Shadow and the recently returned Equipe Inkster aboard Mrs. Chips , from Royal Southern A [Blue Angel, Capri Tide & Diva], Royal Southern B [Gee, Indian Summer & Lindisfarne] and the OAS Team [Spitfire of Hamble, Seychelles Dreams & Maverick]. |
| Another good weekend, much enjoyed by all who participated. |
| JWW |
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