HWS Race 4, 23rd Oct 2011 – Report from Pavlova III

A perfect race for Pavlova III and well done to our excellent Team. A delightful Babooning over the Class Captain in Persephone.

The Mefisto race planning had started Saturday evening in Hamble village, attempting to poison P3 with lashings of Sunset Rum-like, but Rebecca would not yield and stuck to small pints of white wine and soda, in preparation of our fourth winter series race,

Another well managed race day with HRSC opting for only one race, due to the prevailing heavy forecast. Our own race planning was complex, with a changing tide mid race and eight legs, each crossing the main streams. Pavlova III and Mefisto chose to start at the starboard end, with the rest of the fleet at the pin end, opting to head off into slightly less tide. We could see only a metre difference in depth so felt the starboard end was less distance to cross over-tide on port tack. The advantages both balanced out as Persephone rounded first with Pavlova III in second place, closely followed by Zanzara, Rapscallion and With Alacrity

 On our first rounding, the spinnaker halyard un-snapped during the hoist but our Cambridge Brothers of Tom and Ben, quickly rectified the problem and we held our position. Persephone were on fire and confidently shot over to the right side on starboard jibe, with the rest of the fleet heading left. It paid again for Team Persephone and they stretched their lead. But, our Mentor

Jamie Wilkinson has taught us well: keep calm, keep thinking and anything can happen in a race.

Persephone led the next two legs, feeling the constant pressure of Pavlova III gradually chipping away at their 50 meter gap. An exciting game of warfare commenced....does the lead boat cover, or stick to their planning and what can the second boat achieve to pressurize the lead boat. On the next windward leg, Pavlova III played the Oil Tanker just right and rounded wide, 5 meters ahead of Persephone, tactically allowing them to dip inside the mark under us, giving us a nice windward position for the last leeward leg.

Nigel threatened us with a couple of brave luffs in 25 knots of wind, but we held our ground, gradually sliding over Persephone and with a final leeward rounding, marched on to the windward finishing line off Hill Head. A well earnt Victory for a hard-working Pavlova III

I am not sure how the race panned out for others, as our targets were fixed on Persephone, so but it was good to see Gambit continue to achieve their new found form and disappointing to see Mefisto slide further into their winter's hell, with their lack of ringer's and too many riders, finishing a shocking 17 minutes late.

The protests were heard on Sunday and Mr and Mrs Choules, Without Alacrity, were awarded a rare and painful DSQ, knocking them off the top overall position, to be replaced by The Russian Ballet Dancer and The Goddess of the Underworld

Looking forward to the next race. Team P3