Golden Dolphin Series at Parkstone YC

Final Golden Dolphin Event of the Year brings some close racing

Unfortunately a poor forecast and an event clash brought a small but competitive fleet of 13 Fireballs to Parketone for the final event on the Golden Dolphin circuit. The competitors arrived to a glassy Poole Harbour and a forecast that didn't look too promising for the rest of the day. Thankfully forecasts can be wrong and after a short postponement, the wind filled in enough for racing to be held in the harbour.

In Race 1, Sam Mettam & Richard Anderton led to the windward mark followed by Anthony & James Wilcocks, however Matt Burge & Viv Townend used their local knowledge by carrying on on starboard on the deep second reach, maintaining pressure and around the outside of the 2 leaders. Despite the best efforts of the rest of the fleet, they couldn't be chased down and took their first bullet of the weekend.

The pressure had increased slightly in Race 2 allowing for occasional trapezing (or flat wiring for the lightweight Wilcocks brothers!). The Wilcocks led to the windward mark followed by Burge/Townend. On the first run, the right hand side paid again, with Jonathan Carter & Gareth Wilkinson coming through to take the lead from the Wilcocks brothers. By the end of the race, these 2 teams were a long way ahead of the rest of the fleet with team Wilcocks taking the bullet to be overnight leaders.

The fleet then retired ashore for a well-appreciated curry before moving on to sample the delights of Poole.

An early launch was required on Sunday for the long sail out into the bay. With a 10 knots breeze already blowing and a forecast for more, the day promised to be a but more exciting.

In Race 3, Burge/Townend led to the windward mark followed closely by Mettam/Anderton, who completed the first of overtaking manoeuvres by these 2 boats as the lead changed hands 7 times on the reaches of the first triangle. Mettam/Anderton lead to the 2nd windward mark only to be overtaken at the bottom of the run, however they managed to regain the lead and then extend a little to take the win. Christine & Graham Slater sailed an excellent race to finish 4th, but the Wilcocks boys looked like they were going to struggle to hold onto their overnight lead in the chop and increasing breeze.

In Race 4, Tim Rush and Dan Scheiber led to the first mark followed by Burge/Townend, with the latter taking the lead on the first reach. These 2 boats then extended away from the rest of the fleet, but Rush/Scheiber were unable to get back through, giving Burge/Townend their second bullet of the weekend. Hannah Showell & Rob Daniels showed some fantastic pace during the race, sailing themselves as high as 3rd before getting stuck on the wrong side of the beat to finish 8th.

Race 5 turned out to be another tight battle between Burge/Townend and Mettam/Anderton with the lead changing several times and the race ending with a very close split tack finish which gave Burge/Townend the bullet and enough to take the open meeting win.

A very tired and slightly depleted fleet started the final race with Mettam & Anderton leading to the windward mark and extending their lead from Rush/Scheiber.

Overall, Burge/Townend won from Mettam/Anderton, but the racing was fantastic throughout the fleet. The boats all finished within a couple of minutes of each other and one mistake could see a boat go from a top 4 to last... Perhaps the best performance of the weekend was the Slaters who won the silver fleet, the ladies' prize and the under 21 prize (although of course father Graham fits in neither of these 2 categories!) - definitely a team to watch for next year.

With the build up to the 2015 Worlds in the UK, next year looks like the class will grow yet again with lots of rumours of new teams getting together.

Overall Results: