This year's Bloody Mary Pursuit Race started with the postponement flag flying as the fleets waited for the wind to drop. The sailors of the 5th leg of the GJW SailJuice Winter Series did not have to wait long for the 42nd Bloody Mary to get under way at Queen Mary Sailing Club. This year attracting 235 entries in 58 classes from 101 clubs all around the British Isles and overseas from Santa Cruz YC, California, USA to a fleet of RS Aeros from Luxembourg.
Even after a violent line cold front with its associated wind and rain had passed, the weather treated sailors to a steady Force 5 with some tasty gusts in the 30 knot region.
A humbling list of sailors graced the water, every second sailor seemed to be a world or national champion. This did not seem to deter the early starters. Molly Sacker led the Toppers for much of the race with a masterful demonstration of heavy wind sailing. The Radial fleet was the largest with 28 entries with Steve Cockerill and Queen Mary's Daniel Martin hungry in the chase to catch the Toppers. As the event unfolded the usual suspects of Nick Craig in a Merlin Rocket, Michael Sims in his Solo and Stuart Jones in a Contender who made the breeze look easy and battled at the front.
But of the 69 finishers it was Fireball sailors Tom Gillard and Richard Anderton who took the lead at the two hour mark, held off the chasing Fireballs and 505s right to the finish and took the finishing gun to win the Bloody Mary!
Overall Results: (top ten)
1. Tom Gillard and Richard Anderton, Shefield Viking and HISC, Fireball 15081
2. David Edwards and Vyv Townend, Bewl Valley, Fireball 15096
3. Mike Holt and Tim Needham, Santa Cruz YC, 505 9072
4. Stuart Jones, Datchet Contender, 2465
5. Ian Pinnell and Alex Davies, HISC, 505 9136
6. Paul Allen and Adam Whitehouse, Weir Wood, Fireball 14898
7. Steve Cockerill, Stokes Bay, Radial 181920
8. William Warren and Mark Oakey, Shoreham, Merlin Rocket 3756
9. Angus Hemmings and Steve Chesney, Stokes Bay, Fireball 14791
10. Michael Sims, Carsington, Solo 5491
Class prizes were also awarded to:
Matt and Ellie Sheahan in their RS400 took the Gul Spot prize for 47th place – innovative solutions keeping you warm for 47 years. The Virtual Rigger mid fleet prize went to Ollie Perry of Silver Wing in his Radial 190861.
The overall winners thanked the race committee and all at the club for running the race so well in challenging conditions.
Provisional Results at www.queenmary.org.uk/SailResults/20150110_2015%20Bloody%20Mary%20Pursuit.htm
Boat Tracking was used at the Bloody Mary and a full replay can be viewed following the link below. Trackers were used on the leaders of the GJW SailJuice series and on known top sailors across 21 fleets, from Toppers to Musto Skiffs. Speed bragging rights can go to Ian Pinnell and crew in their 505 hitting 19.4 knots and Stuart Jones in his Contender hitting 16.9 knots, the fastest double and single handed sailors of the bunch respectively.
Queen Mary would like to thank our sponsors Volvo Cars Sailing, Sportography, Virtual Rigger, 91 Consulting and Spiral Studios whose assistance was greatly valued in running the event. To those who braved the condition and had faith in the weather forecast we salute you and hope to see you all next year for another magical day.
