Sondown Cup Thames Series open meeting at Tamesis Club

by Tamesis Club on 11 Oct 2011 Sondown Cup Thames Series open meeting was held at Tamesis Club in Middlesex on Sunday 9 October 2011.

Richard and Harry Harris swept the board in a fleet of 20 Merlin Rockets winning all three races and taking the Queen Elizabeth Bowl for the best placed vintage boat for the third successive year. With the best two of the three races to count, they sailed Passing Cloud (1079) with great tactical skill and pulled away from every challenger to win each race by an impressive margin.

The closest challenge came from David Vines and Fran Gifford in Elusive (3347), who were second in every race but who had the misfortune to be recalled for being slightly over the line in the second race.

There was some close racing for third place between Joe and Tom McLaughlin in Smart Cookie (3559), Matthew Peregrine Jones and Dana Church in Masquerade (995), and Jon and Fenella Redding in Pikey (3520).

In the first race Race Officer Carolyne Vines sent the fleet off on a full six round course in a moderate WSW wind with double east-west doglegs in front of the clubhouse. The course for the second race was extended down river to Lensbury for three rounds in a slightly stronger wind. The final race, in which there were only 14 starters, was sailed in a more north westerly wind which gave a good downstream beat and the opportunity to fly a spinnaker upstream.

Commodore John Adams presented the prizes. There were visitors from Fishers Green SC, Hampton SC, Minima YC, Tata Steel SC, Walton and Frinton YC and Wembley SC.

Overall results:
1 Passing Cloud (1079) Richard and Harry Harris 2 points
2 Elusive (3347) David Vines and Fran Gifford 4 points
3 Smart Cookie (3559) Joe and Tom McLaughlin 6 points
4 Masquerade (995) Matthew Peregrine Jones and Dana Church 7 points
5 Pikey (3520) Jon and Fenella Redding 10 Tamesis Club website