Tamesis Club

GW Smith Trophy Thursday 23rd August

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Report for the 8th and penultimate race for the 2019 GW Smith Trophy

 

Much was riding on this race with a number of places that could change depending on the results. It would have been nice to have had a clear definite wind up or down the river, but we had a soft and gentle south westerly, albeit in lovely evening sunshine.

 

Thirteen boats started the race and it was unfortunate that a motor barge came through the centre of the line just as we started, putting paid to the cunning plans of those who thought that the advantage lay on the Surrey bank.  This didn’t seem to put off the early leader, the RS400 sailed by Griff and Louis Tanner and  Tim Medcalf, aiming to cement or even improve his lead at the top of the overall table was snapping at his heels.  Tim took the lead during the second lap and sailed off into the distance to win on the water and on handicap.  Behind him Ken Duffell and Mattie Valentine in Avenger passed the Tanners in the RS 400 but could not put enough time between themselves and Richard Harris, taking time out of Merlin sailing, who sailed his Laser into 4th on the water and second behind Tim on handicap.

 

Merlin 596 Samanda Tim Medcalf Veronique Medcalf   1
Laser 141564 Trident Richard Harris       2
Merlin 1004 Avenger Ken Duffell Mattie Valentine   3
Laser 208470 Grebe Stewart Colley       4
Albacore 6813 Cobblers David Baker Jim  Green   5
RS400 650   Griff Tanner Louis Tanner   6
Merlin 1602 Saltarello John Adams Zoë Adams   7
Laser 130773   Chris Taggart       8
Merlin 1773 Oozlam Geoff Bayliss Ian Ramage   9
Laser 154695   Peter Impey       10
Mallard 2   Mark Gardner       11
Laser 146120 Storm Ellen Schwartz       12
Laser 171688 This side up Tim Ginn       13

 

Overall little has changed with the places, except that Tim’s win put the Trophy out of reach of anyone else.  However the places behind him are still not settled so still much to sail on the last race of the series on 29th August.

 

Class Sail No Boat Name Helmsman Crew Points from best 4 races Current position
Merlin 576 Samanda Tim Medcalf Ed Medcalf/Veronique Medcalf 5 1
N18 266 Genevieve Charles  Fox Robert Blakebrough, Alden Horwitz 8 2
Merlin 1978 Lady Anne Charlie Morgan Humphrey Dorrell, Carolyne Vines 11 3
Albacore 6813 Cobblers David  Baker Jin Green/Barbara Adams 12 4
Merlin 1602 Saltarello John Adams Zoë Adams, Carolyne Vines 13 5
N18 348 Antedote Chris Pollard Caroline Stilwell 20 6
Laser 130773   Chris Taggart   26 7
Merlin 1136 Shoestring Peter Johnson Paul Jamieson/Carolyne Vines 28 8
Laser 146170 Storm Ellen Schwartz   36 9
Topper 36323   Henry  Medcalf   40 10

 

 

Note that to provide a decent length race before the late summer sun drops of the horizon , we will be starting at 7.00pm (7.02pm for the N18s).

 

Sadly this will be the end of the summer evening sailing so let’s provide a good turnout for the sailing and boost the dwindling numbers of supper eaters to show our appreciation of the hard work the catering team put in to making Thursdays such an enjoyable evening.