Downs Sailing Club hosted a Phantom Open Meeting on Saturday 4th October in conjunction with the Contender and RS600 classes. Unfortunately a poor weather forecast resulted in a disappointing entry, but the sailors who did attend experienced some great sailing.
Following a complementary bacon roll, race 1 got underway in about 18 knots SSW. By the end of the long first beat, the running order that would follow for most of the event was in place. Steve Popple was leading from Chris Shelton, with Sam Taylor-Nobbs a close third. A mistake at the end of the run meant that Sam dropped back, whilst Steve and Chris pulled away from the fleet. However a navigational error at the end of the race handed Chris the victory, Steve was second and Peter Harlow third.
Race 2 started in a strengthening wind, that had now tracked SW. Soon after the start Sam Taylor-Nobbs was forced to retire with a nasty kink in his carbon fibre mast. By the end of the first beat Steve Popple had a good lead whilst Eric Styles, Richard White and Chris Shelton were rounding the windward mark at the same time. Unfortunately both Eric and Richard had a swim which enabled Chris to get away from them. By the finish it was a clear victory for Steve, with Chris second and Peter Harlow staying upright to claim third place.
For the third race the ebb tide had started and the wind had moderated slightly to about 15 knots SW. Chris Shelton lead around the windward mark very closely followed by Peter Harlow and Steve Popple. Chris and Peter were side-by-side down the run, but Chris managed to just pull ahead by the leeward mark. Steve sailed very well up the second beat and rounded the windward mark just ahead of Chris, whilst Peter lost ground. Down the second run Steve gybed inshore to dodge the tide, but Chris found some bigger waves offshore to round the leeward mark ahead. With only a short beat to the finish, the final positions were Chris first, Steve second and Richard White third.
As the Race Officer prepared to start the fourth and final race, the sky turned black, the wind shifted by ninety degrees and the gusts were hitting 30 knots. He was left with no option but to abandon and send the fleet home. The sailors were not disappointed, they had had three good races and the jacket potatoes and cakes in the clubhouse were very welcome.
This was the first Phantom Open Meeting at Downs SC and the club had run an excellent event in some challenging conditions. The plan is to host a 2-day meeting next year and hopefully the weather will be kind and the entry better.
Results
1st Chris Shelton (Downs SC)
2nd Steve Popple (Shoreham SC)
3rd Peter Harlow (Lilliput SC)
4th Richard White (Downs SC)
5th Eric Styles (Downs SC)
6th Sam Taylor-Nobbs (Downs SC)
