Nineteen Phantoms attended the travellers event at Thorpe Bay YC over the weekend of 12 & 13 July to be greeted with glorious sunshine but very little wind. By the start of the first race a Force 2-3 had settled in. The first race got away after one recall with Lawrence Crispin, Andrew Elliott and Phil Argent getting a clean start, a large shift halfway up the first beat changed the course into a series of fetches and runs allowing Allen Burrell to pull through into third place leaving the final finishing order Crispin, Argent, Burrell. Following a reset of the course the second race followed immediately with Crispin once again getting a clean start. Crispin managed to extend his lead throughout the race with Neil Fulcher, Burrell and Elliott fighting it out for the minor placing. Elliott was able to pull through on the final run and hold off Burrell and Fulcher up the short beat to the finish.
Following an excellent evenings catering and entertainment laid on by Thorpe Bay Yacht Club the fleet were greeted the following morning to more bright sunshine with a force three building to a force 5 during the first race of the day. For the third race the race officer set a long course with a beat against the tide. Nick Beloe found the conditions to his liking and made a clean start followed by Burrell and Crispin. After much place changing Burrell was able to overhaul Beloe and thee three finished in the order Burrell, Crispin and Beloe.
By the time the fourth race had started the wind was blowing a steady 5 and with the tide having turned the swell belame less confused giving some excellent planing reaches and interesting surfing runs. Beloe once again made a good start but couldn't match the speed of both Burrell and Crispin, the first three finished in that order handing the event to Crispin.
Overall Results:
1st Phantom 1118 Sugar Cube Lawrence Crispin (Stone SC) 4pts
2nd Phantom 1128 Mittens Allen Burrell (Thorpe Bay YC) 5pts
3rd Phantom 1110 Wee Willy Winkie Phil Argent (Stone SC) 11pts
4th Phantom 1105 Red Eye Racing Andrew Elliott (Rotherham SC) 11pts
5th Phantom 1135 Boozy Blok Neil Fulcher (Stone SC) 14pts.
