Simon Takes The Jim Suckling Shield

Gunfleet Sailing Club members enjoyed fine weather last Sunday 20 August when they took part in the race for the Jim Suckling Shield.  The blue skies, unbroken sunshine, and a force 3 to 4 south-westerly wind set the scene as the boats were rigged on the beach, and the race officer had a special buoy placed far offshore to compliment the standard marks and add variety to the course.

On a tight start line John Tappenden lead the fleet away in his RS Aero, on port tack, as they beat down the coast to the St. Michael’s buoy.  However, cutting across everyone else, on starboard tack, as he headed out to sea to benefit from the flooding tide, was Simon Clarke in his Europe.  A little later Chris Maloney followed suit in his Solo but it was clear that Clarke had the edge.  First to reach the windward mark was Tappenden, followed by Clarke, and the Laser of Brian Allen, Robert Mitchell just behind in his Laser.  The second leg was a run back to the Eastcliff buoy and at this point Paul Jackson and Lucy Powell hoisted the spinnaker on their GP14, providing a fine sight as well as helping them to pull away from their fellow GP14 sailors, Ian Barker and Vince Crabtree.  Once round Eastcliff it was a broad reach out to the offshore buoy before gybing and heading back towards the shore and round the AWS mark.  All the time, Tappenden pulled away and appeared to be making the race his but disaster was about to strike; having rounded the offshore buoy he then tacked round the Seaward mark, rather than AWS, and headed back out to sea.  Having returned to the offshore buoy and commencing the next leg, Tappenden then realised the error of his ways and had to hastily retrace his steps.  This allowed Allen to take the lead, Mitchell champing at his stern, and Clarke too close for comfort for either of them.  After AWS it was then back to the offshore mark and as Mitchell went round it his boat touched the buoy and he hastily completed a 360 degree penalty turn, allowing Clarke to draw parallel.  The reach up the coast to the Kingscliff buoy allowed Tappenden to pick-off his competitors, and as the craft beat back to the ODM he was laying in third place.  A run back to the Kingscliff, and then a beat through the line saw Allen maintain pole position, but on the second lap Mitchell slipped in front, just before the last mark, but in an impressive piece of sailing, Allen steamed past Mitchell to cross the line ahead; on handicap, however, it was Clarke that took the trophy.  

Results:
Jim Suckling Shield:
1.    Europe – Simon Clarke
2.    Laser – Brian Allen
3.    Laser – Robert Mitchell