Commodores Cup

 

As Colin Staite won the Commodores Cup last year, it fell on Bartley to host this year’s competition.

 

Our Commodore, Neil Peacock, therefore had the responsibility to uphold the honour of Bartley, and asked Guy Mason to crew for him (as nobody else would).

 

Rising to the challenge, Neil and Guy duly considered pre-event training was in order, so the day before (as they would not wish to over-prepare) they raced in the two Saturday races, making sure that at least they would have some understanding as to how to sail together.

 

This practice included fairly hard racing, fast reaches (outpacing the rescue boat), fast gybes, even a ‘practice’ capsize (and super fast recovery!) whilst Neil was still swimming and trying to get into the boat.

 

Satisfied with the preparation (and with worn out bodies) our ‘team’ retired to the Bar to nurse rope burnt finpers and await Sunday’s event.

 

 

SUNDAY! The Event itself

 

Great weather arrived from on high, FORCE 6, GUSTING FORCE 8, closely followed by the horizontal rain.

 

Start was delayed whilst the visiting competitors admire the quantity Rescue staff on site, only to be told “don’t worry, those people are actually the Divers, and they will get your boat back for you later!”

 

Some competitors decided not to race due to the conditions.

 

A short while later, the weather subsided (a little), and the race was on.  A diverse range of boats were out, ranging from GP, Solo, Merlin Rocket, and followed by Neil and Guy in the RS400.

 

Hard racing, but Neil and Guy got through, and led the last 15 minutes comfortably, but in the gradually reducing wind strength.

 

During Lunch the GP14 being sailed by Barnt Green was repaired, as the forestay was becoming separated from the deck!

 

 

The second race, with wind strength still declining, was more difficult. A Laser finally won it, but Neil and Guy had quietly worked their way through to third place, and that was more than good enough to clinch the title.

 

That means that we keep the Trophy and get to host the event all over again next year!