A damp and misty start in Torquay disguised the fact that a 7 knot NNE breeze had settled into the bay, allowing race 7 to start on time at 10.30am on Sunday. The fleet went away cleanly with crews fully hiking upwind for the first time in the championship. After snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in the final race on Saturday, Peter Barton and Miles Mence started fast at the pin end to command the race from beginning to end. Holding off a last-minute charge from Charlie Cumbley and Andy Couch, a jubilant Pete said after the race, “Finally! We had our opportunity to win a race yesterday, we should have, but it didn’t go right for us. The Ovington guys are doing a great job of introducing friendship in the VX One with a bar tab for half price beers, it’s really friendly and it’s nice to see them sharing the wins today and good to see Charlie and Andy just ease off the gas at the last minute to share it about a little bit. Miles teased them for a bit with a couple of gybes, but in the end we just went for speed and had them.” The race team quickly turned the fleet around to start race 8. Neil Harris and Phil Rumbelow, who was involved in a couple of incidents yesterday, came good again to take their second race win of the championship. Neil said after the race, “No turns today. Philip was complaining he was getting so dizzy that he didn’t want any more sea sickness in this race, so we played it very calm and cool and it worked well! Going out to sea on the last run was the decisive moment in the race; we took a gybe, stayed in the pressure and came in on the lay line and nailed it. We’d set ourselves a target of an aggregate score of 6 points for the day, so we have to win twice more now.” Just after midday the sun started burning through the morning mist. With it, race 9 started in the best winds of the championship so far. Once again Peter Barton and Miles Mence nailed the start and went on to take a commanding win. On getting to grips with the VX One Peter said, “It’s just a big Firefly really, it’s a matter of sniggling your way up the wind shifts in the offshore breeze. I’m very much enjoying today’s racing, we’re starting to find a few grooves, a few modes, and it’s a matter of exploiting them a little.” Miles Mence on crewing for Pete in the VX One said, “It’s great, it’s a lovely boat and it’s very nice crewing for Pete. He tells you what’s going on the whole time and it’s a big discussion – I’m learning a lot.” Charlie Cumbley and Andy Couch’s second place ensured them of the inaugural VX One National Championship title. The final race of the day saw Barton and Mence once again power away from the fleet on the start. While the rest of the fleet battled at the committee boat end, Pete and Miles spotted a slight shift, diving for the pin and then crossing the fleet on their first tack. They once again controlled the race to take their third bullet of the day and moved up to second in the overall results. Charlie and Andy consolidating their victory with yet another 2nd place, their fourth of the day. Peter Rumbelow’s Royal Torbay Yacht Club team have displayed impeccable race management throughout the event, making the best use of the fickle breeze on Friday and Saturday and packing four good races in with the better breeze on Sunday. Peter’s wife Kay has been uploading the results almost instantly after each race, giving a very clear leader board as the championship unfolded. Racing in Torbay provides superb sea sailing with minimal tides while the club has excellent facilities ashore and good food at a very reasonable price. All in all a great championship venue. Charlie Cumbley said in the prize giving, “A massive thank-you to the club who’ve been fantastic hosts and obviously all the help from the sponsors. Peter and the race team did an amazing job getting 10 races in, looking at the forecast it looked pretty horrific so an awesome job with great courses. Also a massive thanks to Ovington for letting us use one of their boats which I have to say is a fantastic bit of kit. I hope the class goes from strength to strength from now on.” To see pictures and complete results, click here.
