The final day at the 2010 Pendennis Cup is behind us. The last day at the St Piran Pursuit Race was marked by sunshine and high spirited competitors and the sailing Yacht Adela taking the 2010 Pendennis Cup.
Mariette pursued by Adela - Image credit to Pendennis
14th August 2010 – The St Piran Pursuit Race
Weather: NW 15-20 knots, partly cloudy with sunny spells
Course: Windward Mark, Manacles, return to the Windward mark and back to the Manacles, finishing off Pendennis Point.
Racing:
The final day of the Pendennis Cup arrived with sunshine at last and all the competitors in high spirits after an exciting and close week of racing. With the final results already set for the Pendennis Cup after four days of racing and sailing yacht Adela taking the victory, a pursuit race was suggested for Class 1 for the final day on the water, named ‘The St Piran Pursuit Race’.
Sailing Yacht Mariette rounds the mark - Image credit to Pendennis
In Class 2 there was all to play for and a victory for Tomahawk sailing yacht would secure the class in which yacht Pinuccia was currently holding the lead.
Sailing Yacht Pinuccia and Tomahawk - Image credit to Pendennis
The planning behind the final pursuit race was complex. Neil Andrew, Race Officer, took into account the performance of the fleet over the week balanced by the yachts’ IRC ratings to set the times for the individual starts:
Class 1 startting times:
SY Velacarina – 11:00
SY Mariette – 11:26
SY Mariquita – 11:30
SY Adela – 11:58
Class 2 start – 11:10
SY Pinuccia
SY Tomahawk
Sailing Yacht Adela luanches Big Red - Image credit to Pendennis
Sailing Yacht Velacarina started first with a following spectator fleet and a good breeze on the water.
Class 2 then followed with an exciting pre-start, Pinuccia shadowing Tomahawk throughout and into the first beat towards Swanpool Beach. Pinuccia pushed Tomahawk beyond the lay line and tacked first towards St Anthony’s Lighthouse. Tomahawk sailing yacht then was able to use good boat speed to beat to her to the mark and was round first launching her kite followed by the yacht Pinuccia.
Mariette started close to the gun and Mariquita followed a little behind her start time. All yachts had rounded the windward mark prior to Adela starting, looking to claw back up the fleet.
Sailing Yachts Tomahawk and Pinuccia startline tactics - Image credit to Pendennis
The downwind leg had the usual excitement with the added benefit of blue sky and favourable winds. Mariette and Mariquita had a very competitive leg with Mariette gibing across Mariquita’s course and gaining her lead approaching the Manacles.
Tomahawk’s misfortune continued with a shroud/rig failure near the manacles causing the mast to break. She was leading at the time and therefore had to surrender the Class 2 Cup to Pinuccia.
Velacarina was holding her own in the Class 1 fleet and sailing very well to keep the rest of the yachts at a good distance.
On the beat up to St Anthony’s Lighthouse, Sailing Yacht Velacarina led the fleet ahead of Mariette, Mariquita and Adela. Turning at the mark the battle for second was fierce and the pressure was on. Mariette at the first gibe tangled the sheets and lost control of the spinnaker. The problems on the foredeck continued and she lost the lead to Mariquita. Mariette launched her second kite but at the Mannacles was now a couple of minutes behind Mariqtuita. Sailing Yacht Adela was also fast approaching having sailed a quick downwind leg with the ‘Big Red’ spinnaker.
It looked like nobody could catch Velacarina on the beat up to Pendennis Point and the finish. Adela was pushing very hard to gain on the fleet and Mariette and Mariquita were having a good battle inshore between the Helford River entrance and Swanpool.
Coming to the finish, Velacarina crossed first after a good days’ sailing and the competition for second place was tight with Adela offshore rapidly catching the other two in the fleet. The three yachts crossed within minutes with Adela ahead of Mariquita and Mariette.
The end of large racing in Falmouth for 2010 and everyone already excited about the planes for 2012!
