Christmas Giggle Challenge! Dartmouth and Kingswear Elite (DAKE) accepted the challenge from Team Giggle for a Match Race on the 27th December, 2014. The DAKE team came together over a few beers at a party on the 23rd December, luckily press-ganging an experienced Match Racer as part of the team. In the practice race the limitations of DAKEs crew work led to a strategic decision not to fly the kite. Smart and within the rules (but maybe lacking a little of the spirit of the event?) Race 1 First blood to DAKE! Team Giggle 0-1 DAKE Race 2 An aggressive move by Team Giggle, about 150mm from being brilliant, resulted in a Black Flag disqualification for Team Giggle. Team Giggle 0-2 DAKE Race 3 A solid race, with Team Giggle getting a convincing win, helped by DAKEs magnetic attraction to the marks! Team Giggle 1-2 DAKE Race 4 Another win for Team Giggle! Thanks to a very unlucky gust for DAKE at the start, missing the line and having to start again. Team Giggle 2-2 DAKE Race 5 All to play for... In the pre-start a dial up, with Team Giggle just going through Head to Wind, and picking up a penalty. Teal Giggle take a lead on the first beat, rounding the windward mark, with DAKE touching the mark and picking up a penalty, so one penalty for each boat, penalties cancelled. DAKE used the no spinnaker decision to their advantage, luffing a spinnaker flying Team Giggle and securing a penalty. The better boat speed of Team Giggle with kite gave them a 5 boat length lead at the leeward mark. On the beat Team Giggle were unable to point as High as DAKE, all the pies and beer giving them the critical rail weight. A very close rounding (observed by a seal) had DAKE marginally ahead. team Giggle took their penalty, then hoisted the kite, but the gap was too much to close and DAKE took the win. Team Giggle 2-3 DAKE A year ago the J24s were just bar talk and Match Racing a hope and aspiration. The prospect of a youth team capable of racing against 5 regular sailors, just a dream. But Annabel, Christie, Emily, Sophie, and Will achieved the dream, and very nearly won! Massive credit to Team Giggle, a wonderful achievement. Also huge credit to DAKE (Adam, Alex, Fraser, Ross and Tom) for putting their reputation on the line and playing the game..... rather well as it turned out! I cant wait for the 27th December 2015! NB. We failed to get a single picture of the racing, if anyone has any pictures we would love copies. The pictures are the Teams (less Ross) and the Course area
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 12:40:18 +0000
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