REPORT ON AJAX
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 26th-28TH JUNE 2015
13 boats competed for
2015 Ajax Champs in Dovercourt Bay, organised by
Royal Harwich Yacht Club. One crew travelled from St Mawes,
Cornwall and borrowed Hermione. The fleet were dazzled by the appearance of
Indefatigable (Will Patten) freshly renovated by Olly Patten and looking as
close to a brand new Ajax as we may ever see.
Friday began with fine weather and a light south westerly. Pegasus and Thunderer led the way up the first beat. Thunderer rolled over Pegasus approaching the weather mark
and sailed into a clear lead. Pegasus, Mars, Atalanta
and Guillemot were in a close battle behind them. Thunderer
won from Pegasus with Guillemot third.
The wind picked up a little for the second race. Atalanta
and Thunderer led the way, and this time Atalanta pulled clear to win from Thunderer
with Guillemot third and Pegasus snatching fourth from Indefatigable at the
finish.
EXCELLENT SAILING CONDITIONS IN DOVERCOURT BAY
In the third race Polly Oliver and Telamon went left
in a stronger breeze to build a clear lead. Polly Oliver won from Telamon with Thunderer third from
Atalanta. Overnight Thunderer
led on points.
Saturday started with a light westerly breeze. Race Officer Doug Brown got the
fleet away early. After a long starboard tack in which they were lifted towards
the mark, Guillemot and Pegasus were leading in a fitful breeze. Guillemot
pulled clear, but boats inshore were holding the shore breeze and boats
offshore picked up the sea breeze and were approaching under spinnaker. At this
point the weather mark was moved closer to the fleet in a well
intentioned plan to get a result. Guillemot won, but in a claim for
redress the race was subsequently ruled null and void.
For race five the sea breeze held, and in a good breeze, Thunderer
won from Atalanta with Telamon
third and Indefatigable fourth.
In the same conditions for race six, Atalanta and
Pegasus contested the lead. On both beats Atalanta
judged the laylines more accurately to win from
Pegasus with Polly Oliver third and Indefatigable fourth. At the end of
Saturday, Thunderer still led by one point from Atalanta.
Sunday brought grey overcast conditions and a fresh southwesterly.
On a triangle sausage course Atalanta led the way
right up the beat, with Polly Oliver and Teal chasing hard. Thunderer
was some way back. Knowing they had to beat Atalanta,
they went left on the second beat, but it did not pay off. Indefatigable
came through to third on the second beat. Atalanta
won from Polly Oliver with Indefatigable third and Pegasus fourth.
In the final race Atalanta sailed away to a clear win
from Polly Oliver second, Teal third and Telamon
fourth. Overall Atalanta won comfortably, having won
the last three races. Thunderer was second, Polly
Oliver third and Pegasus fourth.