The AJAX SOUTH WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS were held at St Mawes SC over the weekend of 20 -22 July.  17 boats entered although unfortunately one did not make it to the start line due to its owner’s work commitments. 

 

The weather and wind were extremely variable from brilliant sunshine to monsoon rain and no wind to Force 4.   On the Saturday boats were greeted with a flat calm and had to be towed out to Maitena to find even the tiniest zephyr for the morning race giving Race Officer Ron Medlyn a real headache in looking for a decent patch on which to set his Olympic courses.  An extended lunch period allowed the breeze to fill in and this added to the sparkling sailing conditions on the Friday and Sunday provided a good range of tests for the fleet.  5 races were sailed with 4 to count.

 

Amalthea sailed by Roger and Claire Wood with Rob Geddes-Brown was sailed consistently well in all conditions and had won the Championship before the last race.  The other places however were subject to more chopping and changing as boats had good days and bad days!  Pintail sailed by Roger and Jeannie Bown with Corinna Knowles finally captured second place just pipping Nemesis sailed by Robin Edwards with Harvey Edwards and Elliott Little.

 

As is always the case in a series there were moments of glory for individual boats with Diomedes borrowed from Richard Hitchings for the Championships and sailed by Richard Beaman, John Howard and Sarah Howard notching up a win and a second place to finish fourth overall.

 

The fifth place trophy awarded was a very popular result and it went to Kali owned by Charles Emmett and sailed by him and Oliver Edwards and Simon Holman.   Kali was until recently being used as a day sailer/fishing boat and was in a very tatty state when retrieved from Ireland by Charles.  She has undergone a complete refit – almost a rebuild - and is now absolutely resplendent in Mercedes livery and with new sails and fittings thanks to “Team Edwards”.  Even neglected forty-year old boats can be made to look beautiful again!

 

The Championships were once again a most enjoyable and friendly event made possible by the willing contributions made by a small army of volunteers.  David Evans in Maitena provided the platform for the Race Team to do their work and Bob Edwards in Jane did a sterling job in mark laying in some difficult conditions.  St Mawes Sailing Club provided RIBs, marks and the onshore facilities.

 

The presentation was most entertaining – due, as ever to Cedric Thomas’s unique style and this year supplemented by the “Roughie,toughie Ajax Girls Choral group”.  Lindsey Thomas, the songwriter and lead singer had converted “da do ron,ron” into a tribute to Ron Medlyn and a comment on some of the more memorable moments on the water particularly those involving the entertaining VHF interchanges between the Committee and Marklaying boat!

 

The Ajax is the largest one-design class now sailing in Falmouth waters.  It is extremely competitive with boats turning out regularly for St Mawes Thursday evenings and Sunday morning events and 25 to 30 boats in Falmouth Week itself.  At the moment – and unusually, there are two boats for sale as their owners are moving on – the Association would like to keep these boats here in the Carrick Roads.  Ajaxes provide a relatively inexpensive way of getting into exciting racing. If you are interested in joining this fleet please contact the Association Secretary on 01872 580282.

 

 

 

Sail #

R1

R2

R3

R4

R5

Total

Nett

1st

Amalthea

66

1

3

1

2

3

10

7

2nd

Pintail

36

5

1

3

4

12

25

13

3rd

Nemesis

22

4

5

7

1

5

22

15

4th

Diomedes

67

13

6

2

9

1

31

18

5th

Kali

45

7

4

8

5

2

26

18

6th

Samaki

28

3

9

6

7

4

29

20

7th

Aquila

53

6

7

4

6

10

33

23

8th

Aeolus

47

8

2

13

8

8

39

26

9th

Victory

19

10

8

5

3

13

39

26

10th

Troy

58

2

11

10

10

9

42

31

11th

Ajax

44

12

12

9

11

6

50

38

12th

Redoutable

32

9

10

11

14

14

58

44

13th

Friday

13

14

14

14

13

7

62

48

14th

Osprey

37

15

16

16

12

11

70

54

15th

Odysseus

12

11

15

12

16

18DNF

72

54

16th

Kittiwake

27

16

13

15

15

15

74

58

17th

Achilles

48

DNC

DNC

DNC

DNC

DNC

90

72