What an amazing week we all had at Pyefleet Week 2013. From 20 BODs on the line on the opening day, to the most exciting and close finish possible, it was a fantastic regatta with close racing where ever you looked.
Special thanks must go to David Charlton, Alice Davies and Shaun Seear for all their good work as our race officers. The courses were spot on which ensured that competition was as closely fought as it possibly could be.
So close in fact that going into the last day four boats were all still vying for the top step on the podium and it wasn’t until the final finish line that the series was decided. Ultimately Jeremy Newman, crewed by Chris Rust and Ollie Newman, just pipped Malcolm Goodwin, crewed by Gary Constable and Rebecca Ashworth, to take the top step on count back. Third place went to the “youngsters” Chris Matthews, David Conlon and Ed Gibbons, who were just one point adrift from the leading pair, with Phil Rust, Mark Selfe and James Lightly one more point back in fourth.
But the front of the pack was not the only part of the fleet to experience a bit of drama. Tracey Tierney without doubt won the week’s Waterwings Award for having the misfortune to be involved in not one, but two capsizes first on Sunday following an involuntary tack with a special guest team out for the President’s Race and then again on Thursday with Young Tom Sergeant and Iain Wergren. who took an unexpected swim when a gybe went a bit pear shaped. We are delighted to confirm that both boats and all crew survived the experience relatively unscathed, although Tracey has apparently decided she might stick to the big boats for a few weeks (she’s a brave girl if she thinks sailing en family with the Gibbons is a safe option 😉 )!
Fiona Brown and her all girl crew were racing in their first major BOD regatta having been lent Nan for the summer by Nick Readings. She and her crew of Kate Button and Ginny Scott plus guest star Maggie Smith (nee Keefe) went in with the declared aims of not finishing last and having at least one glass of champagne afloat every day. We are delighted to report that the achieved both goals, finish 11th overall and consuming at least two cases of champagne during the week!
The battles in the middle of the fleet were at least as hard fought if not more so than those at the front and where ever you looked there were tousles going on on every leg. Certainly it was one of the most hotly contested classes in Pyefleet Week and the talk of the bar post racing.
As well as the racing there was also plenty of good partying with the Nan Girls and Young Tom both hosting BOD bashes during the week and the class well represented at all the official social events.
Here’s hoping we can make it 25 boats for the President’s Race next year and to another brilliant Pyefleet Week.
Full Results
Brightlingsea One Design 
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