Dymes Cup to slick Wild One

A strong easterly at 23 knots greeted skippers and crews competing in Dymes Cup Day trophies last Saturday.

Only 10 yachts from four divisions braved the conditions in handicap-start races and many crews were wondering what had happened to summer.

Division one consisted of the now-usual grudge match between Murray Deere’s Wild One and Harold Keay’s Shagabull.

Deere had to give Keay a two-minute start and he didn’t waste time in overhauling him.

It was catch-up racing from Keay, who never gave up, but all to no avail as Wild One went on to win by more than a minute to collect the original Dymes Cup that was first awarded in 1910.

Division two had three vying for their Dymes Cup, which is also more than 100 years old.

The limit boat was Zuri, skippered by Neil Worrell, which was given four minutes start on Stephen Brown's Mary Maitland which in turn was given four minutes handicap from Stephen Lee's Flasheart.

Brown sailed well to eventually catch Zuri and was looking a likely winner. But nearing the end, Flasheart swept by Mary Maitland to snatch the race and the cup from a disappointed Brown, with Zuri in third spot.

The next favourite to win was Rob Cridge in Noel Robbins. He gave Mark Paynter in Serenita a six-minute start but late in the event, Cridge managed to pass Serenita and he showed no mercy to go on to a comfortable win.

Vipers joined in with three boats and as usual there were plenty of thrills and spills.

The limit boat was Alice, skippered by Duncan Ray, and he was moving very well.

He was followed a minute later by Geoff Oliver in Fang, with Murray Howson skippering the scratch boat, Chinese Moccasin who was four minutes away.

Each yacht then, in turn, capsized.

Alice recovered the quickest to go on and take the race from the favourite Chinese Moccasin, and Fang brought up third place.