The Pendennis Cup is at it’s fourth day today, with excellent sailing conditions continuing. The day is full of excitement so far. Right from the start line the race offers plenty of drama and thrilling close results.

The third day of the exciting Pendennis Cup is also behind us with the summary of the Day 3 racing below.

Adela Sailing Yacht Day 3 at the Pendennis Cup - Image courtesy of Pendennis

August 12th 2010

Weather: NNW 15k, gusting to 20k, cloudy

Course: Beat towards Gyllyngvase Beach, to Range A, Veryan, to Helford for the finish

Racing:

After the first 2 days of racing the yachts were determined to use the strong winds to their full advantage on day 3. On Wednesday all yachts had a day’s rest from sailing during which all boats underwent maintenance, including fixing yacht Adela’s 1 tonne spinnaker which was split on Tuesday and repairing the damaged mainsail.

30 seconds to the start sailing yacht Mariette of 1915 was sailing windward of Adela sailing yacht towards the line with Mariquita and Velacarina yacht  a little off the pace.  The course was set to the northerly wind direction with a beat towards Gyllngvase Beach area as the first leg.  Mariette was set with the sailing Jackyard in place and Mariquita with her working topsail.

Sailing Yachts Mariquita and Mariette at the start line - Image courtesy of Pendennis

Mariette  tacked towards the east coastline looking for an inshore advantage and Adela stayed offshore heading towards the Helford before tacking back to the mark near Gyllyngvase Beach.  Mariquita was blocked by the sailing yacht Velacarina at the start but after the first tack and cross over Mariquita had taken the third place position and passed the stern of Mariette.  Sailing yacht Adela had a good lift approaching the Helford and then rounded the mark first ahead of the rest of the fleet.  Sailing Yacht Mariette was second round with Mariquita close behind doing well in the lighter breeze.

Sailing yacht Velacarina started to launch her spinnaker on the leg to the Range A mark but the wind started to shift towards the west and gained strength to make it more of a close reach.  Mariette and Mariquita stayed very close on this leg of the race with Velacarina yacht just behind and yacht Adela out in front rounding 10 minutes ahead.  She would need to increase this lead significantly to win on handicap.

The yachts sailed close hauled towards the Veryan mark passed Dodman Point with the wind increasing above 20mph.  Yacht Mariette was able to capitalise on the breeze and pulled away from yacht Mariquita and Velacarina.  Mariette missed the lay line for the mark and had to put in an additional tack allowing Mariquita to gain ground and for Sailing yacht Adela to extend her lead who judged the strong tide well.

The sun came out for the approach to the finish, the line set between the mouth of the Helford and the Manacles.  Adela had increased her lead and was over the line just under thirty minutes ahead of Mariette, enough to secure her second victory in the regatta ahead of Mariette, Mariquita and Velacarina.

Sailing yacht Pinuccia sailed the course on her own today with Tomahawk in the final throws of her mast repair at Pendennis Shipyard.

Sailing Yacht Mariette under full sail Image courtesy of Pendennis

Results as of 14:50 on August 12, 2010

R3 – Class 1 Fleet

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

R3 – Class 2 Fleet

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Place

Class 1 Fleet

Sailed: 3, Discards: 0, To count: 3, Ratings: TCC, Entries: 4, Scoring system: Appendix

Class 2 Fleet

Sailed: 3, Discards: 0, To count: 3, Ratings: TCC, Entries: 2, Scoring system: Appendix A