Event: 2023 Tiger Trophy, hosted at Rutland Sailing Club, as part of the 2023 Selden SailJuice Winter Series
Date: 4 & 5 February 2023
Report by Ben Schooling
A 6am alarm call for a 06:30 pick up of Paulo at the Ringwood roundabout had us on our way and arriving at Rutland Sailing Club for 10am with an 8-12kt breeze. An impressive 9 x Musto’s lined up for the John Merrick’s Tiger Trophy, making us the biggest represented fleet of the 97 boat fleet. Nice to meet a new face in James Stewart of Netley in 499 who is brimming with enthusiasm for the class and the season ahead – welcome James.
The start line was busy with a host of big wind shadows to dodge, including several sailing school RS21’s and the mammoth Thames A-rater with Jamie Stewart at the helm with spurs sharpened! Left paid heavily up the first beat with Pascoe leading the pack round onto the tight reach of the trapezoid course. A high early line seemed the best tactic with the gamble of when to hoist with the 505’s and Ospreys able to hold the best. A short run followed by a generous bottom reach of the trapezoid meant Pascoe was able to stretch his legs and pull out a comfortable lead by the end of the first lap. Half-way round the second lap and a wall of 50 “slow” boats to fight through making for some shrewd tactical calls to keep out of trouble. Pascoe once again showed his class and extended to a convincing win, 2 mins ahead of fellow Weymouth warrior, Sam Barker, with Robbie Richardson in 3rd.
Race 2 was much the same with the breeze backing a little. Pascoe was able to pick the best lane and keep his nose clean again to lead round the windward. The pack was tightly bunched behind with Brennan Robinson, Mark Cooper and Paulo Molesworth all in the mix. Barker and Schooling enjoying a great battle for 2nd and 3rd, with RoRi dropping back as his harness came undone – too many pies down south! Andy Turbo misread his watch and pulled the trigger too early, so was UFD.
By race 3 the wind was fading a little, but again, Pascoe led round this time from Schooling and Molesworth who then took a capsize to windward on the top tight reach. At the finish, Pascoe was clear again on a shorter 2 lap race with Schooling and Barker 2nd and 3rd. The fleet got back just in time for the Calcutta cup match – and oh what a sweet victory – I’ll say no more. With the fleet score combined, it appeared that Pascoe was overnight leader with an impressive 1,1,11 score line.
Sunday dawned sunny and cold with an 8kt Northerly that was forecast to fade away during the race. A few keen beans got out for a short training session to make the most of the wind. The Pursuit race got away at 11am with the Topper off first and 44 mins later the young lad had nearly completed a whole lap. Sure enough, as per forecast, the breeze shut off at noon and the slow boats maintained their lap advantage.
In the Musto’s it was close quarters drifting with everyone leading at times. When the gun fired at 1:30pm there was a Graduate somewhere in the distance, Barker did the best of the Musto’s finishing 62nd – a whisker ahead of Pascoe in 63rd – with Schooling in 70th. Pascoe’s overnight lead was in tatters, but nevertheless a fun weekend of Musto racing with +80 boats and a great warm up for the Ovi Inlands at Grafham on 18/19th March!
View the full results for the 2023 Tiger Trophy here >>
