MICHAEL HENNING beat father Simon to the line by three-and-a-half minutes in the GYC Sunsport Iceberg race. Both were helming Melges 24s and took first and second through the water and after handicap in the traditional race held the day before New Year’s Eve.
The Hennings triumphed over a fleet of 11, which braved gusts of up to 40 knots in one of the windiest Guernsey yacht races in several years.
Only seven completed the race with two of those to retire sustaining considerable damage.
Most memorably, SpanKer, Mike Bennett’s Ker 11.3, had to be rescued by the lifeboat halfway to Alderney after wrapping its spinnaker.
Less seriously, Chris Sharp’s Melges Wicked Feet broke its backstay but was able to return to port under its own steam.
The race was given the go-ahead at noon with all crews on deck instructed to wear a life jacket.
The wind was SSW 25 knots.
The event started off Castle Cornet with a beat to Anfre beacon off Fermain. Most boats headed inshore out of the tide.
The first retirement was Dr David Jeff’s new Moody 45, Bluesy.
The director of public health had had a bad start and was not making good progress upwind with a partially furled foresail.
Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet were rounding Anfre with SpanKer ahead of the two leading Melges - Michael Henning in March Hare and Simon Henning, the GYC commodore, in White Rabbit respectively.
The Melges braved hoisting their spinnaker first and screamed downwind to Vivian beacon at the north end of Belle Greve Bay at speeds in excess of 20 knots. SpanKer hoisted its spinnaker next and immediately got a wrap around the forestay.
By this time the wind was steadily increasing.
Wicked Feet was the only other yacht to fly a spinnaker.
As the first Melges approached Vivian, Wicked Feet damaged its forestay near the harbour and retired.
SpanKer, meanwhile, was careering towards Alderney under the windage of its wrapped sail.
As the leading Melges rounded Vivian and beated south inshore across Belle Greve Bay, race control made the decision to shorten the course to just return to the start.
March Hare took line honours after 40min. 16sec. White Rabbit followed 3-29 further back.
Richard Babbe’s Dehler 36 Dreamtime finished five minutes later and placed fifth after handicap.
Aiden Clark helmed X362 Blue Jade across the line two minutes later and finished third overall.
Former GYC commodore Alan Richards in his Dufour 40, Far Fetched, was next and took sixth place. John Falla’s Swan 36 Banjaard followed and claimed fourth after handicap.
Rob Zabukavec’s First 27.7 Kriez er Mor retired halfway along the last beat.
The final boat to cross the finish line was Sadler 34 Busker at just after 2pm as the Spirit of Guernsey was clearing the pier heads to rescue SpanKer.
n IN THIS race, Wicked Feet escaped with minimal damage - but it had been less lucky in its previous incident.
In the second race of the GYC Louvre Fiduciary Group Autumn Series in October, Chris Sharp’s Melges 24 snarled a lobster pot and ran aground on rocks off the castle breakwater.
Photographer Shane Marriott, who trades as Encaptured Photography, took the above dramatic shot of it stranded high and dry.
Learn about SpanKer’s lucky escape in Afloat, pages 20 & 21
Article posted on 10th January, 2007 - 12.00am
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