Cowes Week, Day Three, Fourth place (again)

Dear loyal followers,

Day three on the water and Team Mongoose awoke with fresh heads and clear minds after keeping Sunday night low key. The forecast was similar to Saturday with a breeze of 25 knots scheduled for early afternoon. Ambition was high in the knowledge that we had two solid results under the belt; we dominate our fellow First 34.7′s but Hod 35 Zarafa has proved tough competition so far.

Our course was perhaps more straight forward and required less short taking up the mainland shore (respite indeed for us hardy hikers on the rail!). Our start was in the Western Solent towards Yarmouth and four downwind legs had the bow team grinning form ear to ear! A strong hoist / drop gets Messers Kemp & Coggan out of bed in the morning! We hit the start with the vengance that only a true Mongoose knows and were well up with the fleet. However, our top of the podium hopes were dashed as three boats benefited hugley from a wind shift (N – W) that left the ‘Goose back in the traffic. Picadilly circus round some of them marks!  Solid crew team work and sublime downwind trimming from Bovril kept us in the hot stuff and we were well placed as we hurtled downwind towards Prince Consort and the finishing line off the Royal Yacht Squadron. The sun out, the breeze gusty, MSP operating speed at 9 – 10 knots, rail banter sharp the team hit the finish with enthusiasm. Here’s to teamwork and a passionate final leg performance.

So all is still to play for for your favourite safari based sailing team. Bod Dylan once wrote, “the times, they are a changing”… he was talking about the weather for tomorrow is a changing and it looks like it’s going to be light… good for Kennard’s tan! We lie third overall (on countback) and tonight the barbee is on, we will have a few lemonades in the comfort of a job well done. But we look forward to tomorrow with ambition and pugnacity, a first place finish to the week within our grasp.

Some say it is important to credit a homme du jour, a man of the match, a “Most Valuable Player”… today that award goes to team work and the tenacious attitude of this team. Great mates all for sure but backing one another up, helping each other out and working as one is surely the way we will win this week!!

Andre Stalking Prey reporting from the mast, out.

ps – a few photos from day 1 (sorry for the delay)

Mongoose smells the action on day 1

A pretty regular view of the Solent on race day

Advertisement