Sam Pascoe returned to the podium at the 5th Selden Sailjuice Winter Series event with victory in the GJW Direct Bloody Mary.
Pascoe joins a distinguished list of winners of the winter classic, held annually since 1974.
The 185 entries were greeted with a benign Queen Mary reservoir for the 48th running of the Bloody Mary at Queen Mary SC. A dry north westerly force 2 to 3 wind greeted the sailors, with the sun poking holes in the clouds during the race.
Pascoe described his race in the Musto Skiff as a game of traffic management, getting clear air and staying out of trouble . . . By the start of the third lap all he had only to pass was the National 12, which on a shifty and light beat wasn’t that easy. That left him 15 minutes to build up a nice lead.
He added, “It’s a very great feeling, I’ve chased it for quite a long time, brilliant to win it. I got a second last year, matched my Dad’s result in a 2.4 from 17 years ago, so a good one to tick off the list.”
The Bloody Mary is all about the numbers and this year the winning helm from Castle Cove Sailing Club, crossed the line ahead of a 185 boat fleet accompanied by sailors representing 52 classes from 84 sailing clubs.
GJW Direct Bloody Mary – Final Leaders after 3 laps (185 entries)
1st Musto Skiff – Sam PASCOE – Castle Cove SC
2nd Merlin Rocket – Tom GILLARD and Rachael GRAY – Sheffield Viking SC
3rd RS400 – Jack HOLDEN and Robert HENDERSON – Chichester YC
4th National 12 – Graham CAMM and Anya CAMM – Burghfield SC
5th Osprey – Philip MEAKINS and Richard ANDERTON – Warsash SC
6th Musto Skiff – Sam BARKER – Castle Cove SC
7th Merlin Rocket – Ian MARTIN and Chris MARTIN – Burghfield SC
8th RS400 – Ian WALKER and Anna WARREN – Warsash SC
9th RS400 – Matt REID and Libby WATKINS – Parkway YC
10th Merlin Rocket – Ben SAXTON and Lottie FILDES – RYA
11th Blaze – Alex HORLOCK – Warsash SC
12th Osprey – Roger BLAKE and Jonathan OSGOOD – Great Moor SC
13th Fireball – Dj EDWARDS and Vyv TOWNEND – Bough Beech SC
14th Phantom – Mark ADDISON – Upper Thames SC
15th Firefly – Alex DAVEY and Amy BOWDEN – Royal Harwich YC
16th Enterprise – Ann JACKSON and Alan SKEENS – Burghfield SC
17th RS Aero 9 – Peter BARTON – Lymington Town SC
18th Phantom – Rob COOK – Northampton SC
19th Musto Skiff – Dan VINCENT – SBSC
20th RS300 – Peter MACKIN – Stokes Bay SC
21st Firefly – Jenny SMALLWOOD and Philip ALDHOUS – West Oxfordshire SC
22nd RS200 – Thomas GOODEY and Verity HOPKINS – RNSA
23rd 2.4mR – Megan PASCOE – Frensham Pond SC
24th ILCA 6 – Edwin CROSS – Shoreham SC
25th ILCA 7 – Jamie BLAKE – Great Moor SC
Full results available here . . .
Helm prizes:
- First Lady Helm: Ann Jackson & Alan Skeens – Enterprise, Burghfield S.C
- First Queen Mary Helm: Griff Tanner Musto Skiff, QMSC.
- Grand Master: Philip Meakins & Richard Anderton – Osprey, Warsash Y.C.
- First Junior Helm: Edwin Cross ILCA 6, Shoreham S.C.
Class prizes were also awarded to:
- ILCA 6 – Edwin Cross, Shoreham S.C.
- ILCA 7 – Jamie Blake, Great Moor S.C
- Merlin Rocket – Tom Gillard & Rachel Gray, Sheffield Viking S.C
- RS200 – Thomas Goodey & Verity Hopkins, RNSA
- RS400 – Jack Holden & Robert Henderson, Chichester Y.C
- RS800 – Ben Palmer & Dicken, Hayling Island S.C
- Topper – Sam Mason, Silver Wing S.C
