NAVY NEWS, NOVEMBER 2007 47
Unicorn clips Pegasus
● Super Nova... LOGS Tracey Cotton in her Vauxhall Nova (No.4) fi ghts off a challenge from arch rival Emma Kitchen’s Mini
Picture: PO ‘Dutchy’ Holland, Phoenix NBCD School
THE success of the BRNC ahead of Unicorn before the fi rst
sailing teams at this year’s 163rd mark.
Dartmouth Regatta maintained the After a good downwind leg,
RN’s standing at this prestigious a shift in wind required the
event, writes S/Lt S Hogg, Britannia windward mark be relayed. There
Royal Naval College. was some frantic mark spotting
The college brought two crews – and the race was back on, ending
to the event: STC Unicorn under with a strong fi nish from Pegasus.
Lt Bannister, Head of Navigation Unfortunately several yachts
at BRNC (useful considering failed to round the right mark and
the close proximity of vessels at the race results had to be wiped
the event); and STC Pegasus from the scoring – a real blow for
commanded by Lt Cdr Marshall, Pegasus.
an experienced regular and old Day two saw a slight drop in
Cunningham senior offi cer at the wind speed and more success for
college. the Pegasus team who again got
As most of the crews had never ahead of Unicorn on the fi rst leg
sailed together before, it was and managed to hold that position
crucial to get out on the water throughout the race.
and get in as many tacks, jibes and The third day opened with
spinnaker hoists as possible before Unicorn’s crew adjusting her
the racing started in earnest. rigging. The difference was
Following more than an hour evident and Unicorn beat Pegasus
of little progress, a clever move to the fi rst mark. She stayed ahead
by Pegasus allowed her to fi nd throughout the race with the crew
some wind on the extremities of working really hard, getting the
the course and after a few tacks hoists and drops of the sails perfect
Unicorn were in hot pursuit. every time. Unicorn was back on
Indeed, the latter boat pipped the block and with all to play for.
her rival on the fi nal mark after Sunday was the fi nal day of
being behind for the whole race, racing and the crews pulled out all
setting the stage for some very the stops.
Trracey’acey’ss Mini Mini
healthy rivalry between the two An excellent start gave Unicorn
RN crews. the advantage and although
The fi rst day of racing in Pegasus made some ground back
Start Bay began with both crews on the downwind legs the result
battling hard to the windward was Unicorn 8th, Pegasus 15th.
mark with two crew in the cockpit, Back at the clubhouse the
and the rest on the rail to balance fi nal results were announced: RN
the boat. STC Pegasus 15th and RN STC
Pegasus made good way coming Unicorn 12th out of 36. aadventurdventure
WHOEVER said cotton was soft
in ninth place overall (thanks, not least, to her “The next thing I knew there was an almighty
and fluffy?
missing numerous meets this season as a result bang behind me and the red flags instantly
Tracey Cotton is most definitely not. In
of RN duties). came out,” says Tracey.
fact, she’s a bit of a demon on the stock car
With her Nova playing up, the racer rolled “I came to a stop and had a look behind me
race track.
out her trusted Mini instead. and there was just a mass of cars all over the
The logistician based at Whitehall is the sole
Perhaps we were a bit premature calling it track with one being very badly buried in the
female racer in the RN Automobile Club – and
‘trusted’, as Tracey found in the opening heat. fence nose first.”
can be found challenging male and female
“I had a cracking start from the outside and A Vauxhall Nova had suffered a blow-out,
drivers on the dirt tracks of the UK.
was straight in front of the two cars which causing an almighty pile-up.
She took her Vauxhall Nova to Rockingham in
started on my inside before the first bend,” An ambulance and a recovery vehicle later
Northamptonshire for the South Eastern Grass
she says. and the heat resumed.
Track Organisation’s ladies championship.
“I started to reel in the cars of the drivers The sailor spied a gap between the two cars
After a day re-wiring the car thanks to an
that started in front of me but the car suddenly ahead of her, squeezed through it and raced
electrical fault, Tracey clambered into her car
started ‘running sick’. into second place – a position she held to the
for two heats on the first day of racing – ending
“One minute it was flying and the next end.
neck-and-neck on points with her nearest rival,
it would splutter but then it would be away That ensured she would start from the third
Emma Kitchen from Croydon.
again.” row in the 30-lap final on a track which had a
The second day on the track would decide
Tracey pulled the car off the track for some good grip and was very fast after the numerous
the title. After an initial lead on the first heat,
on-the-spot repairs with the help of her brother heats.
the sailor was bashed from behind by Kitchen,
and dad. Once again, Tracey began brightly. By lap
who promptly took the lead.
It turned out that someone had tossed a four she was in the runners-up spot – and
The second and final heat was almost a
couple of cigarette butts into the fuel tank pulling away from the pack to create a half-lap
carbon copy; Tracey took the lead only for her
blocking the fuel line. lead by the final lap.
arch rival to once more clatter the Nova from Fortunately, Team Cotton carried a spare “We came round the final bend for the
behind and send it wide, allowing Kitchen to petrol tank and the offending tank was replaced chequered flag. I just accelerated out and knew
take an unassailable lead. in time for Tracey to return to the track. if I could keep a tight line it would be close,”
● Korea progress... AB(LOGS) Kenny Curle evades a challenge from
a South Korean sailor during HMS Monmouth’s 3-2 win
The Croydon driver promptly lifted the A top-ten finish in the next heat would she adds.
title, but Tracey was awarded a trophy for her guarantee a place in the double points final It was only when the trophy presentation
Jamie’s NAC of scoring
second place. – and again Tracey got off to a flying start, was made in the centre of the track that she
By the time the penultimate round of the holding on to fourth place by the mid-point realised just how close: she had pipped the race
championships arrived at Horndean, Tracey sat of the race. leader on the line to claim first place.
THE football season is now in full and WEA Steve Sheakey) showed
swing for all our RN/RM teams real skill in keeping the score
and the squads are about to play down. They are both products of
their fi rst matches at their various the development squads which is To the Royals the spoils
levels. really promising for the future.
If you are keen to know more Strong defending from the
about Navy football, I recommend Wafus, especially in the form
TWO days of friendly, fair, club’s famous supporters and a
our website at www.royalnavyfa. of LAET John Delahay and
sometimes fi erce but always fun brilliant day was had by all.
com which contains current news AET Tom Ardley (Heron), kept
hockey were played out in glorious Early in the second half Nick
and shows the fi xtures for the Portsmouth out and ultimately
sunshine at Burnaby Road’s Astro Batho sniffed out a typical
coming season. proved decisive, with Thirkle
turf pitches. poacher’s effort for 1-0 to the
While it is, of course, an honour adding another quality goal before
Around 100 male and female RN Navy, then hit one like a rocket to
to represent our Service, I know half time.
personnel of all ranks, including give the RN a 2-0 lead.
that all the players and offi cials The second half was equally
teams from United Services LX missed several chances or
really appreciate some touchline well-fought, but it was no surprise
Hockey Club, Portsmouth, had them saved by stout defensive
presence and your support is when AET Williams made it 3-1 to
took part in the fi rst Navy-wide work from Sweeney, Sutcliffe and
always welcome at any of our the airmen shortly before the end,
Inter Specialisation Hockey 7s Sewell. Was Barry ever as good as
matches. for a deserved win.
competition, writes Lt Cdr Alan this when in uniform? Well he kept
The traditional season opener Half-way around the world,
Walker, secretary RNHA. this lot out, so no wonder he’s a
is the Inter-Commands which HMS Monmouth maintained
Twenty-three specialisations member of LX.
was held at Victory Stadium in a 125-year tradition when she
across the seven branches of These guys are ‘evergreens’:
Portsmouth. visited South Korea.
the Service were represented in 60-year-old Neville-Rutherford, a
The opening rounds were The Senior Service introduced 100 matches dedicated to grass bandana shielding the now bald
extremely competitive, but the beautiful game to the country roots hockey for the honour of pate from the splendid sunshine,
the Naval Air Command and back in 1882 – and each time a representing their specialisation sniffed out another by getting
Portsmouth emerged as the British warship visits, there’s the or trade. on the end of 72-year-old David
strongest two teams and progressed obligatory football match. We have long known there were Lewis’ cross to make the score
to the fi nal. The Black Duke’s clash with wonderful teams ‘lost’ in those 3-0.
It got off to a cracking start, the South Korean Armed Forces arms of the Service, it was so good In the last minutes of the game
with man of the match AET Jamie coincided with the military’s to see them take the fi eld. Batho cracked in another long- ● Veterans’ day... An England LX player fi res the ball in, watched by
Thirkle (Culdrose) scoring for national day, so there was a The teams, wearing new strips his RN Over 55s opponent range top-circle effort through a
NAC after just seven minutes, only decent home crowd watching in in bright colours commemorating host of legs for 4-0.
for Pompey to level four minutes the stadium at Pyongtaek. the 30 years of partnership between order of the veterans day as the Stewart Neville-Rutherford, Earlier in the day in the over-35s
later through PO(MEA) ‘Sweeney’ They were to be disappointed. RN hockey and sponsors Mercian, RN Over 55s took on and beat the CPOWEA Eric Sutcliffe, Capt veterans’ match, the ex-Serving
Todd (HMS Nottingham). After a closely-fought match, added a shine to the occasion. representative England LX (Over Nick Batho, CPO David Lewis Team beat the Currently Serving
Generally both teams were the Brits triumphed 3-2 to lift Inter-part sport would appear 60s) side. (72), CPO Roger Coleman and Team in the Past vs Present annual
producing good football and the the 1882 Cup, which now sits in to be the route to help players to The LX organisation run by the Navy had the makings of a president’s match.
goalkeepers (AEM Roy Emerson Monmouth’s trophy cupboard. ‘get back into’ their sports. Tom Darlington, father of Capt fine team. Despite sterling efforts from the
In the specialisation tournament Mark Darlington who’s chairman They were joined by Capt Ian Serving Team in which Bisson and
fi nal positions were: 1 – Royal of RN Hockey, released three Jarvis, Lt Cdr Brian Sweeney, Copinger-Symes excelled, the ex-
Onside with Capt Paul
Marines; 2 – Aircrew; 3 – Warfare. of their members – former RN and there were late call-ups for Serving team beat the Serving
And in the branch tournament, hockey stalwarts Lt Cdr Chris mere youngsters Lt Col Rory Team 4-1 with a hat trick from
Cunningham, RNFA
the Royals again claimed victory Jones (65), MAA Pat McAuley Copinger-Symes, Cdr Ian Bisson, Jon Smith and a typical Alan
ahead of the aircrew/submarines (65) and Lt Cdr Barry Sewell and CPOAEM Gareth Rees. Cunningham opportunistic effort.
and engineers. (64) to represent the Navy Team. A small raucous crowd made Copinger-Symes replied for the
Rolling back the clock was the Add in Cdr Berry Reeves, CPOSA as much noise as Pompey football RN.
0046-047_NN_Nov.indd 246-047_NN_Nov.indd 2 117/10/07 15:00:477/10/07 15:00:47
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