WHEN Paralympic contender Megan Pascoe is not training and racing at world cup circuit events around the globe in her 2.4mR keelboat, she is a strong supporter of borough club racing.

The 26-year-old Portland sailor is now in Miami, Florida to train ahead of an Olympic and Paralympic classes World Cup regatta in Biscayne Bay.

But last Saturday, she braved colder climes to crew a Merlin Rocket and join a contingent of borough sailors competing in the Bloody Mary pursuit race.

Here, she reports on the ruby anniversary event: “We set off at 8am on Saturday morning with the temperature at nine degrees with rain forecast.

“We were kitted with an International 14 and a Merlin rocket and headed for the Queen Mary Reservoir in London.

“The annual Bloody Mary pursuit race is the biggest of its kind in the country and there was more than 300 boats taking part in this year’s 40th anniversary of the event.

“The temperature in the car was dropping and the rain had started as we headed north.

“We soldiered on and met the usual chaos of so many boats and not enough boat parking space.

“The race lasts 2.5 hours with the boats start time getting calculated on their handicap. So the slowest boat starts first and the fastest last. At the end of the time limit the boats are finished and it is first past the post no matter what type of boat you are in.

“The wind was about 15 knots gusting a bit more at times, which suited the trapezing boats better.

“Rob Greenhalgh in the International Moth from Stokes Bay won the event.

“Sam Pascoe and Alex Knight, from Castle Cove Sailing Club, after a few swims, put in a very good performance to finish ninth.

“Simon Hiscocks, of Shock Sailing, was 13th in the Moth. I finished 131st in the Merlin with Sam Barker.

“Emma Stevenson from Weymouth Sailing Club, who made her debut at the event was 158th in the Laser Radial, while Ross MacFarlane and Hugh Ward, in the 29er from Castle Cove, finished 182nd.”

* In a wetter, but probably warmer Weymouth, Rob Smith in his Contender cleaned up at the Aussie Summer Series at Castle Cove SC with two bullets. Smith is now leading the series with Ellie Hitchins in second.