The Bank holiday started early for many campers that have been on site since Thursday (using up a spare day in our allocation). A walk up Catbells for many was celebrated with some fizz on the summit, though Scumper seemed to struggle opening it!
A sunny Saturday was a bit of a surprise on a bank holiday, and there was a light breeze suitable for a fleet of eight Mirrors, many crewed by junior sailors, one of which was Alfie in his first ever race. Jonathan and Henry won the first race, and Mik the second race. In the handicap fleet, one of the Southport visitors gave Robbie D/Banter a run for their money as they each had a 1st and a 2nd. Dave/Lynn won the 1st GP race and Andy/Phil the 2nd, with Joan/Jack being the runner up in both races.
Will there be more partying tonight? You bet!
Yes, Saturday night was long and boozy. It finished at four from what folks can remember. And apparently the ladies were holding their own against the high supping males!
But all were ready to roll on Sunday morning with 32 crews on the water for the first race of five in the series. Weather was dry with a light easterly. The line remained unchanged throughout the day and was port biased in the extreme making good starts challenging. The morning course was liked by some if not by all and this was a long race considering there were two more to follow after lunch.
The second course was an even longer one with a bit of hanging around for the Slow Handicap one lappers – but so what? It was compensated by a tight course in the bay for race 3.
Highlights – from my notebook – as was too engrossed with my own fleet battles when racing! Well, one of the Fifteens got tangled up with the port end mark during a start and Z went some way down the beat before being retrieved! In the Geeps Val was determined to get the better of Joan and did so in Race 2 for positions to be reversed in Race 3. And the S/H fleet managed 9 Mirrors, most with dynamic young crews, and positions were continuously changing.
The F/H fleet had an extremely close result in the afternoon races. On corrected time the first two crews were 7 seconds apart in Race 2 and, in race 3, the first five boats were all covered by 34 seconds.
Holiday Monday: you couldn’t have asked for a better day. Ideal conditions with a Westerly wind which was the strongest of the weekend although not strong enough to tip anyone in. Well our brilliant weekend Safety Driver, Martin Rowell did go swimming fully clothed when he went to check the boats before racing!
The morning race was again on the longish side – or am I just getting old? (Don’t answer that!) And the sunny and warm lunch break seemed to go on for ever.
What happened on the water? Well, the Pico thought it was a Fifteen and got embroiled in their start, John apologising to all the affected helms afterwards. Also, to Mike who wasn’t involved anyway and reckoned that it might just have helped in him getting five bullets.
In the Fast Handicap’s afternoon race there was a slight incident – a clash of rigging I believe – involving Mark’s 100 and Robbie / Phil’s 400 which led to the latter boat retiring. Mark went on to win that race but the series had already been sewn up by Phil & Naomi.
The Geeps afternoon race was a turn up for the books with AJ & Sue leading the first lap and finishing second to David & Lynn who also lifted the series. And the Slow Handicap again, had the young crew to the fore with Andy & Lily in their Mirror taking the series with four wins. In the final race Mother was flying in a Topper and brother in law Nick was out with Scarlett in yet another red sailed boat. In all there were ten different Mirrors on the water over the weekend.
The day finished in style with a demo sail by young Henry Bullen and (I think) Matthew Somerville in an Oppy.
John Spittle Images from Sunday and Monday’s races are now available on johnspittle.smugmug.com
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