Three boats from the club ventured to Looe in Cornwall to take parts in the GP14 Worlds. All three came away with fantastic results after eight races in challenging conditions. In a fleet of 127 boats, Phil Hodgkins, crewing in his parents’ boat with Adam Parry, finished 11th, Dave and Lynn Lawson 25th and Andy/Rob Smith 27th.
Well done!
The Lakeland triathlon was held from the club on Saturday with over 300 competitors.
Just as well they set off in phases!
On Sunday it was back to the usual sailing programme. The morning started off with fantastic sunshine, and a breeze came in from the south east but, unfortunately, it was not going to stay that way. By the time the course was set, the sunshine was hiding, and the wind was started to fade (perhaps the wind turbines on Bothel blowing gently in a northerly air was significant!).
The two fleets set off in very light airs, and with no signs of it getting any better the OD opted to shorten racing at the first mark. Unfortunately for the asymmetric fleet, the Hardies in their RS200 picked up enough wind to fill their gennaker such that they beat the committee boat to the windward mark, so they had to sail two legs, compared to the MJM fleet just sailing one. Towards the end of the race, drizzle set in.
Steve/Elaine Hunt were the first to finish after approx 25 mins, beating Tim Knowles/Martin Statter by a couple of mins on handicap. Sue Watson opted to helm for a change, but retired in the light airs. Steve was keen to point out that he didn’t want mention of his venture into the reeds (nudge, nudge, wink, wink), but body language can be so difficult at times…
Sailing Sec Roy had a good port end start in the Asymmetric fleet, and persevered to secure a 3rd place on handicap behind the Hardies and Toggle.
The drizzle/rain continued over lunch, and the wind showed little sign of coming back, so with many sailors opting to pack their boats away, the afternoon race was cancelled.
During this weekend’s GP Open there was a three way challenge between Alan/Sue, Alastair/Claire and Katharine/Glenys where the leading boat at the end of the Meeting would be bought a bottle of champagne by the others. Well, as tweeted on the day, Alan/Sue won and proudly collected their prize, and promptly shared it with the challengers to a rousing toast of “Bottoms up”
This weekend we hosted the above event.
The forecast was for some great winds, and hopefully only light showers, and that is what the fleet got. The various gusts passing over the lake, not only gave rise to some great planing conditions, but created shifty conditions on the beats.
Andy/Rob Smith were first off the line in race 1 and he took and early lead, but despite some great racing his lead slipped away. He was in a strong position on the final beat to hold 2nd place behind Simon Potts/Peter Gray from Blithfield but it was not to be when he lost two places on the line to David Young and Neil Platt.
After a short break racing recommenced in the strengthening breeze. Andy put in another good race in race 2 finishing 2nd to Neil Platt, with David Young 3rd. Although Alan/Sue capsized and subsequently retired, he was keen to point out that he didn’t actually get wet, though Sue seemed to be left getting cold in the water….
In race 3 the wind continued to increase, but also shift more to SW. Andy again took the lead by the end of the first beat, and Dave/Lynn Lawson were close on his tail, but the shifty conditions took their toll, and Simon Potts broke through to the lead. With a few good reaches, Simon broke away, winning by a large margin. Yet again Andy lost a place to Gary Deighan on the final leg as the wind backed a little more. Blustery conditions at the first gybe mark resulted in several capsizes, surprisingly including Neil Platt.
Overnight results had Simon leading with Andy, on equal points, 2nd
Sunday arrived, along with rain showers, and a lighter, but good, breeze.
Andy again led the way to the windward mark on both races, and he managed to hold on to his lead in race 4 to win, and keep him in with a chance of the overall series even though at that stage Simon had a strong lead comprising a 1st and two 2nds.
The quality of the racing and competition was such that places were regularly changing. In the final race Andy had a good lead that disappeared in the final few legs dropping him back to 5th on the line. Conversely, Neil Platt found a good route up the final beat moving him up from 5th to 1st, and a potential 2nd overall. However, a protest held over from Saturday resulted in Neil’s disqualification and his position slid back to 8th overall. With Andy out of the picture, Simon’s overall winning position was secured.
Some consistently good sailing by Gary Deighan over the weekend resulted in a deserved 3rd overall.
Dave/Lynn Lawson had some better results in the lighter conditions. Their 3rd and 2nd earning them 4th overall.
With racing over, the rain clouds disappeared, and the sun came out enabling the prize giving to be held outside. The Commodore thanked the competitors, and all concerned in putting the weekend together, and the prizes were awarded by Claire Kirkpatrick.
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Light winds were the order of the day for this final evening race before Bass Week. Not many entrants, and even fewer finishers, but the results were very close when the handicaps were calculated with Ken Bell beating Jack Hardie by just 6 secs in the Crews race. Mike Fairlamb was the only finisher in the Seniors race.
It is with sadness that we have learnt that long standing member Chris Denwood has tragically been killed in a motorcycle accident.
Chris joined the club with his family over 40 years ago and was an avid GP and Laser sailor in his time. Although he left to tour the world and then work in London, he came back to the area a few years ago and rejoined as a member and bought another Laser, but his passion for sailing had passed him by.
Chris’ father was Mike Denwood, and his brother is Trustee Jon Denwood. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.
Chris’ funeral was held in Distington Crematorium on Monday 30 July, and afterwards at Hundith Hill Hotel, Nr Cockermouth.
A sunny afternoon with a freshening light breeze greeted sailors on Saturday for another championship weekend series. With Mike as OD, and his threat to start on time, no-one dared call his bluff and all were out on the water waiting for the warning signal!
Even Scumper was on the line on time, and quickly showed a clean pair of heels to the rest of the handicap fleet winning the race by more than 5 mins on handicap. Although Banter pipped Hugh on the line, on handicap Jim Christie finished 2nd with Banter 3rd. In the 2nd race, a wind shift on the first beat caught out Scumper and Hugh took the lead, which he increased over the next couple of legs. However, Scumper avoided a calm patch on a later beat, and secured the lead, and another win with Hugh 2nd.
While Zefer made a welcome return to sailing in Tog’s Vareo after a two year layoff due to injury, Neil/Judith made a return (temporarily?) to the F15 fleet, taking two wins from Tim/Martin.
Dave/Sarah had a flying start in the GPs in the first race, but Mike/Alan worked their way through to win it, along with the second race where Alastair/Claire finished 2nd.
Sunday’s forecast was for 15mph from the SSW, and gusting. That’s exactly what it did!
Takers for the racing was limited to the Handicap and F15 fleets (perhaps the GPs had more sense?).
There were only single handers in the handicap fleet, and none managed to stay upright, although all but Joe in his RS300 finished the race. At one stage even Scumper opted to tack round instead of risk a gybe (though he was one of the few to fly his gennaker). He went on to win the race and the series. Peter Ballard was probably relieved to be using his storm sail, and it helped him keep near enough to Hugh to take 2nd, with Hugh 3rd.
In the F15s, Ian/Lezli-Ann were sailing well and holding Mike/Kayla at bay, until his tiller extension came adrift, scuppering his race. Mike went on to win, but was to have no competition for the increasing winds in the afternoon, so finished 2nd in the series behind Neil/Judith. Tim/Martin came 3rd.
Surprisingly there were takers for the final race (in the handicap fleet), though all had capsized before the starting sequence began. With winds being particularly gusty, the OD opted to abandon racing for the day. So the lunchtime overall positions would remain – Scumper 1st, Hugh 2nd, and Jim 3rd.
There was no entries for the Mirror or Topper series.
A beautiful evening, though the winds were light, tempted out 13 boats this week for the last race in the main Night Jar series. Neil/Judith led the fleet with Rory 2nd and Eric 3rd, but when the personal handicaps were calculated, it was to be the GPs that took the first 4 positions, led by Kath/Glenys, with Alan/Sue 2nd maintaining their lead in the series.
GPs took the top two fleet handicap results with Dave/Lynn and Mike/? 1st and 2nd, and Joan/Jack 3rd. Neil/Judith still won the series overall.
Competitors for the RYA NWJTT and Topper NW Area Championships were confounded, on arrival, to discover that the wind was blowing from exactly the opposite direction to that which was forecast. Shortly before the scheduled start time the SE breeze faded – and then gradually reappeared from the NW. It was, however, light and patchy for the first race of the NWJTT event.
Three ‘Youths’, two ‘Juniors’ and two Optimists contested the event with, Reece Tomlinson, in his laser, the only sailor able to complete two laps of the course in the light airs. Reece won the Youth division, Sam Errington from Chester won the Juniors and Rebecca Coles from Annandale took the gun in the Optimists.
After a short break the Race Officer took the fleet afloat for their second race. They were joined by the 27 competitors of the Topper NW Area Championship fleet. The next race was sailed in a steadier and building breeze. Consistency was the name of the game in the NWJTT, with each division being won by the same boat as Race 1.
In the first race of the Topper event Thomas Wallwork, from Redesmere, showed early form, winning by a margin from Nick Devereux from Budworth.
With the breeze finally established and blowing a pleasing F – 3, the next race was sailed back to back. In the NWJTT both Sam Errington and Reece Tomlinson achieved perfect scorelines by winning the final race, whilst in the Optimists Rebecca was second to Drew Gibbons from Redesmere, but still won overall.
For the Toppers the second race brought different boatrs to the fore. Zac Gibbons lead from the start, hotly pursued by James Grummett, Thomas Wallwork and Lucy Mearns from Leigh & Lowton. The four enjoyed a close battle throughout the race. Lucy picked the shifts better in the early part of the last beat and gradually closed on Zac Gibbons as he tacked to cover her. Eventually she was able to break through only to find herself on the wrong side of the last shift, and to finish second. James Grummet from Burwain was third with Thomas Wallwork in fourth.
In the last race of the day Zac Gibbons again took the gun, with James Grummett in second and the consistent Lucy Mearns in third
On the Sunday morning, with a forecast predicting a building breeze peaking at 30 mph, the Race Committee decided to sail all three remaining races back to back.
The breeze did indeed build, and conditions became increasingly testing, particularly for some of the younger sailors. At the front of the fleet James Grummett and Lucy Mearns showed good tactical awareness and great technique to maintain their challenge, in conditions that favoured the older and heavier competitors.
In the first race of the day Zac Gibbons took the gun with James Grummett in second and Thomas Wallwork in third. Lucy Mearns could only manage sixth.
In the second race competition was becoming fierce and a fascinating duel ensued at the front of the fleet. Zac Gibbon�s boat speed took him to the front but Lucy�s tactical awareness kept her in contention, and allowed her to take the lead for periods. Eventually Zac took the gun with Lucy second, James third and Thomas fourth.
In the final race Zac and Lucy both suffered reverses. James Grummett won the race with James Chasty from Redesmere second and Thomas in third. Lucy finished seventh and Zac eighth. However, following a protest, Zac retired after finishing.
This was not to be the end of Zac�s woes as a subsequent DSQ from Race 5 dropped him from first to seventh in the overall standings. James Grummett was, therefore, the very deserving winner with Thomas Wallwork in second and the tenacious and improving Lucy Mearns in third.
At the prize giving the diminutive Isabel Wallwork who had impressed everyone with her fierce determination to complete every race won a special award for endeavour. Similarly, Lucy Mearns, who had impressed with her tactical skills and her consistently fair sailing, also received a special prize.
NWTAC Winner
James Grummett Burwain
With a forecast of light winds from the north east again, to be greeted with a light southerly was somewhat daunting. The opposing winds would affect sailing all morning, and after three attempts to set a start line racing finally got underway, even though the first beat turned into a fetch! The opposing winds created calm patches around the course, and various boats even had to tack occasionally!
With only Joan/Jack in their RS200 and Ian/Elaine in a F15 in the handicap fleet, Joan mastered the conditions, beating Ian across the line and winning the race.
Val/Ken took the lead in the GPs after Mike/Alan (Waugh) had a bad shift (as he put it), and they didn’t let it go. After a tussle with Hugh/Rachel, Mike secured 2nd place.
Latest results
The afternoon pennant race is typically sailed around the lake, and although the Hardies were disappointed to note racing was being kept in the northern bay, the conditions never improved to a level that would have seen the fleet return from around the lake before the end of the Mens’ singles final!
There was a late shift of the wind direction, and another revision to the course, as a hint of a sea breeze came in. Mike/Alan took an early lead, but the wind faded later and swung back to the forecast north easterly, and the Hardies took the lead. Val/Ken broke through to 2nd finishing moments ahead of Ian/Elaine. On fleet handicap, Val won, with Mike 2nd.
Sue Watson rushed from work to try and regain the lead in Sandra’s Salver, which proved worthwhile.
If conditions seemed challenging at Bass spare a thought for those 200+ boats drifting at Ullswater in the Lord Birkett. Many Bass boats thought better of it and retired while they were not too far from the beaching position, but others persevered for up to 4 hours! Overnight Dave/Lynn were lying 2nd with Bean/Naomi 13th. The final results showed that Dave/Lynn finished 3rd, Phil/Naomi, 4th, Pete Lawson 21st and Scumper 25th as well as several other members.
Keith Thomas has provided the following pics of our top finishers, who lasted the full course!
