Thanet Regatta 2007 at Margate Yacht Club
by Don Gray 4 Jul 2007 17:48 BST
30 June - 1 July 2007
Chris Hatcher & Andrew Hudson (Miracle) & Lee Goodey (Laser) at the Thanet Regatta 2007 © Don Gray
With a forecast for a wet & windy weekend, Margate Yacht Club this weekend played host to the 2007 Thanet Regatta at Margate Kent.
Saturday arrived with a brisk south westerly, low scudding cloud & the possibility of some heavy showers later. Undaunted, the boats split into fast & slow handicap fleets & were set an interesting inshore triangular course whilst the asymmetric fleet and cats were set a windward / leeward course further off shore with a committee boat start.
Sure enough, by the second race the heavens had opened & with crews wishing they’d had that extra helping of Readybrek for breakfast, the strong ebb tide combined with the wind made for quite a struggle upwind for some & favoured those who were able to keep inshore.
By the end of Saturday’s racing the fast handicap field was being led by Lee Goodey in his Laser (Broadstairs). The slow handicap group by Chris Hatcher / Andrew Hudson (Margate) in a Miracle. The asymmetric / cat fleet by Chris Field (Minnis Bay) in his A class cat.
With a hot shower & meal hospitably provided by MYC the competitors braced themselves for a tough following day.
Sunday was not to disappoint. Gusting 5 – 6 SW & favouring those who revel in heavy weather sailing the conditions were to put many off. Some left the covers on, others ventured out to return to shore early… but for the brave few, there was some exhilarating sailing to be had.
After a delayed start & a number of retirements the inshore race ended with a sprint finish between the Laser of Lee Goodey & the Miracle of Chris Hatcher / Andrew Hudson, with the Miracle just taking it. The asymmetric fleet had an even tougher time further off shore in the building chop. With no cats racing it was down to the Vareos & Laser 2000s to battle it out. Line honours going to Andy Temple (Broadstairs) in his superbly handled Vareo, closely followed by the 2000 of Adrian & Dave Tomlinson.
Overall Results:
Fast Handicap:
1 Lee Goodey, Laser (Broadstairs)
2 Simon Lord, Laser (Minnis Bay)
3 Clive Morley, Phantom (Margate)
Slow Handicap:
1 Chris Hatcher / Andrew Hudson, Miracle (Margate)
2 Gaye Lamb / Annie Northcote, Miracle (Margate)
3 Elliot Piper-Brown, Laser Radial (Minnis Bay)
Cats:
1 Chris Field, A class (Minnis Bay)
2 John Brazier / Ken Denyed, Spitfire (Minnis Bay)
Asymmetric:
1 Andy Temple, Vareo (Braodstairs)
2 Adrian Tomlinson / David Tomlinson, Laser 2000 (Broadstairs)
3 Tim Seward, Vareo (Broadstairs)
First Junior:
Simon Lord (Minnis Bay)
Overall winners:
Chris Hatcher / Andrew Hudson
Andy Temple
Lee Goodey