Streaker Open at Tamworth Sailing Club

Streakers at Tamworth © Ian Shore

Streakers at Tamworth © Ian Shore

Northern/Southern Paddle Open

12 Streaker sailors, 6 visitors and 6 home boats, arrived on a sunny Saturday morning at Tamworth Sailing Club to little wind.

After a couple a postponements due to the fickle, shifty winds, race one got underway in the light conditions. Local Paul Burgoine picked the best end of the line and the best shifts all the way down the first leg to have a reasonable lead by the windward mark with the rest of the fleet pretty much rounding the mark at the same time. By the end of the third leg Paul led, followed by Ian Bradley in 2nd and Debbie Degge 3rd. Getting the worst of the wind on the third leg, 5th-placed Matt Whitfield was caught by the rest of the fleet coming up on a good breeze. This caused chaos at the mark and plenty of shouting and 720’s followed. In the dying moments of the race Ian had gained on Paul and the pair raced each other away from the final mark allowing Debbie Degge to pinch the lead on the start of the final leg. A risky decision to go to the left of the final beat saw Paul retake the lead and the win with Ian edging Debbie for 2nd on the line. John Burgoine came home in 4th while Matt Whitfield held onto 5th and Alan Simmons took 6th.

Race two got underway on the same course in slightly increased wind. At the start John Burgoine was over the line and had to go back. Ian Bradley found his way to the windward mark in 1st, followed by Paul Burgoine and Debbie Degge. By the third mark Ian had a clear lead and Debbie had found a way past Paul for 2nd. John Burgoine had picked his way through the fleet into 4th followed by Matt Whitfield in 5th and Paul Jago in 6th. As Ian and Debbie pulled away and finished 1st and 2nd respectively, Paul Burgoine, John Burgoine and Matt Whitfield battled for 3rd, 4th, and 5th. After a few swaps of position Paul took 3rd from John in 4th and Matt in 5th while Paul Jago gained some ground to finish a close 6th.

The wind had swung round and dropped again for the third and final race, which took place on a different course. At the windward mark Paul Burgoine took the lead from Debbie Degge and John Burgoine. After having an out-of-character day in the middle of the fleet, Ian Whitfield took advantage of a good start to find himself amongst the front runners. Paul and Debbie pulled away from the rest of the fleet while battling for the lead, with Paul taking the win and the open, Debbie finishing 2nd. Ian Bradley and John Burgoine spent the majority of the race battling for 3rd and 4th and, on the last lap, attempting raced each other away from a mark allowing Matt Whitfield to take advantage of a small gust to jump from 5th to 3rd. Matt managed to hold onto 3rd, enough to jump John Burgoine for 4th overall while Ian Bradley took 4th, enough for 2nd overall. John Burgoine took 5th from Alan Simmons in 6th.

So, on a tricky day local knowledge held on to give Paul Burgoine 1st overall, while Greensforge winner Ian Bradley took 2nd and Debbie Degge was placed 3rd.

Overall Results: