Tideway Nationals at Rutland Watersports Centre

Tideway nationals at Rutland © Dean Sephton

Tideway nationals at Rutland © Dean Sephton

18 Tideways gathered at the Rutland Watersports Centre at Whitwell to compete for the Tideway Challenge Cup (Crewed) and for the Rose Bowl Trophy (Single handed) which was held over the weekend of 17th & 18th July. With the current Challenge Cup holders Richard & Sylvia Colley not defending and with the Rose Bowl not awarded in 2009 the attending crews looked forward to a very open meeting.

The event was particularly anticipated as it was to be the first show down between the oft wining wooden Tideway TW1 ‘Andante’ owned by the Phillips family and the brand new wooden Tideway TW520 ‘Llinos’ owned by the Rev Mary Davies out at its first meeting. ‘Andante’ features heavily in the engraving on the Walker Challenge trophy having been successfully campaigned through the years by David and Debbie Phillips and their children Robyn & Richard in many Challenge races. The Rev Mary Davies is also a past winner of the Challenge trophy with her Tideway TW299 ‘Gwylan’.

The Watersports centre provided all facilities for the weekend including a very capable race offer in the form of Ant Chapman who quickly put the inexperienced racing crews at their ease and set a suitable triangular course for this rather elderly fleet (boats & crews). Ant’s briefing mentioned force 3-4 SSW and the fleet (made up of wooden and GRP Tideway’s) reassured launched off the beach at Whitwell into pleasant warm breezes which gently wafted us down to the point in readiness for race 1 with a start time of 12:30.

The fleet emerged from the shelter of the point to find the predicted 3-4 increasing rapidly to 5 gusting 6 causing the relaxed fleet to re-adjust their seating positions a bit rapidly. TW216 (Danny & Diana Lindsey) ran back to shelter to reef on the water and re-emerged from behind the point under a little more control. Ant efficiently marshalled the erratic fleet into some sort of order and got them away across the line on time for a three lap race into a very wet beat up to the first mark with TW1 (David & Debbie Phillips) TW520 (Mary Davies & Pat Thomson) and TW466 (Rob Neill & Hugh Neill) leading the way round the first mark into a very brisk run down to the second mark to be rounded with an exciting gibe. Now close hauled running towards the Dam, where at the third mark the fleet turned back to beat up through the line. By this time those lucky enough to be two handed could be seen pressing the crew into bailing duties. Through the line TW1 lead the way followed by TW520 but now with TW05 (Alan & Floss Stone) in third position. The wind was not reducing and conditions were getting rather uncomfortable but the fleet pressed on with the crews just having to work a little harder with the bailers. By now some of the fleet particularly the single handers were dropping out due to the conditions leaving the first single hander as TW432 (Martin Mitchell) bravely splashing on and with no opportunity to bail. Through the line for the last time the final order was TW1, TW520, TW216 (having recovered from their reefing delay) had slipped passed TW05 to be followed by TW466 as the last boat to finish the full three laps. The by now very wet fleet then retired to the beach at Whitwell to re-group. Standing around in the sunshine with a warm breeze blowing and all the boats bailed out spirits were quick to lift although everybody seemed remarkably busy reefing.

The plan had been for 3 x 3 lap races with one discard, but Ant was requested to reduce race 2 & 3 to two laps each to be sailed over an unchanged course and to be run back to back. A diminished fleet re launched optimistically into the sun & gentle breezes of Whitwell creek whereupon on reaching the point they met undiminished winds. The reduced fleet marshalled at the line and got away quickly beating up to the first mark followed by a very hairy run to the mid-point before reaching across to the last mark and beating back up through the line TW1, TW520, TW466 were the order on the first lap and the final placing for race two were TW1, TW520, TW05 with TW432 the first single hander. At this point TW216 & TW432 retired. Race three got away after a 10-minute pause and with only 5 boats remaining, the order remained unchanged throughout the race finishing with TW1, TW520, TW466, TW05 and TW327.

Prize giving was held in the Pico room at the Rutland Water Sports centre where the crew of TW1 David & Debbie Phillips were presented with the Walker Challenge trophy and an engraved glass mug for helm & crew, Mary Davies & Pat Thomson sailing TW520 the newest wooden boat in the Tideway fleet each received engraved mugs for their second place as did Alan & Floss Stone who came in third. Martin Mitchell the only surviving single hander received the Rose Bowl trophy and an engraved mug and Dean Sephton received the Campbell Quaich for the best maintained wooden Tideway.

Many thanks to the TOA’s Arthur Davey for organising the event and to the Rutland Watesports Centre for providing all the racing & meeting facilities so efficiently.

Overall Results: