Comet Trio Inland Championships at Llangorse Sailing Club

Llangorse Sailing Club gave their usual warm hospitality to 11 boats competing for the Comet Trio Inlands Championship. The weekend was dominated by a strong blustery, disturbed easterly wind, further aggravated by the Brecon Beacons, to give massive gusts that caused numerous capsizes.

The race officer had great difficulty laying a start line in race 1 such were the large shifts. 2 boats had reefed mains. White Lightning was first to the windward mark but got squeezed out at the congested and rarely visited South buoy. Wild Thing was well up, but vicious gusts made spinnaker flying very hazardous. 4 boats pulled away from the rest of the fleet. On the last beat a large shift promoted Contagious from 3rd to finish 1st, followed by Go with the Flow 2nd and Comet Shoemaker 3rd.

After an excellent club lunch the wind freshened with vicious gusts resulting in numerous capsizes even before the start of race 2 with some retirements. A keenly contested start resulted in a general recall, but got away at the second attempt. Some brave souls hoisted spinnakers but this lead to disaster – Comet Shoemaker collecting mud on his mainsail and White Lightning gathered lots of weed. Go with the Flow decided discretion was the better part of valour – no spinnaker – and went on to gain first place.

Race 3. Now only 6 boats, the wind eased slightly to give a very competitive race. Pebbles first at the windward mark. Spinnakers were hoisted and there were many place changes. At the line it was Go with the Flow 1st, 2nd White Lightning, Pebbles 3rd and Comet Shoemaker 4th. A very testing and exhausting day’s racing with some gear failure, collisions causing damage, retirements and DNC’s.

Next morning was fine and sunny but even more wind. 7 starters, 5 with reefed mains. Pebbles with full rig was first at the windward mark. Only White Lightning (full rig) and Comet Shoemaker (reefed) were brave enough to hoist spinnakers but this appeared to make little difference and was much more hazardous. Indeed Comet Shoemaker’s spinnaker pole jammed out. Both White Lightning and Pebbles capsized on the beat (the latter had a broken tiller extension). Go with the Flow, now in the lead and to ensure survival, tacked around the numerous gybe marks and finished first to secure the Championship.

With massive gusts, few remaining boats and the committee boat dragging its anchor, the race officer sensibly cancelled race 5.

Thanks to Llangorse S.C for providing some heavy weather fun in beautiful surroundings.

Overall Results: