September Open at Kielder Water Sailing Club

Mid-September open at Kielder Water © Paul Turnbull

It's mid-September so it's time for Kielder Water SC's open meeting, attended by 41 boats including 17 visiting Lasers for the Lakeland Laser Grand Prix, 6 Laser 2000s for the Caledonian Ring Circuit and 8 Ospreys for the Scottish and Northern Championship, plus handicap and junior fleets. Despite the warnings of tail-ends of hurricanes, this did not deter people from travelling from all regions of England, Wales and Scotland.

Conditions were better than forecast, with a southerly F3-4 on Saturday which veered to westerly after the first race, requiring marks to be re-laid and a new course set. A damaging squall during race 2 led to some retirements; the Lasers then sailed a third race as theirs was a one-day series whilst, the other classes came ashore to warm up and dry out.

On Sunday the wind was stronger and equally shifty, and the club's 1km diameter circle of marks at 30 degree intervals came into their own to make course changing quicker and easier, without having to lay new buoys for each new course to take account of 90 degree wind shifts. Race Officer Peter Hawkin set three consecutive races to make up for the one lost the previous day, so that the full five races were completed.

Amongst the Ospreys, there were four different winners in the five races - Rob Shaw / Ian Little, Viola Scott / Mike Scott, Mike Pickering / Mike Priddle, and Paul Heather / Jonathon Osgood, testament to the closeness of racing; overall winner was Rob Shaw / Ian Little (KWSC). In the Laser 2000s, Iain and Sarah Yardley (Leigh & Lowton SC) took five firsts, hotly pursued by the remainder of the fleet with only 4 points separating the next 3 boats, after the discard. In the fast handicap class, Fergus Holland (Musto Skiff, KWSC) achieved 3 firsts to win overall. First Laser was Stuart Keegan and first lady was Maria Beattie.

There was a good turnout of 7 Kielder juniors; prize winners were Robbie Langford (Topper), first overall with five firsts; Rosie Golightly (Topper) in second place with three seconds and a third, after the discard. Nicholas Pike (Topper) came third and Lauren Thomas and Rosie Thumwood (Mirror) were fourth.

The visitors (and the Kielder sailors too) were very appreciative of the warm welcome, good facilities and sailing conditions at Kielder. This could not be achieved without the hard work of the race management team, the patrol team, those who provide the food and drink in the galley and the bar, and the rest of the members who carry out tasks, many unseen, to make everything go smoothly.

Overall Results:

Osprey
1st, Rob Shaw and Ian Little, Kielder Water SC
2nd, Mike Taylor and Jon Willey, Marconi SC
3rd, Mike Pickering and Mike Priddle, Restronguet SC

Laser 2000
1st, Iain and Sarah Yardley, Leigh and Lowton SC
2nd, George Thomson and Douglas Brand, W Lothian SC
3rd, Jane and Eric Robson, E Lothian SC

Fast Handicap
1st, Fergus Holland, Kielder Water SC, Musto Skiff
2nd, Charlie Young, St Mary's Loch SC, Solo
3rd, Richard Purdey, Sunderland YC, Musto Skiff

Juniors
1st, Robbie Langford, Kielder Water SC, Topper
2nd, Rosie Golightly, Kielder Water SC, Topper
3rd, Nicholas Pike, Kielder Water SC, Topper