Tasar National Championships at Porthpean Sailing Club

Tasar National Championships 2012 © Chris Bilkey

Tasar National Championships 2012 © Chris Bilkey

Tasar National Championships 2012 © Chris Bilkey

The Tasar fleet rolled into Porthpean on August 30th for a 4 day National Championships. The Tasar is well known at Porthpean as there has been a fleet there since 1986 and it was returning for the 5th time. Porthpean is also the home of current Champions Jeremy & Suzanne Hawkins, allowing them the luxury of sleeping in their own beds each evening. There were at least 4 former Tasar Champions competing plus numerous Championship winner Steve Cockerill sailing with wife Sarah, all hoping to grab the Championship title. We were blessed by some fine sponsorship from Kia motors, Hawkins Motors, Signal Locker and Rooster Sailing.

Race Officer Ron Barrett ably helped by James Dowrick took the fleet off to the far reaches of St. Austell bay to conduct an 8 race series to be held over 4 racing sessions. Thursday, the first day was not for the faint hearted as the wind out in the bay was a decidedly strong north westerly, blowing at plus 20 knots, which increased to over 30 knots during the 2 races, verified by the nearby Polruan weather station. Surprisingly there were very few capsizes and very few gear breakages. Courses set for the Championships consisted of triangle, sausage, triangle and a 2nd sausage, with a short reach to the finish line. This format enabled the Committee boat to remain at its mooring for a quick turnaround between races. Both races were won by Jeremy & Suzanne, with Steve & Sarah 2nd & ex National Champion Malcolm Davies & Sam Richardson 3rd. It might have been windy but what fantastic reaches we had, literally planing non stop from the moment of the bear off to hardening up for the next beat.

Friday initially promised to be a much lighter day and the fleet were held ashore to wait for developments. Sure enough by 13.00 the wind had filled the bay with another, slightly less fresh north westerly, and the fleet set off for another 2 races. Race 3 & the Hawkins had a bit of help in this race as they finished 3rd on the water but the leading 2 boats crossed the finish line to silence, both being OCS, thus giving the Hawkins their 3rd win with Steve & Sarah taking 2nd, and new to the fleet Jack Hawkins & Olly Cooper promoted to 3rd.

No mistakes from Jeremy in the 4th race leading from the start, this time with Nathan Bachelor & Pam Williams from Clevedon SC taking 2nd place and Steve Mitchell & Polly Newman from Porthpean taking 3rd. With 4 wins out of 4 races, suddenly the Championship was swinging into the Hawkins clutches. Due to the late start the RO sent us all in after the 4th race.

Saturday was a 3 race day and with the wind still fresh and from the same direction we all knew what we had coming, yes fast & furious reaches again. Steve & Sarah Cockerill, sailing their 35 year old Tasar took their first win hotly pursued by the Davies Team with the Hawkins taking 3rd. The famous pasty boat made it appearance after the first race, and it could be seen chugging from boat to boat delivering pasties, sandwiches, sweets and drinks to most of the 30 boat fleet. After a quick break we were off into race 6 with yet another win for Jeremy & Suzanne, now making it practically impossible for anyone else to take their title. Steve & Sarah taking 2nd and Malcolm back into 3rd it was clear that these 3 would take the first 3 places.

Race 7 and the last for the day, for which we all felt grateful as nice as the conditions were the physical aspect was hard on some of the older members of the fleet. Malcolm Davies hit the front this time taking a win from Porthpean’s Steve & Polly with the Cockerills back up to 3rd.

And so on to Sunday, with only 1 race to do a course was set for a long distance race. The wind had swung to a more south westerly direction and had dropped to a much lighter strength. How strange after 3 rays of racing when neither side of the beats gave any major advantage there was a right way and a wrong way to go this time. All those who stayed out at sea lost out to the ones who tacked inshore and forund a very nice shift and more pressure under the cliffs. Malcolm Davies was one of those who made the right choice and finished the first beat with a terrific lead, followed by Steve & Sarah and further back the Hawkins pair. Jeremy showed his very fast speed on the downwind legs and overhauled the Cockerills and took an enormous amount out of Malcolm’s lead, but Malcolm had just enough of an advantage to take the win.

Now just to blow our own trumpet; Porthpean put on a marvellous Championship. Several of the visitors had never been here before and were astounded by the views, weather, sailing waters and hospitality they encountered. Fried breakfasts for the campers each morning and a 2 course meal each evening, kept stomachs well tended for and the well stocked bar kept thirsts to a minimum.

The Tasar showed itself as an excellent family boat with 20 of the 30 entries having at least one female on board and that included 9 of the first 10 boats. There aren’t that many other classes that can match that.

Overall Results: