Blaze Inland Championships at Queen Mary Sailing Club

The traditional late season Blaze Inland Championship returned to QMSC on the weekend of 20th and 21st October for a range of events including curry eating, the obligatory few beers, flat calms and even some brisk racing. This time 33 pitched up, not a record Inlands turnout but not too bad considering the initial weather forecast.

Several arrived early enough to get ahead in the curry eating stakes on Friday night but then Saturday morning dawned with mist and no wind. The cast assembled and after various bacon and sausage rolls, chased down with mugs of tea and coffee, watched the junior RYA fleet enthusiastically drift off, to start their days training.

At 10.30 the Race Officer gathered together the fleet and laid out his plan for the weekend, courses, reminder to avoid the dredger, etc and finished with a warning for a 1 hour postponement. At 11.00 the Committee boat strolled round to the race area and Blaze fleet started to launch onto the glassy lake – reluctantly.

The fleet drifted out to the start area, only to then watch the remainder of the breeze slowly disappear. The RO now sounded a 2 hour postponement at 12.30 and headed for the shore leaving the fleet to drift, paddle and rock their way in. Except that is, for Blaze 774, the vessel of one Martin Saveker, who having stretched out comfortably across his boat, had dozed off. Seeing this solitary Blaze all on its own, showing no signs of returning to the shore, the allocated rescue boat decided to investigate if all was well. They quietly woke the slumbering Mr Saveker and then very kindly gave him a tow ashore, saving him any strenuous activity whatsoever. The benefits of clean living clearly come to those who wait.....

Racing was formally abandoned at 2.30 allowing everyone to pack up and gather for an early AGM. Various items were discussed, agreed upon, disagreed and then resolved without the need of the Committee to apply thumbscrews or similar devices.

Afterwards, despite a declared intention to "take Windsor", the Welsh plus several 'new best friends', set off for an evenings more local entertainment. After deciding that it would be unwise to revisit the previous evenings establishments, other seemingly suitable venues were selected. It is officially recorded that the Hyland lads are taking their apprenticeship from the Welsh as serious clubbers.... very seriously.

With a far more favourable weather forecast for Sunday the fleet arrived to a freshening breeze. The 'Essex Boys' strangely decided to pack up and go home because, as they said, it was due to 'rain'. Various theories as to the underlying motive circulated but it could be libelous to quote any as most dealt with the previous evenings entertainment. Needless to say they missed a great days racing.

With the first race due at 10.30 and a plan to squeeze 4 races in, the fleet took to the water early in a nice northerly rising force 2-3. A port hand trapezoid course was set with a reaching finish. There was a nice length start line, if a little starboard biased. Just to set the tone for the day, Christian Smart in 568 decided that he would go for the prime slot at the committee boat end and promptly made a pig's ear of it. He arrived somewhat early and after 'bumping and grinding' to make himself more 'comfortable', settled down to being on port, spread-eagled along the line and right next to the committee boat as the gun went. Mayhem...

The majority of the fleet sensibly opted to 'be elsewhere'. Over-reacting to early headers led a few into trouble but there were some worthwhile shifts on the beat for the wise and the brave. Others sailed through them and benefited from faster clear wind. This resulted in occasional fleet guest, Peter Barton in a bright all-yellow Blaze (763), being first to the windward mark closely followed by Nick Miller (757), Martin Saveker (774) and Christian Smart (568).

The race settled down with Nick Miller soon taking the lead downwind. Up the next beat Barton moved back up to second with Mike Lyons (781) making progress up the fleet after a poor first lap. The leaders were then entertained on the next reach by the Welsh contingent of Smart and Chris Holman (640) in the friendly embrace of 'interlocked wings' – a tricky enough position for anyone to perfect. Animated conversation heard between the two must have been in another language so it was assumed. Miller led for the rest of the race chased with Barton in second, and Lyons climbing his way up to 3rd. The now wakeful Mr Saveker finished 4th with the "lovely couple" of Smart and Holman in 5th and 6th.

Race 2 – Lyons sought clear air in near splendid isolation at the pin end arriving up the field at the windward mark but it was Saveker and young Ben Pickering who pipped him to the windward mark first. These positions were held for the remainder of the lap until Saveker got the wrong side of several shifts upwind allowing Pickering into the lead. He was chased by Lyons and Miller with Myles Mence (7571). It was the last beat before Lyons got through Pickering in the increasing breeze. Positions thereafter went to Miller, Saveker and Smart.

The third race followed a similar start pattern but windward mark honours went to several of the sea sailors from Warsash who seemed had overcome their confusion over the lack of waves. The pack, including Rob Jones (678), Ian Clark (695) and Kieron Holt (699), but they were closely followed by Lyons and Smart. One lap on and Lyons and Smart were through the Warsash squadron. However, on the last leg of lap two Lyons Mike spied the Blue 'finishing' flag flying attractively on the committee boat and headed for the line. However.... It is not the end of the race, merely a 'confusion' so muttering, Lyons now on a 'bit of a mission' set about chasing down Smart who had worked out what the RO 'really meant' and had already headed upwind on the true last lap. Lyons went low and fast to the left and helped by the rising wind just got past Smart who had gone right by the windward mark. Downwind under Smart pressure a very relieved Lyons managed to gently pull away to take the race. The pack following was still largely a Warsash dominated one with Holt in third, then Rob Jones, Miller and Clark

The final race started in a freshening breeze allowing everyone to hike extra hard upwind. Again the leading bunch at the windward mark was made up of those who generally tacked least up the first beat. Jones led closely followed by Barton and Lyons with Miller, Mence and Holt close behind. At the wing mark Jones gybed straight into a sudden shift /gust leading to an entertaining series of rocks and rolls. He survived but Barton, obviously captivated by Jones performance, rolled in on the next gust. Poetic justice or what !

To everyone's satisfaction the Inlands were now blessed with sufficient wind for a really great 'Blaze conditions' so fast upwind and even faster down was the order. In the end Lyons got through again chased by Miller with Saveker next. These positions held to the end with Holt following in 4th, Jones in 5th and a recovering Barton climbing back to 6th.

Overall Lyons clearly won with three 1sts to count, Miller was second, and in third was Saveker. Other class prizes presented included:

• Best Youth – Ben Pickering
• Master (over 45) - Nick Miller
• Grand Master (over 55) - Mike Lyons
• Endeavour - Laurence Marshall

Overall Results: