Osprey Inland Championships at Rutland Sailing Club
by Alan Henderson 28 Oct 2013 16:39 GMT
26-27 October 2013
Forecasts often get it wrong. Not this one! "Bonkers windy" was forecast. "Bonkers windy" duly arrived at Rutland SC for the Osprey Inlands on October 26/27. Rutland also hosted fleets of Contenders, FDs and Javelins, all ready to join battle in a Demolition Derby.
Just one race was sailed over the whole weekend, and winds which were big to start with rose to a squall of 40kts at the end. By this point less than half of the fleets were still standing.
The Osprey race was led all the way by Richard Marshall and Peter Greig, followed by the elusive Mike McNamara making a shock appearance in an Osprey. Was it his first in the boat which he has owned for three years? He came through his baptism of fire well enough in second place, with Phil Meakins and Ed Wilkinson third. Six Ospreys finished the race to claim the Demolition Derby prize for the class with the most finishers.
Runners up were the Javelins, with an impressive five out of nine starters surviving to the finish. Contenders, usually known for their love of strong breezes, managed just five finishers out of 17 starters, but their survivors were certainly going fast as the leaders moved through the Osprey fleet.
All classes certainly had tales to tell, and the Osprey fleet duly awarded their Tom Daley prize for artistic diving to Ed Wilkinson, who normally sails a Musto Skiff. This is a man obviously used to quick decision making. Phil and Ed completed the race, and had almost reached land back at the club. But instead his helm, Phil Meakins, the Osprey class star of the Fotoboat 2014 calendar, thought he spotted a passing photographer, and while brushing his hair, caught a gust. Over they went. But while falling over, Ed managed an artistic leap off the trapeze towards the back of the mainsail, so instead of landing splat on the mainsail in usual fashion, his dive sternwards also avoided going splat on the leech which could have had equally painful consequences. Welcome to the class, Ed!
Unfortunately no further racing was possible for any classes, so the Inland Championship was null and void. But it will live a little longer in the memory of those brave souls who sailed in it, and indeed in the memory of the mighty Osprey fleet which claimed victory in the interclass Demolition Derby.
Race 1 results:
1. Richard Marshall & Peter Greig, Poole YC
2. Mike McNamara and Tim Riley, Norfolk Broads YC
3. Phil Meakins and Ed Wilkinson, Hamble River SC