Allen RS Tera Open at Burnham Sailing Club

RS Tera open at Burnham © Phillip Harbott

RS Tera open at Burnham © Phillip Harbott

RS Tera open at Burnham © Phillip Harbott

25 boats entered the weekend event which was part of the Eastern Travellers' Series. The Pro fleet had 11 entries, the Sport fleet 14. The racing all took place in the designated youth race area which is right in front of the Burnham Sailing Club and the spectators had a fantastic view.

Saturday saw big winds in the morning, but an efficient launching meant that the race officer got the first race underway on time. The tide was ebbing, and the fleet beat across the river to the windward mark and spreader before running back across the river to the leeward mark. The Pro fleet sailed the full four laps, whilst the Sport fleet were shortened after three. In the Pro fleet, Niamh Davies, Dylan Collingbourne, Ellen Morley and Catie Atkin were fighting it out at the front. Niamh took the bullet with Catie second, Ellen third and Dylan fourth.

In the Sport fleet visitors Joshua Davies and Harrison Pye were fighting it out with local sailors Ben Hutton-Penman and Will Taylor. Will, in one of his first outings in a Tera won the first race, with Harrison second, Ben third and Josh fourth. The strong winds saw a lot of capsizes and the sailors did well to carry on.

In race 2, the Pro fleet again was dominated by Niamh with Catie again taking second. Ellen Morley sailed in in third, with Matt Smith in fourth. The Sport fleet again shortened after three laps, but many had capsized several times and retired, going in for lunch early. Only 8 boats managed to finish out of the eleven starters. Ben Hutton-Penman took his first bullet of the weekend, followed closely by Will Taylor in second, Harrison Pye came in third, with Tristan getting his first of three fourths.

The fleet then went in for lunch, and were well fed by Abi Davies and her team in the galley. After lunch, the breeze had moderated and the rain less frequent! The wind direction remained the same, and so the racing went straight back out on the same course. However, some boats were caught out by the tide, as it had turned over lunch to start flooding, making the beat a fair tide one.

Niamh and Dylan in the Pro fleet were still in the front two places, with Matt Smith in third and Charlie Harbott in fourth, having his first Tera racing experience. The Sport fleet found it slightly easier going with the moderating breeze and 13 out of the 14 starters completed the race. Again Will, Ben and Harrison fought it out, with Will Taylor getting another first, Harrison a second and Ben a third place.

The last race of the day in the Pro fleet saw Oscar Cubitt up in the mix, taking a third, with Niamh making it four out of four with another first. Ellen was third. In the Sport fleet, all bar one finished and Harrison Pye took the win, with Joshua second and Will third. Ben finished in seventh, and Fergus Pye took fourth. At the end of the first day in the Sport fleet, with the discard in, Will Taylor led on four points. Ben and Harrison were tied on seven, with Ben in second on count back. In the Pro fleet, Niamh was in first on three points, Dylan in second on 8, and Catie and Ellen on 10, with Catie in third on count back.

Day two saw challenging conditions for the race officer but after a short period of flying the AP, the breeze really filled in and he was quick to get going. The wind was westerly so the beat was straight up the river to the windward mark, this time on the North shore and then round the spreader and down to the leeward mark below the Club. The tide was ebbing throughout the first race and turning towards the end of the second.

Hannah Tucker came out in the pro fleet for the first race if the day and won, with Dylan second, Ellen third, Catie fourth and Niamh in fifth. In the Sport fleet, Ben Hutton Penman led throughout to take first, Harrison finished in second and Will third.

The breeze stayed and the second race got underway. Joshua Davies was up with the leaders in the Sport fleet taking third, with Ben winning his second race on the trot, and Will Taylor taking second. Tristan got his third fourth of the regatta. The Pro fleet again saw very close racing and it was very tight at the head of the fleet; Niamh finished first, Dylan second, Ellen third and Charlie Harbott took another fourth place.

Lunch was called and after another great lunch, the fleet returned to the same course, but a flood tide. This caused problems on the start line and both fleets had a general recall in race 7, as the line was obscured by those over, and the Race Officer couldn't determine who was over and who wasn't. Again a quick turn around and the Pro fleet were off. A very quick lap saw the Sport fleet not started until the first lap was completed. Dylan took his first win of the weekend, with Ellen second and Niamh third. The Sport fleet saw Harrison Pye win after a close race with the front runners.

The final race had many of both fleets OCS, having again misjudged the tide. However, the recalls were individual. The Pro fleet piled up towards the committee boat and saw boats doing penalty turns to exonerate themselves. Dylan again took first with Niamh second and Matt Smith third. The Sport fleet was won by Harrison, with Joshua Davies second and Harrison Pye third.

Overall the Pro fleet was won by Niamh Davies with Dylan second and Ellen third. The Sport fleet was won by Harrison Pye with Will Taylor second and Ben Hutton Penman third. Harrison made an excellent speech thanking the race officer, safety boats and galley helpers which summed up a super weekend of sailing from the Burnham Sailing Club.