LDC 2000 Class National Championships at Exe Sailing Club - Day 4

Wednesday was the lay day at the LDC sponsored 2000 National Championships at Exe Sailing Club. It seemed that half the fleet decided Topsham Turf was the place to go, and people arrived using many different forms of transport: driving, walking, canoeing, biking, ferry and private boat!

Wednesday evening saw the whole fleet assemble, along with two teams from Exe SC, for the Championships quiz night - with the sponsors, Otter Brewery and the 2000 Class Association providing some great prizes. The quiz was very well organised by Katie Burridge, and saw some fierce rivalry between the different teams leading to 5 minute warning signals, Z-flag penalties, and a number of protest flags.

The Pecker nominations for Tuesday included:
Rob Burridge, for cycling around Exmouth riding a bicycle with flowers on the basket - and a sign saying "Hire Me"!
Guy Russell and his winter training - which obviously didn't include the instructions "Put the bung in".
But the winner was Simon Horsfield. After watching Bonnie and Sarah in the first race doing a port tack across the fleet from the pin end, Simon seemed to be trying it on the next race - only to park himself, on port, stopped and out of control on the line as the gun went. The only thing he did right was to remain behind the line! Many apologies are due to Gill, after her helm carefully explained to Simon the error of his ways using sailor's language!

Thursday: a change of wind direction and strength greeted the fleet (although the sunshine and glorious scenary remained the same!), allowing the whole fleet to return to the water after a number of people had rested themselves in the stronger winds and waves earlier in the week. 6 to 8 knots from the north meant a gentle run out of the estuary to the race area. A change in wind direction just after the course was set meant a short postponement, before a three lap race was held in 8 to 9 knots. With the wind off the shore, getting the 30 degree shifts correct was vital - although the cross-course tide caught out a number of boats at the windward mark who suddenly found they had to gybe around onto port and attempt the approach a second time. The start was fairly bunched to the Committee boat end, but the favoured side seemed to be out to port. Rob and Katie Burridge timed their final tack back to the windward mark perfectly to take the lead and to keep it for the rest of the race - although Dave Adams and Kristina Harborne never let them relax.

For the second race, the wind had dropped slightly to 5 to 6 knots. The fleet was much better spread along the line, and was heading out for the drag race to the left hand corner. But the wind kept swinging and lifting on starboard, so those who had put in a short wind clearing tack were doing much better. Dave and Kristina were having a perfect day in the lighter conditions - and took the lead at the first mark and held it all the way round. Simon Horsfield and Tom Bernal also did much better than they expected in the lighter conditions, with two 3rds. A number of the other top runners were having a nightmare - which played very nicely into the hands of Rob and Katie, whose second place in the second race clinched the overall victory and they became National Champions with a day to spare.

Results at: www.exe-sailing-club.org/dinghy_results/2000_Nationals_Results.htm