Streaker and Solo Open at Yeadon Sailing Club

Peter and Helen in close contention for victory during the Streaker and Solo Open at Yeadon © John Cheetham

Light weather predominated for most of the day during the Streaker and Solo Open at Yeadon © John Cheetham

005 Close finish of race 1 after almost an hour of light to zero wind racing during the Streaker and Solo Open at Yeadon © Howard Chadwick

Despite a very low wind forecast and a clash with the rescheduled Streaker Nationals a fleet of nine local and visiting helms arrived to compete for the open meetings and were greeted by a fitful breeze which almost died then shifted 180 degrees during the briefing making the race management somewhat tricky!

Fortunately as the briefing ended the breeze filled in slightly and switched back to the forecast direction and the decision was made with all concerned to sail both fleets together and to start straight away before the breeze died again.

The breeze held and after a clean start Streaker 1616 Peter Kitchen took up the lead closely followed by Solo's 4163 Tony Langley and 5413 Andy Cheetham with the rest of the fleet in close pursuit. The wind however died again and the fleet bunched up, with places changing constantly as what breeze they had shifted in direction every few minutes. At the end of the race it was the same three boats but the order changed almost on the last mark with Andy Cheetham Solo 5413 taking the win from local hero Tony Langley and Peter Kitchen St 1616 all three finishing within three boat lengths after racing for almost an hour the second Streaker was Richard Long in 1625.

After an excellent lunch and a course change to suit a slightly increased breeze the fleet again made a clean start this time with a new leader Helen Voisey in Streaker 1676 (in her first open meeting away from her home club Ripon) being chased by Peter Streaker 1616. Despite being over taken by Peter who led in the middle part of the race Helen fought back to take the victory from Peter with Richard Long Streaker 1625 in third place. In the Solo fleet Tony Langley having made what seemed to be a bad start had managed to recover and was first Solo at the first mark a position he held until almost the last mark when Andy got through once again to take the fleet win and the open meeting.

Race three saw a further course change and only one Solo taking to the water however the Streaker results were still wide open and all boats were on the line and raring to go. Again the fleet got off to a good start and this time it was Paul Metcalfe who took up the lead, a position he held for two laps before being overhauled by Peter and then Helen. Despite the wind having shifted to almost remove the windward leg Helen managed to get through into the lead only to lose it again in the closing stages and come in a very close second. Gavin Gulliver-Goodall Solo 3986 sailed a solid race finishing 1st Solo moving him up to 2nd overall.

Overall Results: