Blaze Inland Championships at Northampton Sailing Club

Blaze Inland Championships 2014 © James Ripley

Ben Pickering is the 2014 Blaze Inland Champion © James Ripley

The theme this autumn has been light winds, the pattern had to break sometime and it did so well and truly at Northampton SC on 18th and 19th October for the Blaze Inland Championships. The forecast was south-westerly 20 to 30 knots for both days and it did it. Moreover there was no limp-wristed cancelling races and other such PC nonsense; the races started on schedule and ran their full length, if you weren't happy (or wrecked) you could always go in.

Considering the forecast a healthy entry of 27 turned out and had spectacular sailing in heavy conditions. The event was shared with Finns and Europes which worked well for all classes and will be repeated at various events in 2015; it meant there were 60 odd boats on the water, a good size meeting.

Joint favourites for the cup were Ben Pickering (Chase SC) current National Champion and inland expert and Rob Jones three times Champion and someone who revels in the heavy stuff. Courses throughout were round the cans making the most of the area available and where possible avoiding the Finns who tend to sail in a tight pack which at times can be pretty impenetrable.

Race one, slight port bias and Martin Hattersley (Chase SC) crossed the fleet on port and dominated the first beat, hotly pursued by Pickering and Jones. The breeze at this time averaging 15kts with gusts to the mid 20s. Matt Burnett (Felpham SC) also found the conditions to his liking and was consistently in the pack. At the finish Pickering led from Jones, local Andy McGaw posted a third place with Hattersley fourth.

A new front arrived for race two and increased the breeze to 20 knots average with gusts to high 20s and twenty degrees shifts. There appeared to be no pattern to it and you went up the beat making it up as you went along. Myles Mence (Lymington Town SC) nailed the start and tacking on to port cleared the fleet. At the windward mark turbulence over the edge of the dam made for a fast heart rate in the bear away. Down the first run a tight bunch lead by Jones and Pickering ran hard by the lee trying to weather the next mark and yet avoid gybing. Christian Smart (Pembrokeshire SC) rolled in to windward with a dramatic bang the first of several fresh water rinses he opted for over the weekend. Nick Ripley (Paignton SC) also in the pack and enjoying the conditions kept out of trouble and was able to post a 4th at the finish, Jones beating Pickering.

The breeze now increased still further for the third race with gust exceeding 28kts and the fleet started to thin out. Once again Pickering and Jones sparred for the lead up the first beat. Where possible one played the shifts tempered by the fact that tacking had become a tricky manoeuvre which needed to be rationed and that it was beginning to be a race of survival. Jones's kicking strap broke allowing Mence into 2nd place and fellow Warsash sailor Ian Clark moved up to 3rd with Christian Smart 4th. Pickering took the gun. Ashore the fleet gratefully retired to hot showers and the most enormous portions of curry provided by the excellent catering ladies at Northampton SC.

Mike Lyons the class SMOD meanwhile was doing fast business selling the new Fire sails. These measure in at 8.8sq m compared to the standard sail of 10sq m and aimed at those who are not quite as quick as they used to be across the boat in a blow; the new product had found its time.

Sunday morning and the relentless wind increased now averaging 24kts with gusts over 30. Christian Smart led up the first beat of race 4 from Pickering and Jones showing great talent and technique as he weighs a good two stone less and was sailing with an alloy mast. Jones meanwhile retired with yet more equipment failure, this was to cost him the championships. At the finish Smart led from Pickering with Mence another lightweight in third place and Ian Clark 4th.

The fleet had now started to thin out with helms suffering gear failure or just plain exhaustion from multiple capsizes. A bright low sun caught the crests of the whitecaps ragging the water of the reservoir, the wind was relentless and gusts were stronger than ever. A stalwart few came to the line impervious to the conditions. Port bias line again and Mence got away at the pin end pursued by Jones who was now back on the water having effected repair. The conditions were truly demanding as together with keeping the boat on the plane on the wind one had to react to each gust by playing the sheet or you were over; the race became one of endurance. At the dam there was always a gust on the critical point of the bear away and then straight into a gybe to get to the left hand side of the course for the run, helms desperately scrabbling aft to keep the bows up in yet another massive gust. At the finish Jones took the gun with Mence 2nd, Pickering 3rd and Clark 4th.

For the 6th and final race only four boats came to the line: Pickering had done enough to win the event and so went ashore leaving Jones, Mence, Matt Burnett and stalwart Bob Yates (Burghfield SC) to spar. Plenty of room on the line but Mence's pin end flyer did not work this time with the others hooking up inside him. Burnett found the conditions to his liking and was contending for the lead. Jones relentlessly pulled away and was first at the windward mark followed by Mence and Burnett. The gusts down the run were at times astonishing but thankfully the course had been changed so that a gybe was not necessary straight after the bear away and one had time to pick the moment. Triangle, sausage and at the end of the second triangle the Race Officer decided Jones had an unassailable lead, that it was time for lunch and shortened course. We headed in tired but satisfied, it had been a good scrap.

The next Blaze meeting will be at the Draycote Dash on 22nd/23rd November 2014.

Overall Results: