Skiff and International Canoe Open at Ullswater Yacht Club

Prize winners at Ullswater Yacht Club's Skiff / IC event and fleet weekend © Sue Giles

After six challenging races, Musto Skiff sailor Jono Shelley took the top place at the Skiff/ International Canoe Open event at Ullswater Yacht Club from May 2-4.

A total of 22 Skiff-class boats and ICs raced at the club over the Bank Holiday Weekend with the first three places going to three different classes of boat. Second overall were Matty and James Lyons in a 49er and third place went to David and Edmund Clarke in a VX One.

The club was pleased to welcome a fleet International Canoes to the event, first was Charlie Chandler with John Robson second and Colin Brown third.

Gusty winds coming from the East made setting a windward leg difficult for the race officer on the Saturday. Two races were held in the tricky conditions and first places went to Andrew Cutting in a RS Vareo and Jono Shelley in a Musto Skiff.

Sunday morning brought the same wind direction and the same awkward conditions, Graham Priestley won the first race of the day in a Musto Skiff. After lunch, the wind was beginning to change direction and by race three of the day it had swung round to the prevailing South Westerly. Other winners were Charlie Chandler and Matty and James Lyons.

With so many different winners, it was all down to the final long distance race on the Monday. The strong SW winds were back and a windward-leeward course was set round a buoy at Howtown and a buoy at the northern end of the lake. Winners were Matty and James Lyons, but a third place by Jono Shelley was enough for him to win the event.

More than 20 club boats also took part in three days of Fleet Weekend racing. First in the Conventional fleet was J Edwards in a Laser with Phil Noak second and the cadet prize went to Topper sailor Emily Lofthouse-Hill. In the Keelboat fleet, Mike Adams and Paul Kingsley-Adams were first in a Tempest and Dave and Sue Giles second in a Flying Fifteen.