Cherub Open at Weston Sailing Club

So if you were hoping for a short report which mentions a good curry, some breakages and thanking all boats for showing like some previous reports, then I would suggest you look in the archives.

We had a turnout of 9 Cherubs that was only equalled by the I14's and those who could have been here and didn't show missed out on a great weekends sailing. The Cherubs enjoyed close racing, there were 7 boats that had top 4 finishes and 3 different race winners. There was close racing throughout the fleet showing consistency is the key not owning a fast boat. The question for the weekend was would the Everest's in their first foiling races be quicker round a course than the low riders.

Race 1 - Andy and Jill Peters in Usagi took an early lead and showed that they were going to be a class above the rest this weekend while the tortoise and hare was being played out behind with Clive and Alex Everest foiling up and down in A&E and myself catching up in the down moments. Unfortunately Clive hadn't read the script and beat the tortoise home in his first fully foiling race.

Race 2 - After Banshee Ambulance briefly snatched the lead downwind Andy and Jill shot out in front again and stayed there. Eleanor and Chilly (cool beans) swapping places until the finish. Chilly snuck over the line second, Eleanor third with Robin in Banshee Ambulance finishing a very close fourth.

Race 3 - Dean and Simon in Eleanor flew off the start and were not seen again taking the only comprehensive win of the weekend. With the wind now having picked up to a stiff breeze there was some synchronised capsizing at the gybe as a shift hit the closely packed fleet. Clive came out best to take second with Andy third after recovering from a start line swim. Roland finished a creditable forth in the windy conditions.

Race 4 - After an early start on Sunday for the tides Andy and Jill started in front and stayed there, while Chilly and Clive (now with a crew swap and in low rider mode) swapping places until the finish.

Race 5 - In now decreasing breeze Clive and Andy swapped places at the front while the chilly closed the gap until a small kite problem allowed Eleanor and Shiny to catch up. There was close racing between the 2 groups until the end. Clive came first from Andy with Shiny third Chilly fourth and Eleanor fifth.

Race 6 mmmm - If you were on Chilly possibly the best race ever. It was a one lap race in light shifty winds. I'd like to tell you about the start or the first beat or even who led down the run but frankly I was nowhere near any of that.

So this is my self-centred account.

We had the biggest knot ever to grace a kite before the start and were only able to start a good few minutes behind the fleet with Hayley spending nearly all the beat fixing the kite we hoisted to find another knot at the top mark. Hayley doing another amazing job managed to untangle it by the downwind gate. Somehow and I can't claim to understand why we had closed the gap on the fleet.

Upwind to the finished we found our own private wind to sail through the fleet with only Andy and Clive crawling over the line in front of us.

Thank you to Weston for a well-run event.

Get your entries in early for Weymouth because if it is half as good as this it will be worth it. And Weymouth has a food festival on at the same time so lots of life in the town after sailing.

Overall Results: