Contender Traveller Series at Highcliffe Sailing Club

Contender Traveller Series at Highcliffe © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

Contender Traveller Series at Highcliffe © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

Contender Traveller Series at Highcliffe © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

With the Contender European Championship at Highcliffe just a year away there was a good turnout of 30 boats for Round 6 of the Contender Traveller Series at Highcliffe Sailing Club. Sailors took the chance to try the choppy waters of Christchurch Bay. And the Bay didn't disappoint, with some serious lumps of water.

The wind for the weekend can accurately be described as "up and down". Anything between 8 and 18 knots probably, but at least it had the decency to be mainly from the west, except when it thought about swinging a bit north or south just to catch us out.

After a couple of recalls on a very port biased line the first race eventually got under way in a lull which meant high trapezing. With most of the fleet lined up on starboard heading for a very crowded pin, Mike Murley and Stu Jones both decided to chicken out and start on port midway along the line. It meant they hit the new wind first and were away, building up a big lead which only Simon Mussell was able to close slightly, but not enough. It ended with Mike first, then Stu and Simon.

Race 2 took a long time to get going as the wind kept shifting making it difficult to set a line. And then the fleet kept pushing too hard, even under a sequence of black flag starts. Graham Scott eventually won with Simon and Stu following closely.

Race 3 was sailed in the best wind of the day, and rain. I mention rain as it obviously obscured Simon's view as he characteristically blasted up wind but lead half of us to the wrong mark. We all ended up reaching in to the right mark but not in time to catch Graham Scott who had a good lead which he held to the end.

Simon used his speed well to get back to 2nd. Ed Presley was third, having been thrown out as a persistent offender in the previous black flag start. Even Ed admitted that he was over the line so early he had time to go round the committee boat (for some reason) and then start early again!

Highcliffe showed their traditional hospitality on Saturday night, feeding everyone with a hearty meal including double helpings of apple crumble. Awesome.

The wind was whistling on Sunday morning but by the time the race started it had moderated and left a big chop. Simon lead but was chased closely by Mike, Stu and Nick Grace. Despite surrendering the lead for a short while Simon won from Nick and then Mike.

Graham won the next race with Stu second and Tim Holden third to set up a tense final race. Unfortunately the wind shifted left a lot meaning there wasn't a true beat. Despite the course there were plenty of smiles at the end as everyone enjoyed the run which turned onto a wild reach in the building wind and waves. Simon lead all the way round, until 50m from the finish. At this point he had the event tied up.

But a huge shift on the final reach left him stranded and let Stu, Graham and Gary Langdown through, costing Simon not only the overall event, but also second overall. In the overall results it was Graham first, then Stu, then Simon.

Roll on Castle Cove for the next event.

Contender Traveller Series at Highcliffe - photo © Tim Olin

Overall Results:

Contender Traveller Series at Highcliffe - photo © Tim Olin