National 12 Burton Week - Runners and Riders
by John Meadowcroft 18 Aug 2015 11:22 BST
22-25 August 2015
Gavin Willis and Rosie White in training at Bristol Corinthian YC © Nigel White
The National 12s are all set to visit Herne Bay SC in Kent for Burton Week, starting on Saturday 22 August. A seven race series is scheduled over 4 days including the iconic Burton Cup on Sunday. 4 laps of triangles, each leg a mile long to determine who is the quickest...
The central protagonists are likely to be Tom Stewart and Andrea Downham the 2014 Champions, who will face a formidable challenge from Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne who have had fine form this summer, seemingly having already managed to have the 2015 Gul Series sown up. Andrea has been recovering from foot surgery over the winter and her time in the boat has been restricted. Tom has resorted to extra training with children Robert and Isobel crewing him, and he dominated Salcombe YC Regatta last week. Andrea is determined to hold on to her spot as crew, however, so I would not be betting against them.
However, some younger sailors will be hoping to upset things. Jeremy Hartley won the Burton Cup just up the coast at Whitstable more than 25 years ago and this year, again teamed up with son Luke, will be hoping to improve on last year's result of 13th when they were also first non foiling boat. At the end of last summer they acquired the original Dead Cat Bounce. They quickly placed second at the 2014 Inland Championships. Other than a 3rd place at the opening Gul Series event of 2015they have been off the circuit following a lot of winter sailing. They will sail light and will be very fit.
Oliver Meadowcroft, crewing for dad John will be seeking to improve on fourth place last year. He has certainly already impressed a number of the fleet with his hiking skills so far this summer and has again been selected ahead of mum Katy. Still the only people sailing the Hijack design John and Ollie are quick in all directions as soon as they are sat on the side.
Tom Storey recently won the RS Tera Sport World Championships and he will be directing operations at the front of father Ed's Feeling Foolish. Ed will be making the big step up from trolley dolly. Other parent and child combinations hoping to take home silverware include Neal and Freya Lillywhite who will be the "old boat" to beat. Freya has found her hiking legs at Salcombe. Douglas Wheel has now moved father Marcus to a crewing job and will be helming his first Burton Week in the boat that Marcus built.
And now to the old timers!
Antony Gifford, champion in 1998, returns for the first time in a number of years. Most of his recent practice has been with his children calling his tactics, but a Championship requires a little more and wife Jo has been recruited to hand out the Haribos and to dispense calm advice. Antony's advice for winning Championships is to get the same boat as Tom Stewart and to then sail it better. He has the same boat...
However, Steve Sallis and Katy Meadowcroft must be the jokers in the pack. Steve is fresh from coming 4th at the RS300 Nationals, and having recently hooked up with Katy on Facebook, they have yet to ever even sail together! Steve was second with daughter Joanne last year and will be hoping that two time Burton Cup winner Katy can help him shed his bridesmaid dress in 2015.
In the vintage fleet, David and winners of the 2015 Vintage Championships has set himself up as the man to beat. However Paul Turner and Angus Beyts think otherwise... Fun will be had.
www.national12.org/burtonweek/2015