National 12 Burton Week at Herne Bay Sailing Club

National 12 Burton Week at Herne Bay Sailing Club - Day 2

by Charlotte Stewart 23 Aug 2015 20:22 BST 22-25 August 2015

National 12 Burton Week at Herne Bay © Nick Champion / www.championmarinephotography.co.uk

Burton Cup and another race

The day dawned with blue skies, white horses and some decisions on what to wear. By the time the decisions were made, the white horses had disappeared and decisions were revised.

The fleet headed out on schedule but had to wait some time on the water for the wind to settle and swing round to the south. When we started, the fleet got away cleanly with Jon Ibbotson and Charlotte Stewart leading round the windward mark with Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne and Tom Stewart and Andrea Downham hot on their heels. Jon and Charlotte held their lead to the gybe mark, only to be overtaken by the end of the second reach.

Graham and Zoe led to the finish, completing the Burton Cup, which consists of a 4 laps of a triangle course, with each leg at least one mile long, in 2 hours and 50 minutes. Tom and Andrea finished second with Jeremy and Luke Hartley closing in on them to finish 3rd, ahead of Jon and Charlotte. The most closely fought battle of the race took was decided by an intense tacking battle on the short beat to the finish between the Thorntons, Giffords and Meadowcrofts. John and Mandy Thornton squeezed through into 5th followed by John and Olly Meadowcroft then Anthony and Jo Gifford. The first non-foiler to cross the line, in 9th place, was sailed by Nigel and Chris White.

The race officer sorted out a quick turnaround to set off a second shorter race once the Burton Cup was complete. The fleet were keen, and with the tide pushing them on to the committee boat, some pulled the trigger early in a bid to stay clear, resulting in a general recall. The race officer opted to start under a penalty flag, and the fleet got away cleanly. Steve Sallis and Katie Meadowcroft lead round the windward mark, followed by Tom and Andrea, then Zoe and Graham, who worked low to creep up to second place by the leeward mark. The next beat saw the top 3 boats changing places, but Steve and Katie made it to the top mark first. With increased wind, Andrea and Tom enjoyed the reach to round the gybe mark in first and hold this position to the line. Steve and Katie crossed in 2nd, with Graham and Zoe just inches behind.

The fleet were welcomed home with sunshine and Pimms on the shore, a very welcome sight after a long day on the water!

Results after Day 2:

1st Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne
2nd Tom Stewart and Andrea Downham
3rd Steve Sallis and Katie Meadowcroft
4th Jon Ibbotson and Charlotte Stewart
5th Antony and Jo Gifford
6th Jeremy and Luke Hartley
7th John and Mandy Thornton
8th John and Ollie Meadowcroft
9th Nick Copsey and Penny Yarwood
10th Nigel and Chris White (1st Non Foiler)
11th Christian and Sophie Day
12th Ed and Tom Storey
12th Mike and Sophie Storey
13th Steve Carver and Rich Bower
14th Mike Hoyle and Luke Herlihy
15th Gavin Willis and Rosie White
16th Patrick Hamilton and Nicola Palmer
17th Philip David and Katie McInnes
18th Dare Barry and James Bennett
19th Tom Lee and Jenefer Bugge
20th Richard Holttum and Lynne Ratcliffe (1st Admiral's Cup)
21st Alex Storey and Harry Phelps
22nd George Finch and Jenny Pearson-Farr
23rd David Peacock and Gill Bilton (1st Vintage)
24th Neal and Freya Lillywhite
25th Richard Elston and Duncan McGoldrick
26th Douglas and Marcus Wheel
27th Paul Turner and Christine Preston
28th Alan Beeton and Helen Barry
29th Angus Beyts and Magadalena
30th Vince and Alex Phillips