Contender Open at Burton Sailing Club
by Rodger White 14 Mar 2016 19:44 GMT
12-13 March 2016
Light and fickle winds greeted the 8 Contender sailors for the Burton SC Open meeting on 12th and 13th March.
The Race Officer set a figure of 8 course. The port end was favoured but with the line very short, port tacking the fleet was not going to work. Leaders at the windward mark were local sailors, Bill and Tom Hooton (666 and 678) followed by Tony Brooks (2496). These 3 tussled for the lead and at the final leeward mark Tom led Bill and Tony. Tony split tacks while Tom covered Bill. Tony tacked back for the line and was rewarded with a little lift, passing them both and pipping Tom by no more than half a boat.
Race 2 saw the fleet cleanly away and was governed by choosing when to cross to the starboard side of the beat, early rather than later, as Tony Brooks led at the windward mark. Up the second beat he repeated the manoeuvre and stretched his lead to the finish. That was it for the day with the wind forecast to drop even more and the England/Wales game waiting to be watched.
Day 2 and 4 races back to back in a moderate breeze. Start line was set much longer. Bill Hooton worked the shifts best and led from start to finish hotly pursued by Tony Brooks, while Craig Hellon (674) found some good shifts up the second beat to finish 3rd.
Race 4 saw the committee boat end favoured but Tom and Bill Hooton too eager having to return. This left Oxford SC buddies Tony Brooks and Chris Howe (2477) to battle it out for first. Chris Howe got the shift up the short beat to the line right and won by a foredeck.
Race 5 had the fleet bunched at the committee boat end apart from Rodger White (398) who port tacked the fleet ("I was pointing at the windward mark on port at the pin end"). He led for a lap and a half, losing out to Chris Howe and Tony Brooks up the second beat, coming in 3rd.
In the final race, Bill and Tom Hooton lead the first lap and then went too far right on the second beat. This allowed Rodger White, Chris Howe and Tony Brooks to slip through and these positions were held to the finish.
Overall, the Oxford SC team sailed most consistently, well done to Tony Brooks and Chris Howe for coming 1st and 2nd. Thanks to Burton Sailing Club for hosting the event and to the race officer Neil Rabbitts for turning round the races quickly.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 2496 | Tony Brooks | Oxford SC | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ‑3 | 8 |
| 2nd | 2477 | Chris Howe | Oxford SC | 5 | 2 | ‑7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| 3rd | 666 | Bill Hooton | Burton SC | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | ‑7 | 5 | 18 |
| 4th | 398 | Roger White | King George SC | ‑7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 18 |
| 5th | 678 | Tom Hooton | RYA | 2 | ‑5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 18 |
| 6th | 674 | Craig Hellon | Burton SC | 4 | ‑8 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 25 |
| 7th | 559 | Paul Ross | Shotley SC | 6 | 4 | 6 | ‑7 | 6 | 6 | 28 |
| 8th | 2422 | Neil Ferguson | Yorkshire Dales SC | ‑8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 38 |