Spring Challenge at Sutton Bingham Sailing Club

Spring Challenge at Sutton Bingham © Emily Green and Phil Godfrey

Spring Challenge at Sutton Bingham © Emily Green and Phil Godfrey

Local clubs contest The Triangle Challenge and Banbury Chaser

Sutton Bingham Sailing Club (SBSC) revelled in a welcome touch of spring when it hosted a combined event on 13 March, with visiting competitors from the clubs in Lyme Regis (LRSC) and Castle Cove (CCSC), Weymouth. Coming after a long, wet and windy winter and a completely windless day only the day previously, the scene was set for an enjoyable and friendly tussle with old rivals, on a day with lots of sunshine and light, but reasonably settled easterly winds.

25 boats (15 different classes) & 31 sailors took to the water for the first race and, after a 15 minute postponement due to total club electrical failure, the first race got under way. The start line was a little crowded but with an "all clear" from the RO it wasn't long before the Fireball of Lyme Regis helm Allan Tyler and crew Chris took a lead which it maintained throughout the race, despite the best efforts of Sutton Bingham's Ian Jay in his D-One, who sat on their wind for the first half of the race. Lyme's Jerry Rook and his crew, Fraser Earle, in an Albacore, maintained a steady third slot on the water. Terry Curtis in his OK, one of a small contingent from Castle Cover, lay fourth throughout, sailing downwind at a heel angle which appeared to defy what is physically possible. Relatively few places changed during the race, which was eventually won by Jerry Rook on corrected time, followed by Allan & Chris Tyler in second and a dead heat between Tim Robertson with crew Saffron Gallagher in their Wanderer and Terry Curtis for third.

Spring Challenge at Sutton Bingham - photo © Emily Green and Phil Godfrey

After lunch, spent by many sat out in the sunshine, the second race followed the same course as race 1, and was essentially a repeat performance with the same four boats at the front on the water. This time however, on corrected time it was, Allan & Chris Tyler in first, Ian Jay second and Tim & Saffron third.

As forecast, by mid-afternoon the wind had backed north-easterly, opening up the southern Halstock leg, and offering a change to the course to give the participants another part of the reservoir to play on. With the change of course, things were a bit congested at the start with a slightly shorter committee boat line, but, with only a couple of individual recalls, the fleet got away reasonably cleanly to experience what turned out to be some very tricky wind conditions with substantial shifts and changes in pressure in quite a confined area. This resulted in some significant place changing throughout the fleet both up the beats, down the runs and round the marks. However, by lap 4 when the RO shortened the course at the windward mark the corrected times resulted in another win for Jerry Rook and Fraser in their Albacore, Allan & Chris second in their Fireball and Ian Jay third in the D-One.

Sutton Bingham Commodore, Andy Roxburgh, announced the results and presented the prizes to individual competitors, finding it difficult to conceal his delight in his club's success in winning its leg of both the Triangle Challenge(SBSC Vs. LRSC Vs. CCSC) and the Banbury Chaser trophy, the latter being a long running two-way team competition between Sutton Bingham SC & Lyme Regis.

Overall Results:

Triangle Challenge
SBSC 18pts
LRSC 20pts
CCSC 45pts

Banbury Chaser Trophy
SBSC 52pts
LRSC 105pts

Individual Results
1st Jerry Rook & Fraser Earle (Albacore)
2nd Allan & Chris Tyler (Fireball)
3rd Terry Curtis (OK)
First Cadet: Max Robertson (RS Tera Pro)

Spring Challenge at Sutton Bingham - photo © Emily Green and Phil Godfrey