Marblehead Ranking Event at Keighley

Marbleheads at Keighley © Michael Parkington

Marbleheads at Keighley © Michael Parkington

Marbleheads at Keighley © Michael Parkington

The Marblehead class rolled into Keighley for the first of its popular 2 day ranking events for 2016 with cool northerlies expected at the club's Weecher Reservoir venue. As has happened with previous 2 day events, the countries best skippers were in attendance in what would be the first real guide as to where many skippers were at with new and optimised older designs after work carried out over the dark winter months.

Day 1

After a short skippers briefing PRO John Tushingham and his dedicated race team set about laying a generous course size using the open lake to offer the best true course for racing to be conducted in one large fleet. The tallest A rigs were chosen by the majority for the mainly lighter conditions to start off at 10 am but with a building breeze, near all were down to lower aspect B rigs to better manage the strengthening conditions. Getting off the line without incident in the large fleet and holding a clear lane was proving a test for all with the more experienced skippers managing the early races better and a few penalty turns being executed by those often getting their timing wrong.

At the sharp end it was Brad Gibson (Birkenhead), Graham Bantock (Chelmsford) and Peter Stollery (Guildford) who were making the most of the fast flat water conditions but they were not having things their own way with Tony Gurrier (3 Rivers), Darin Ballington (Manor Park) and John Shorrock (Datchet Water) taking some well earned podium places.

With a lunch break called at around 1pm, skippers were treated to warm meals, drinks and pudding by the popular Keighley catering team with a chance for many to rest and warm themselves for the long afternoon of racing to follow.

Back on the water and with conditions continuing as per the morning with the wind oscillations providing ample tactical choices combined with the odd snow flurry, racing continued through to a full 17 races and a 5pm finish.

On the water the fortunes of many fluctuated with consistency hard to come by. Strong afternoon showings were recorded by Roy Stevens (Tri Services) and Terry Rensch (Datchet Water) but at the close of racing it was Gibson who went on to score a solid win from Peter Stollery, with Graham Bantock rounding out the podium.

Skippers later retired to the Ilkley Moors Vaults for a superb meal and the odd shandy for a most enjoyable evening organised by our hosts, where weary bodies where recharged for the oncoming day ahead.

Day 2

With forecast conditions predicted to mirror that of the previous day, our well rested fleet arrived for the 9.30 am start where again the choice of rig had many glancing sideways at their nearest for any indication of which way to go. To get away most again went with A rig, only to scurry for the B rig following the first round of 3 races with the building breeze.

As per the racing on Day 1, it was the top 3 of Gibson, Stollery and Bantock who got away to good starts posting low scores but with such conditions nothing can be certain, with incidents resulting in broken gear and hulls in this fast paced racing ever present with no skipper exempt of their share.

Others to shine throughout the morning were James and Tony Edwards(Yeovil), along with new skipper to the class Duncan Ellis from Nowich and Clapham's Rob Vice.

Lunch was taken at around 12.30 pm with once again the host team excelling in the catering stakes to give skippers that extra boost to get through the afternoon on tired legs.

As for the afternoon session of racing one can only wonder what may have been slipped into those hot pulled pork rolls with a few skippers looking more than a little shaky and others seemingly untouchable throughout the latter stages. Bantock and Stollery made the best of the afternoon running, along with Ballington and Shorrock.

With racing called to a halt just after 3.30pm it was Gibson who had scored enough early points to cover an afternoon session he would hope to forget, holding out the fast finishing Bantock, with Stollery taking out the final podium position.

Skippers roundly agreed that the 2 day event, whilst intense and challenging, was most enjoyable and the 2 day format once again delivered the type of value that has attracted a spate of skippers both new and old to the class over recent seasons as a most deciding factor.

Attentions now turn towards this years National Championship to be held on the open and fast venue of Datchet Water SC in what will the last full hit out prior to the class World Championships at Limone Del Garda in late September where a large entry is anticipated for both.

For all class news and events visit the UK M Class website here.

More Michael Parkington photos can be found here.