Comet Association Championship at Sutton Bingham Sailing Club

Ben Palmer ahead of Peter Mountford approaching the leeward mark at the Comet Championship © Comet class

Richard Steptoe at the Comet Championship © Comet class

Chris Hatton, first junior at the Comet Championship © Comet class

Sutton Bingham Sailing Club hosted the Comet Class Association Championship on 7th & 8th May. The event attracted sailors from as far afield as Yorkshire and Essex with 12 different sailing clubs represented. The Comet is a lively single-handed dinghy sailed by a men and women and at this event ages ranged from 16 to 79!

Three races were sailed on Saturday with a light easterly breeze gradually building and veering towards the south-east during the third race.

In the first race local sailor, Chris Jones, using a borrowed boat, took an early lead but was closed down by Eddie Pope and light wind specialist, Chris Hatton who took line honours.

In race two Jones made another good start. A lap into the race Michael Ettershank caught up and a close tactical battle ensued. Approaching the leeward mark Jones forced Ettershank into a rule infringement requiring penalty turns. Jones went on to win the race with Ettershank holding off Chris Robinson and Pope for second place.

There was a solid force three south-easterly for the third race requiring a reconfiguration of the course to give two good upwind legs. Ettershank led this race from start to finish having picked up a good wind shift on the first beat, followed by Jones. Robinson, Paul Hinde, Nigel Austin and Dave Harris were closely bunched behind with much place swapping on every lap.

On Saturday the club laid on a BBQ for competitors and a sailing quiz including plenty of questions on Comets - not just the dinghy, but meteors and musicians too!

On Sunday the action was dominated by Sutton Bingham Sailing Club's Chris Jones who revelled in the increasing breeze to take two bullets. Ben Palmer, Austin, Robinson and Harris featured in the pursuing bunch and there was much jostling for position amongst the competitive fleet. This included an incident which could have been a lot more serious when one boat capsized onto the committee boat just before the start of the final race.

Seconds before the start of race 1 at the Comet Championship - photo © Comet class

At the prize giving ceremony, where prizes were awarded down to 17th place, Rob Jamieson, Principal Race Officer, Lou Hart, Event Organiser and Sutton Bingham Sailing Club were congratulated by the Comet Class Association for a well managed event.

Overall Results: (five races, 1 discard)

8th Chris Hatton, Severn S C, 1st Junior
14th Isla MacNeal, Baltic Wharf S C, 1st Lady

Winner Chris Jones presented trophy by club Commodore, Andy Roxburgh at the Comet Championship - photo © Comet class